Krisuvikurberg Cliffs
Krisuvikurberg Cliffs is a landscape in Reykjavik Area, Iceland — about 47 km from Reykjavik and reached by a drive to the trailhead and a short walk in (footwear and weather check). Shoot it year-round, though winter wind, ice, and short daylight rework the shot list, then use the GPS coordinates, parking notes, and nearby waypoints below to fold this stop into a longer photography route.
Overview
The great stretch of cliffs at Krýsuvíkurbjarg are amongst the best bird-watching sites in Iceland.
As a photography stop, Krisuvikurberg Cliffs is a landscape in Reykjavik Area, roughly 47 km from Reykjavik, reached by a drive to the trailhead and a short walk in (footwear and weather check). Plan the shoot year-round, though winter wind, ice, and short daylight rework the shot list. The downloadable Landscape map pins exact GPS coordinates, parking, and nearby waypoints so you can fold it into a wider route instead of hunting for the pull-off on arrival.
Krisuvikurberg Cliffs sits inside the landscape GPS map for Iceland, alongside the other spots worth routing a day around.
Notes on this location
Compiled from published sources rather than a visit. Sources are listed below.
Sea cliffs running 15 km along the south of the Reykjanes peninsula, with more than 57,000 pairs of seabirds breeding on them each year. Reached on Road 427 and a walk.
- Extent
- 15 km of sea cliff
- Height
- The regional tourism board gives 40 m; other published figures say 50 m or 50–70 m, so treat the number as unsettled
- Birds
- More than 57,000 seabird pairs breed here each year
- Getting there
- Close to Hælsvík; walk from Road 427
- Not in the source
- The cited page does not list the species present or say which months are best for birdwatching
Fifteen kilometres of cliff with 57,000 breeding pairs is a density subject rather than a landform one — the picture is the birds on the rock, not the rock, which means a long lens and a position along the top rather than a wide view from a distance. Less than an hour from Reykjavík also makes it the most accessible large seabird cliff in the catalog, against Látrabjarg’s full Westfjords drive.
Light & aurora at this spot
Calculated from this location’s coordinates (63.835, -22.092). Iceland stays on UTC year-round, so these are local times.
- Summer
- June: sun up 03:05–23:53 (20.8 h). Evening golden hour 22:02–23:53, light coming from the NNW.
- Winter
- December: only 4.4 h of daylight (11:12–15:35), but the sun never climbs above 2.9° — the entire day is golden hour. Sunrise bears SSE, sunset SSW.
- Aurora
- Aurora-grade darkness Sep–Mar, peaking at 12.9 h a night in December. Not possible Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug — the sky never gets dark enough.
Bar height is daylight hours. Months marked • have enough astronomical darkness for aurora; the rest do not.
Questions & answers
Krisuvikurberg Cliffs is a landscape in Reykjavik Area, Iceland, approximately 47 km from Reykjavik. Exact GPS coordinates are included in the downloadable Landscape map.
The recommended season for Krisuvikurberg Cliffs is All. For light, plan around blue hour and the first hour after sunrise; Iceland's long shoulder-season twilight extends usable conditions on either side.
Drive/Hike access. Bring weather-appropriate footwear and check conditions before setting out. The downloadable GPS map puts the waypoint on your phone; your own app routes you to it from wherever you are.
Yes — Krisuvikurberg Cliffs can be visited year-round, though winter conditions may require a 4x4 or storm-tolerant plans.