Dynjandi

Dynjandi looks like a wedding veil draped over a mountain. Wide at the bottom, narrow at the top, the water spreads out over dozens of rock steps and falls about 100 metres to the head of the fjord. You see it from the road long before you arrive, and it keeps getting bigger.

Dynjandi, also called Fjallfoss, is the largest waterfall in the Westfjords of Iceland, at the head of Arnarfjörður. The name means the thundering one. It's roughly 30 metres wide at the top and 60 at the bottom, and below it a chain of six smaller waterfalls tumbles down to the sea, each one with its own name. Many Icelanders will tell you it's the most beautiful waterfall in the country. We wouldn't argue.

What to see at Dynjandi

A path climbs from the car park by the fjord past the lower falls to the foot of Dynjandi. It takes about 15 to 20 minutes up, with some steep, uneven steps, and you'll want to stop at every waterfall on the way. At the top the spray can be heavy, so bring a waterproof. Stay on the path; the moss and vegetation here are fragile.

Pro tip: turn around at the top. The view down the fjord from the foot of Dynjandi, across the lower falls and out over Arnarfjörður, is as good as the waterfall itself, and most people are too busy with their cameras to notice it.

How to get to Dynjandi from Ísafjörður

From Ísafjörður, Dynjandi is roughly an hour to an hour and a half's drive, much faster since the Dýrafjörður tunnel opened in 2020. The last stretch crosses Dynjandisheiði, a high, exposed plateau. From Reykjavík it's a full day's drive, or you can take the car ferry across Breiðafjörður and drive on from there. Most visitors either self-drive around the Westfjords or come on a day tour from Ísafjörður, often from a cruise ship.

Best time to visit Dynjandi

June to September is the reliable window. In winter the roads over the heaths are cleared only on weekdays and can close in bad weather, so Dynjandi isn't a place to count on between October and April. Check road.is before you set off.

Tours to Dynjandi are below, all leaving from Ísafjörður, including small-group, private and cruise port tours with a farm visit or a historic Westfjords drive.