Nauthúsagil was a true hidden gem until recently. Even though you may not get the place for yourself today like you most likely would have a few years ago, it certainly is worth the visit. At least if you are a bit adventurous. And are wearing good and sturdy shoes that you’re ok with getting a little wet.
I’m not exactly sure of the exact definition of a ravine, but let’s call Nauthúsagil a ravine. It’s a narrow ravine with moss covered walls and some birch trees (or bushes. Again, depending on the definition 😅) A small river or creek runs through the ravine and at the end of it you’ll find a beautiful waterfall.
How Long Is the Nauthúsagil Hike?
The walk or hike to the waterfall is somewhere around 2 km/1.2 mi (roundtrip). A half of that is on a wide and even trail that leads from the parking lot to the ravine itself. So as you can see it isn’t a long hike but it gets a bit tricky towards the end.
What to Expect when Getting there?
When you enter the ravine it’s a fairytale-like experience. The narrow moss covered walls and the birch trees along with the running water make this place a true gem. You better be wearing some good and sturdy shoes though as you will have to step on some stones on your way through the ravine.
Just before you reach the waterfall it gets pretty tricky. Then you have to cross the river where the stepping stones are wet and some of them don’t really stand out of the water. The water runs over them. Then you’ll have to climb along the rock wall, holding a chain that is attached to the wall. The probability of getting wet feet during this part is pretty high. Therefore you might want to consider bringing some wader shoes as it might take your hiking boots a long time to dry. That is if they aren’t waterproof.
Anyways, I think it’s totally worth the effort when you reach the waterfall. I mean it’s a bit of a challenge. A pretty fun one though. Just be careful so you don’t fall into the water. And if you do fall, it will just make this hike more memorable and give you a good story to tell when you get back home! 😆
How to Get to Nauthúsagil
Nauthúsagil is located in South Iceland by road F249. It’s about 10 km/6.2 mi drive from the popular Seljalandsfoss whereas about 6 of these 10 km are on a gravel road. Road F249 leads to wonderful Þórsmörk and isn’t always passable in the winter time.
Look for “Nauthusagil” on Google Maps and choose “Nauthúsagil Waterfall, Stóridalur” from the results. Here you’ll find the parking lot and the trail to the ravine.
You can see the road conditions here.When to Visit Nauthúsagil
It doesn’t really matter that the road to Nauthúsagil isn’t always passable in winter. Nauthúsagil isn’t really a winter destination. I once tried to go there in late winter/early spring. Even though the road was passable the ravine was filled with snow.
In my personal opinion it isn’t the same to visit the ravine in winter or even early spring. Even though there is no snow. I think the moss and the trees/bushes add so much to the total experience that this ravine should be explored in summer.
But that’s just me. Maybe I’m wrong. I mean, I think (almost) everything looks better in summer which gives you a very narrow window to visit. So bottom line, don’t listen to me! 😅
You can see a video/reel from this hike on my Instagram account under the reels tab. Scroll down until you see a video/reel that says “Nauthúsagil – a short but adventurous hike”.
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!
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