Grundarfjordur Harbor Views and Kirkjufellsfoss Waterfall Walk

Cool ocean air drifted across the harbor as the ship settled quietly into port beneath steep green mountains. Arriving by cruise in Grundarfjordur, the landscape immediately felt wide and calm, with still water reflecting the cliffs and the distinctive peak of Kirkjufell rising in the distance. Even before leaving the pier, the scenery hinted that the best way to explore this stop would simply be on foot.

Grundarfjordur (Grundarfjörður – Pronounced [GRUN-dar-fyur-thur]) sits along Iceland’s Snæfellsnes Peninsula, a region often described as a condensed version of the country’s landscapes. Fishing boats share the harbor with visiting cruise ships, and the surrounding fjord is framed by volcanic mountains and mossy lava fields that stretch toward the horizon.

During my first visit in 2023, I took the town shuttle to Kirkjufellsfossar and then walked back along the trails toward town. The waterfall sits below the famous cone shaped mountain Kirkjufell and is one of the most photographed spots in Iceland. Along the path I passed grazing horses and wide green fields. The only challenge was avoiding territorial seabirds that repeatedly swooped down from behind whenever I wandered too close to their nesting areas.

The following year I joined a small excursion to explore more of the peninsula. We visited Helgafell where Icelandic horses with foals grazed across open hillsides and continued to the coastal town of Stykkishólmur to see its harbor and striking modern church. The most memorable stop was the Bjarnarhöfn Shark Museum where traditional fermented shark hangs drying inside a wooden shed. I tried a small cube served with schnapps and quickly understood why locals recommend holding your breath before tasting it.

When I returned again in 2025 I explored in the opposite direction and walked toward Grundarfoss, another nearby waterfall tucked into the mountains. The falls looked impressive even from a distance as water spilled down the cliff face toward the valley below. On the way back I stopped again at Kirkjufellsfossar where the scene looked just as dramatic as my first visit. Grundarfjordur may be small, but each visit revealed another corner of Icelandic scenery worth slowing down to appreciate.