I recently went on a fantastic tour with my mother, where I explored a beautiful canyon in Iceland - Stakkholtsgjá Canyon.
We were a group of Icelandic people travelling together and were headed to Þórsmörk National Park on a day trip. One of the stops on the way was to hike into this beautiful canyon.
Top photo: In Stakkholtsgjá canyon
Hiking in Stakkholtsgjá canyon
Stakkholtsgjá is one of the places in Iceland that seems otherworldly. The canyon is around 2 km long and up to 100 m deep.
There are some small rivers to be crossed, and many of us got wet feet, and some people fell in and got drenched, but it was so worth it.
Just make sure that your cameras don't get wet, which happened to me on my second trip into the canyon, when I fell on the last slippery rock.
Only two people had to be left behind, one of them was my mother, as she did not want to jump over rivers on slippery rocks only to end up falling in.
Hiking in Stakkholtsgjá canyon - there is a small river to cross
Our goal was to hike to the end of the canyon to see the waterfall there. But just the hike to the waterfall is so beautiful that it would be worth doing this hike even if there were no waterfall at the end of the canyon.
But the waterfall is the icing on the cake :)
We were lucky enough to get some sunshine during our hike, which made the surroundings even more mystical.
Hiking in Stakkholtsgjá canyon - the canyon got narrower as we reached the end of it.
As we got closer to the waterfall, the canyon narrowed and became more mystical.
Now, as we got to the end of the canyon, it narrowed and became really slippery, and I could hear the waterfall.
I was so excited to see it that I was one of the few people in the group who jumped off the river rocks again and climbed up the big, slippery rock.
Half of the waterfall in Stakkholtsgjá canyon
I started to catch a glimpse of the waterfall cascading down the steep canyon. It wasn't easy to get one's footing there and take photos with heavy cameras at the same time.
Then my camera lens started getting wet from the waterfall's drizzle. And I was getting drenched from the drizzle as well...
After I had crawled up on more slippery rocks, I looked up; WOW, it was like being in a fairytale world, like being inside a castle! This was ever so rewarding, what a view!
I can understand why Game of Thrones chose Stakkholtsgjá as a film location.
By half of the waterfall ;)
I asked one of my fellow travellers to take a photo of me by the waterfall. Only a tiny part of the waterfall can be seen in the picture, as he didn't turn the camera upside down, but as you can see in my photo, I was drenched, in an adrenaline rush, and very happy :)
We had to hike the same way back, but I was so energetic and filled with endorphins that I easily jumped over the rivers and ran back to my mother, who had had to wait for the group to return.
On the other hand, when I revisited Stakkholtsgjá canyon a couple of years later on a guided tour, I fell into the river ;)
Crossing the river in Stakkholtsgjá canyon
This hike takes about 1.5 hours round-trip. The hike starts from road F249 at the entrance to Þórsmörk valley.
F249 is a 4x4 road, as there are several unbridged rivers to cross, some of which are glacial rivers, and the road is rough, so only full-sized 4x4 jeeps are suitable for this drive. Plus a driver who knows how to handle glacial rivers.
A fatal accident happened in August 2018, when a woman died after the car got stuck in the cold river while crossing the Steinholtsá river :( She was on her honeymoon and floated for some 650 metres in the ice-cold glacial river. So I will reiterate that it is always better to be guided by a local in Iceland.
A warning sign was erected in 2019.
Photo: Árni Tryggvason
I am often asked about this hike and would recommend joining the guided tour, Thorsmork Valley | Super Jeep Day Tour.
On that tour, apart from visiting Stakkholtsgjá canyon and the beautiful Þórsmörk valley, you will also be visiting the mystical Nauthúsagil ravine.
Here is a map of Stakkholtsgjá canyon and the surrounding areas if you fancy doing this hike.
Other beautiful canyons in Iceland:
The Picturesque Fjaðrárgljúfur Canyon in South Iceland
The Spectacular Stuðlagil Canyon - the Gem of East Iceland
Kolugljúfur Canyon and the Giantess
The Mystical Nauthúsagil Ravine in South Iceland & its Beautiful Waterfalls
Jökulsá á Fjöllum Glacial River in Jökulsárgljúfur Canyon & Dettifoss Waterfall
Have a lovely time in Stakkholtsgjá :)
