Glymur
About
Glymur is a 198-meter waterfall on the Botnsá river in West Iceland.
Iceland's second tallest waterfall at 198 meters. Getting there is an adventure — cave passage, river crossing, steep climb. Not for everyone, but if you're up for it, the reward is massive.
The hike builds anticipation. Through a cave, across a log bridge over a river, up steep trails — then suddenly the canyon opens and 198 meters of white water drops before you. Earned views are the best views.
Was considered Iceland's tallest until Morsárfoss was discovered in 2007. The canyon it falls into, Botnsdalur, was carved by glacial meltwater over thousands of years. The river is called Botnsá.
The hike takes 3-4 hours round trip. The river crossing is easiest in morning before snowmelt raises water levels. Bring good shoes and don't attempt in bad weather. The cave at the start is short but dark — a flashlight helps.
Map of Glymur
Glymur is in West Iceland at 64.3908°N, 21.2515°W. The interactive map has the exact pin, parking and everything around it.
Plan your visit
Getting there
- Road 47 (around Hvalfjörður), to Botnsdalur valley · in Botnsdalur valley at the head of Hvalfjörður
The walk
- About 4 hours round trip
Best time
- Summer (winter explicitly warned against)
Heads up
- Winter hiking path can be dangerous; proper equipment and hiking experience needed. Not suitable for those uneasy with heights or challenging hikes.
Off the main road
- 5 km from Route 47
Nearest town
- Melahverfi — 28.2 km away
Distance from Reykjavík
- 43 km in a straight line
What else is close
- 389 mapped places within 20 km
Iceland's tallest waterfall (per the board)
Trail crosses the Botnsá river on a log
Route passes through a rock arch / cave passage
Source lake Hvalvatn is dammed by old lava and ~160 m deep
Glymur weather and conditions
At Glymur in West Iceland, conditions as of 1 September 2026, 00:30 (Iceland time): 2°C (feels like -2°C), clear, wind 4 m/s. Daylight today: 14 h 43 m (sunrise 06:04, sunset 20:47). Check road status before driving on live road conditions.
Data verified 1 September 2026, 00:30· source: Open-Meteo at this location’s coordinates · refreshes hourly
Cars & campers
Tours near Glymur
Photos & videos
Reviews
Frequently
asked
questions
How hard is the Glymur hike?
Do you need to cross a river?
Is Glymur the tallest waterfall in Iceland?
Can kids do the Glymur hike?
When is the best time to hike Glymur?
Nearby
km column = your drive
- 1Staur1 km
- 2Stóragil1 km
- 3Breiðifoss2 km
- 4Folaldafoss2 km
- 5Mígandi5 km
Waterfalls
4 waterfalls near West Iceland
Hot Springs
Krosslaug is a small 42°C natural hot spring in West Iceland, used mostly by locals…
Natural hot spring
Swimming_pool hot spring
Public_bath hot spring
Campsites
Bjarteyjarsandur is a farm in the fjord Hvalfjörður. A small and family friendly camp…
Greater Reykjavík area campsite. Urban convenience with easier booking than central city…
Greater Reykjavík area campsite. Urban convenience with easier booking than central city…
Greater Reykjavík area campsite. Urban convenience with easier booking than central city…
F-Roads
1 f-roads near West Iceland
Supermarkets
Krambúð supermarket — supplies
Krónan supermarket — supplies
Nettó supermarket — supplies
Bónus supermarket — supplies
Gas stations
ÓB · 308.7 kr/L petrol
ÓB · 308.7 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
N1 · 310.9 kr/L petrol
Tours
IF THIS ONE SHOWS UNAVAILABLE, CHECK OUR OTHER DAY TOURS as we run one tour per day.
Step away from busy destinations like the Golden Circle and the South Coast with the tour.
Join a small group shore excursion from Grundarfjordur Port and explore the landscapes of the Snaefellsnes Peninsula often call
Data & sources
Everything on this page comes from the sources below. Live feeds refresh automatically.
UnsplashHero & gallery photography · Alexander Milo / Unsplash
Visit West Iceland (west.is)Visitor access & practical facts
WikipediaEncyclopedic description · CC BY-SA 4.0
VegagerðinLive road status & cameras · Icelandic Road Administration
Open-MeteoWeather forecast · CC BY 4.0
NOAA SWPCAurora (planetary Kp) forecast · public domain
OpenStreetMapInteractive-map data · ODbL
Esri, Maxar & Earthstar GeographicsSatellite imagery for the 3D terrain render · GIS User Community
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