About Thjofafoss
Thjofafoss (or more accurately Þjófafoss; pronounced “THYOH-fuh-foss”, meaning “thieves falls”) was a wide and milky waterfall on the Þjórsá River beneath Mt Burfell. Even though this waterfall wasn’t tall, we thought its width, power, and juxtaposition with Mt Burfell was what made this a very interesting waterfall to photograph and admire.
Apparently, the falls got its name because thieves were drowned here for their crimes. I also learned that a hydroelectric plant further upstream had made this waterfall pretty much only viewable when snowmelt was at its maximum in the early Summer. Apparently that was the case during our visit as you can see from the photos on this page.
For all intents and purposes, this was essentially a roadside waterfall, but the side road to get here was a bit rougher than we had expected (see directions below).
Getting here required a somewhat short 4km detour on a black-sand road. However, that short detour felt like it was probably more suited for high clearance 4wd vehicles than 2wd low clearance passenger vehicles. This detour branched from Route 26 about 18km south of the Route 26 and Route 32 junction in Þjórsadalur.
Coming up the Route 26 from the Ring Road, it’s about 44km northeast to the turnoff for the falls, which would then leave the road 26 on the left. The Route 26 leaves the Ring Road at about 7km from the bridge over the Þjórsá River at Hella, or it’s about 27km east of Selfoss. Selfoss was about 52km (45 minutes drive) east of Reykjavik.
Find A Place To Stay
Right to left sweep of the falls and Mt Burfell ending well downstream of the falls and mountain
Related Top 10 Lists
No Posts Found
Trip Planning Resources
Nearby Accommodations
Featured Images and Nearby Attractions




Visitor Comments:
Got something you'd like to share or say to keep the conversation going? Feel free to leave a comment below...No users have replied to the content on this page
Visitor Reviews of this Waterfall:
If you have a waterfall story or write-up that you'd like to share, feel free to click the button below and fill out the form...No users have submitted a write-up/review of this waterfall