Mulagljufur Canyon: A Stunning Southeast Iceland Hike
Thinking of checking out Mulagljufur Canyon on Iceland’s south coast?
Our first trip to Iceland took us to the south coast, a popular destination for travelers venturing beyond the Golden Circle. While seemingly every stop along this route was stunning, perhaps the most breathtaking of all was Mulagljufur Canyon and its beautiful waterfalls.
Mulagljufur Canyon is about two hours past Vik and 20 minutes from Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. The moderate hike takes approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on your route and walking speed. Pack layers, and don’t forget your camera – the views are too stunning not to capture!
When to Visit Mulagljufur Canyon
You can hike to Mulagljufur Canyon year-round, but in winter, conditions depend on the weather, particularly snow levels. You can check websites or apps like Safetravel Iceland for weather and other important alerts.
For the best hiking experience, late spring, summer, and early fall are ideal.
We hiked Mulagljufur Canyon in late July and had wonderful weather – overcast skies with temperatures in the upper 50s Fahrenheit.
As for time of day, morning or afternoon are good options to ensure good daylight. If you’re visiting in the summer, the exceptionally long days will give you the option to do this Iceland hike at nearly any time of day.
Getting There
Mulagljufur Canyon is about two hours past Vik and 20 minutes from Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon. If you’re coming from Reykjavik, it’s about a five hour drive.
You can find Mulagljufur Canyon marked on Google maps, but for a more precise location, enter these coordinates into Google maps: 63.9886667, -16.3971589. This is where you’ll pull off the Ring Road (Highway 1).
Once off the main road, you’ll drive down a bumpy gravel path to an unmarked parking area. Simply follow the road to its end – that’s where you’ll park. For reference, the coordinates for the parking area are: 63.993021, -16.436285.
Road conditions vary with the weather. Sometimes you’ll encounter large puddles, other times what appears to be a small river to cross. For this reason, we recommend a 4×4 vehicle (which, honestly, is essential for adventuring in Iceland).
Note: There are no restrooms at the parking lot or along the trail. If nature calls, respect the environment and pack out all waste.
Need a place to stay near Mulagljufur Canyon? Check out our review of Nonhamar Cottages, located a short drive from the canyon.
What to Wear
Hiking shoes or trail runners are a must for this Iceland hike, as this trail requires walking over a lot of gravel and rocks. Bonus points if they’re waterproof – you’ll cross over streams and walk over wet grass, so it’s nice not to have soaking wet feet.
As for clothing, we did this hike in the summer, so the weather was quite mild. We didn’t need much more than a base layer (pants and a long sleeve shirt) plus a rain jacket to act as a windbreaker.
If you’re visiting Mulagljufur Canyon in another season, you’ll likely warmer clothing. When in doubt, keep an eye on the forecast and wear layers.
What to Pack
What you pack for this hike depends a bit on what time of year you’re traveling, the weather conditions during your hike, and how long you’re planning to spend hiking. That said, we recommend the following:
- Backpack: We love packable backpacks for this type of hike, as they’re lightweight and easy to travel with. Something in the 15-20L range should do.
- Weather-ready layers: Keep an eye on the forecast, and if needed, pack additional layers or items like a hat and gloves.
- Extra socks: For when you inevitably step in a stream. We’ve all been there!
- Water & snacks: Because this is a multiple hours trek, you should take water with you. Depending on the time of day, you may also want to pack some snacks, or even a picnic lunch.
- Camera: This Iceland hike is too beautiful to leave your camera or phone in the car! We had our iPhones and our GoPro, all of which captured the canyon’s stunning beauty.
Tip: There isn’t much food to be found in this area of Iceland. Plan ahead and pack food and water. There are multiple grocery stores in Vik.
Distance & Duration
This is an out-and-back hike, with two waterfalls as destination points before the turnaround:
- Option 1 (shorter hike): Many people (ourselves included) hike to the first waterfall, Hangandifoss. This is about 2.5 miles (round-trip), depending on where exactly you turn around to head back, with roughy 200 meters (around 650 feet) of elevation gain. Plan for about 1.5 to 2 hours for this option.
- Option 2 (longer hike): For those who want to venture further into Mulagljufur Canyon, hike to the second waterfall, Mulafoss. This is about 3.5 miles (round-trip), with a total elevation gain of close to 400m (1,300 feet). Plan for about 2.5 hours for this option.
Difficulty
The difficulty of this Iceland hike depends on how far you walk.
If you just go to Hangandifoss waterfall (like we did), the hike is easy to moderate. If you go further to Mulafoss waterfall, the hike is moderate to hard. For what it’s worth, AllTrails rates the longer hike as hard.
The difference in difficulty between the two hike options isn’t so much about distance (the longer route adds only about a mile round trip) but rather the elevation gain. That extra stretch is steep, nearly doubling the total elevation gain of the other hike.
Mulagljufur Canyon Hike: Our Experience
We did this hike in the afternoon, after a morning of kayaking on Jokulsarlon glacier lagoon, making for a full summer day of adventure in Iceland!
Once we arrived at the parking lot, we quickly tied up our hiking shoes, made sure we had everything we needed in our backpacks, and were off to the trail.
Hiking to the Waterfall
The trail begins just beyond the parking area, and we followed the markers along the creek, up into the canyon. As we walked, we caught sight of Falljökull Glacier, a stunning contrast to the landscape. There we were, hiking into a majestic green canyon with waterfalls, while a glacier and the ocean stretched out in the distance.
We kept following the trail, which at times, forked in different directions. As long as the trail isn’t blocked, you more or less can choose your path. If there’s any confusion, using an app like AllTrails can help you navigate further into the canyon.
We kept hiking uphill, then downhill, to reach a small stream crossing.
Use caution here – it isn’t difficult to navigate, but being careful is always a good idea. We were able to hop from rock to rock across the stream without getting wet, but the creek was pretty dry during our visit. This likely varies depending on the season and water levels.
Zoey stopped for a quick drink at this point!
Enjoying the Views
After crossing the stream, we made our way further up the canyon, again climbing uphill. Eventually, we reached the top of the cliff, revealing beautiful views of the canyon and waterfalls below.
We’re not photographers by any stretch of the imagination, but we think this is one of those places that looks stunning in photos, no matter the skill level.
We stopped walking just past Hangandifoss waterfall, but from this point, we could see the trail further up toward Mulafoss waterfall. This is one of those hikes where you can really just meander as far as you’d like. But, we should note that the last stretch up to the top of the viewpoint looked much more steep.
No matter how far you walk along the canyon rim, the views never disappoint. The vibrant landscape reminded us of hikes we’ve done in Hawaii. But here we were in Iceland, having just kayaked through a glacier lagoon down the road, now gazing at a breathtaking canyon with waterfalls tumbling down its cliffs.
At times, low clouds rolled over the cliff edges toward Mulafoss, making for enchanting views of the canyon.
The scenery was so incredible that we had to pause and FaceTime family back home. Some views are just too good not to share!
We wandered around the canyon rim for about 30 minutes, taking in the views and snapping pictures from different areas, before heading back down the trail toward the car.
Heading Back
Like most hikes with some climbing on the way out, the return trip was quicker, helped by the downhill stretch and our familiarity with the route.
Once back at the parking lot, we hopped into the car and started the drive toward our cabin.
Along the way, we passed Cafe Vatnajokull and couldn’t resist a quick detour for a late-afternoon coffee and snack. After a full day of adventuring, it was exactly what we needed to recharge.
That was one of our favorite things about Iceland – the spontaneous stops along the Ring Road that made the journey just as memorable as the destination.
Wrapping Up
Mulagljufur Canyon perfectly captures the magic of an Iceland hike, with its dramatic landscapes, untouched beauty, and a sense of adventure at every turn.
Whether you hike to the first waterfall or push on to the second, the journey is just as rewarding as the destination. Yes, there are waterfalls all over Iceland – but what makes this hike unique is what it offers in addition to its beautiful waterfall views. From the vibrant green cliffs to the glacial views in the distance, every step offers something incredible to take in.
If you’re exploring the south coast, don’t miss this unforgettable trail. It was one of our most memorable excursions during our visit to Iceland!