Faxi

Faxi, or Vatnsleysufoss
Location	South of Iceland
Number of drops	1

The Faxi (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈfaksɪ] ^ⓘ, or Vatnsleysufoss [ˈvasːˌleiːsʏˌfɔsː]) waterfall is located on the Golden Circle, a popular tourist trail approximately 120km east of Reykjavik. The waterfall is located on the Tungufljót river, a tributary of the river Hvita.^[1]

Faxi can be found around twelve kilometres from Geysir, 21 kilometers from Gullfoss, and 17 kilometres from Skalholt, away from the main road on a gravel track which includes a picnic area and a small car park.^[2] It is also close to the village of Reykholt, and 60km from the þingvellir National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.^[2] The waterfall itself is located in the municipality of Bláskógabyggð.^[3]

The waterfall is approximately 7 meters high, and 91 meters wide, and can be viewed from an observation platform.^[4]

The waterfall is full of salmon, and features a fish ladder constructed to aid salmon in their upstream migration, serving a crucial role in preserving the salmon population in the Tungfljót river.^[5] Due to the salmon presence, it is a popular spot for fishing. Close to the waterfall is a restaurant called Við Faxa.^[6] There is also a rich presence of native birds, and a large variety of flowers and shrubs, nourished by the spray and mist from the waterfall.^[5]

The name Faxi comes from the Icelandic for "the mane of a horse", and signifies the waterfall’s unique and gentle cascade, akin to a horse’s mane fluttering in the wind.^[2]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Faxi (waterfall).

• List of waterfalls
• Waterfalls of Iceland

64°13′32″N 20°20′17″W / 64.2256°N 20.3381°W / 64.2256; -20.3381