Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss)

Golden Circle / Tungufljot, South Region (Suðurland), Iceland

About Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss)

For Subscribers Only. See Membership Options.

Waterfall Safety and Common Sense

The Faxi waterfall (also referred to as Fossin Faxi or Vatnsleysufoss in Icelandic) was a wide waterfall and kind of a smaller version of Gullfoss.

In my mind it was like Gullfoss in that it was a wide river waterfall except it only possessed one tier instead of two.

Faxi_001_06222007 - Faxi or Vatnsleysufoss
Faxi or Vatnsleysufoss

It also had what looked like a fish ladder adjacent to it, which suggested that anglers or sports fishers could try catching salmon or trout in this river.

This waterfall flowed on the river Tungufljót, which was fed by glaciers (most likely Langjökull) and other streams from the highlands of the interior of Iceland.

By the way, this river was different from the one that Gullfoss flowed on as the Tungufljót ran parallel to the Hvítá.

Anyways, on our first visit in 2007, we were able to view this waterfall both from the car park (see directions below) as well as from the end of a short path descending to its base.

Faxi_013_08062021 - Context of the new boardwalks that connecting the upper and lower views of Faxi when we came back here in August 2021. Such infrastructure definitely wasn't around on our first visit in June 2007
Context of the new boardwalks that connecting the upper and lower views of Faxi when we came back here in August 2021. Such infrastructure definitely wasn’t around on our first visit in June 2007

When we came back 14 years later in 2021, it appeared that they’ve developed a second car park closer to the base of the waterfall while also adding lookouts and boardwalks on a trail that we were familiar with on that first visit.

In addition, there was a restaurant between the two ends of this trail (or road paralleling it) while we now had to pay to visit this waterfall.

Even though the falls wasn’t tall, it still generated enough mist to make photography a bit difficult at its bottom.

Finally, I’ve read that there used to be an old fording point above the waterfall before bridges were built to make the crossing straightforward.

Faxi_017_06222007 - Looking across Faxi from its base
Looking across Faxi from its base

In a bit of trivia, I looked up my Icelandic dictionary to see what the name of this waterfall meant.

According to it, “fax” referred to “mane” so I’d imagine somehow this waterfall reminded someone of a horse’s mane, which wouldn’t be surprising since Icelandic horses are one of the quintessential icons of the country.

Authorities

Faxi resides near Skáholt in the Southern Region of Iceland near Reykjavik, Iceland. It is administered by the municipality of Bláskógabyggð. For information or inquiries about the general area as well as current conditions, you may want to try visiting their website.

Maps and Routing Content are for annual subscribers. See Membership Options.
Content is for subscribers. See Membership Options.
Tagged with: skalholt, golden circle, tungufljot, south region, iceland, waterfall, gullfoss, reykholt, selfoss, blaskogabyggd, reykjavik, thingvellir, geysir, biskiptungur, vatnsleysufoss



Visitor Comments:

Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...

No users have replied to the content on this page


Share your thoughts about what you've read on this page

You must be logged in to submit content. Refresh this page after you have logged in.

Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:

If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...

No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall


Have you been to a waterfall? Submit a write-up/review and share your experiences or impressions

Review A Waterfall

Nearest Waterfalls

The Waterfaller Newsletter

The Waterfaller Newsletter is where we curate the wealth of information on the World of Waterfalls website and deliver it to you in bite-sized chunks in your email inbox. You'll also get exclusive content like...

  • Waterfall Wednesdays
  • Insider Tips
  • User-submitted Waterfall Write-up of the Month
  • and the latest news and updates both within the website as well as around the wonderful world of waterfalls


How To Build A Profitable Travel Blog In 4 Steps

Johnny Cheng

About Johnny Cheng

Johnny Cheng is the founder of the World of Waterfalls and author of the award-winning A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls. Over the last 2 decades, he has visited thousands of waterfalls in over 40 countries around the world and nearly 40 states in the USA.
Read More About Johnny | A Guide to New Zealand Waterfalls.