Faxi (Vatnsleysufoss)

Faxi — also known by its older name Vatnsleysufoss — is one of those stops on the Golden Circle that most visitors drive past without knowing it exists. Sitting quietly on the Tungufljot River just off Route 35, between Geysir and the village of Reykholt, this wide cascade does not compete with the thundering power of Gullfoss up the road. It offers something different: a calm, uncrowded waterfall with a picnic table, a fish ladder, and a view you can enjoy without sharing it with three hundred other people.

The Waterfall

Faxi stretches approximately 80 metres across the Tungufljot River and drops about 7 metres in a single broad tier. The name Faxi means "mane" in Icelandic — a reference to the way the water fans out across the wide basalt ledge, resembling a horse's mane flowing in the wind. The river itself originates from the Langjokull glacier in the highlands, carrying cold, clear glacial water down through the lowlands of southern Iceland.

The waterfall is not dramatic in the way that Gullfoss or Skogafoss are. There is no canyon, no mist cloud, no deafening roar. Instead, Faxi is wide and gentle, its water spreading evenly across the river bed before dropping over the edge in a smooth, continuous curtain. In spring, when snowmelt swells the river, the flow is noticeably stronger. In late summer, the water level drops and the cascade becomes quieter still.

The Fish Ladder

Beside the waterfall, on the eastern bank, a man-made fish ladder allows Atlantic salmon to bypass the falls and continue their upstream migration. Around 400 salmon breed in the Tungufljot River each year, and this ladder is their route past the otherwise impassable drop.

The salmon season runs from June through September. During these months, patient visitors can watch salmon leap and push their way through the stepped channels of the ladder. It is a modest but genuinely interesting feature — a working piece of river engineering that connects the waterfall to the broader ecology of the region.

A Quiet Stop on a Busy Route

The Golden Circle is Iceland's most popular day tour, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to Thingvellir, Geysir, and Gullfoss. Faxi lies between Geysir and the turn-off toward Thingvellir, making it a natural pause point — yet it remains far quieter than its famous neighbours.

The site has a small car park, restrooms, and a picnic area with tables set beside the river. From the car park, a short flat path leads to the waterfall's edge. The entire visit requires no hiking ability and takes roughly 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how long you linger.

When to Visit

Faxi is accessible year-round. Spring brings the most powerful flow as glacial melt feeds the river. Summer offers the salmon run and the longest daylight. Autumn turns the surrounding landscape golden, and the crowds thin considerably. Winter brings potential ice formations along the waterfall's edges and the possibility of snow-covered surroundings, though the main cascade continues to flow.

The best time for salmon viewing is July and August, when fish are most actively migrating. For the quietest experience at any time of year, arrive early in the morning or in the late afternoon, when Golden Circle tour buses have moved on to their next stop.