Fjadrargljufur canyon is simply impossible to pronounce but definitely worth a visit. And just so you know, even Icelanders have difficulties when saying its name correctly. So it’s no wonder if you do!
Fjadrargljufur is one of many beautiful canyons here in Iceland. It was fairly unknown until 2016 when the number of visitors began to rise tremendously. The number actually increased so much in the following years that in 2019 it had to be closed to all traffic for a few months (from March to June). And then again in 2020.
The reason for the closure was the fragile nature around the canyon. It simply couldn’t handle all that traffic and needed time to heal.
Fjadrargljufur Canyon was featured in a famous Music Video and TV Series
But why this sudden increase in traffic you might ask? Well, nobody really knows for sure but many believe Justin Bieber played a big role there. He published a video to his song “I’ll Show You” in November 2015. That video was shot here in Iceland and one of the locations he used in it was Fjadrargljufur canyon.
I personally think this is very likely the biggest reason. Not least for the fact that at the same time, the exact same thing happened at another site. The plane wreck on Sólheimasandur. Here we’re also talking about a site that hadn’t gotten much of an attention until Justin Bieber showed it to the world in this same music video. Coincidence? Hardly 🙂
Please do me a favour. If you check out Bieber’s video, you’ll see him do some things like swimming in the Glacier Lagoon and rolling around in the moss. Needless to say, that isn’t an acceptable behavior in Icelandic nature. So please bear that in mind when you visit.
Game of Thrones
The tv series Game of Thrones might also be responsible for some of the interest in this location. In the first episode of season 8, you’ll see Jon and Daenerys fly the dragons together over Fjadrargljufur canyon.
Fjadrargljufur is far from the only Icelandic location that was used in Game of Thrones. In another post of mine you can read about an amazing canyon hike called Stakkholtsgjá. That one is also a film location for the popular tv series.
If you’re interested in reading about all the locations, check out this blog post on exoticca.com
Where is Fjadrargljufur Canyon Located?
Fjadrargljufur is located pretty close to the small village of Kirkjubæjarklaustur on the south coast of Iceland. To reach it, you need to drive about 3.6km/2.2mi away from the Ring Road. This detour is on a gravel road so it’s important to drive carefully. The condition of the road can vary and you need to look out for possible holes in the road along the way. There is also a small one lane bridge on the way so watch out for that.
Parking at Fjadrargljufur Canyon
The parking lot is pretty small for a popular site like this. That means in many cases you need to park your car along the road. When it’s busy, you might find long lines of parked cars along each side of the road. Under these circumstances it’s very important to be careful. Watch out for people walking on the road and cars that are trying to get back. It can get a bit chaotic to be honest.
But I guess this must be seen as a part of the Icelandic experience. Many of our beautiful sites are certainly not built for as much traffic as they get today. So please be patient and show nature (and other visitors) the respect we all deserve 🙂
Today Fjadrargljufur canyon is open year round, around the clock. That is as long as the road (206) leading there isn’t impassable due to snow. You can always check road conditions on safetravel.is
An Uphill Hike with a Viewing Platform at the Top
A good and clear path has been built along the canyon and some areas are now closed off to protect the vegetation. Please respect these closures and stay on the path. Let’s all unite around protecting the nature in the area so it can stay open for all of those who would like to explore the canyon after us.
The hike (or walk, not sure if this really qualifies as a hike) is uphill the whole way to the viewing platform at the top and it’s about 3km/2mi round trip. In my opinion it’s most beautiful in summer but of course that is debatable and every season has its charm.
Along the way to the viewing platform, you can stop at a few different viewpoints. Take your time to take in the beauty of the canyon and snap some pictures from different angles. Some might find the hike a little steep but I assure you, it’s totally worth going all the way up to the viewing platform where you get the best view in this place.
Well, that’s it for now. If you liked this post and think some of your friends might be interested in reading it too, please help me spread the word. I’d really appreciate it if you’d share it on social media or just send it directly to a friend.
Until next time!
Leave a Reply