An Untamed Natural Paradise for Nature Lovers

The Faroese untamed nature is a paradise for nature lovers and is well suited for hikes in the mountains. Feel the wind in your hair, see colorful villages, grazing sheep, green mountains, fascinating fog and the nearby islands, which rise majestically on the horizon. In this program, you hike with a local guide on old village paths, and drive through the stunning islands on your own by car.

Itinerary

Day 01: Arrive Faroe Islands – Gásadalur

You arrive today on your flight to the local airport on the island of Vágar, picking up your rental car at the airport. Take the short drive to the village of Gásadalur, which was the last village connected to the rest of the islands by tunnel. Here you can enjoy the quiet and stunning view of Tindhólmur: the steep, .25-square-mile islet was named for its five peaks (Ytsti, Arni, Lítli, Breiði, and Bogdi) and is uninhabited.

Day 02: Gásadalur – Guided Hike to Mykines Lighthouse (The Bird Island) – Tórshavn

Enjoy your first Faroese breakfast this morning before you begin today’s exciting adventures. The hiking tour starts with a ferry from Gásadalur that passes by some of the Faroe Islands’ most majestic sea cliffs. Spot puffins, that charming little bird with the colourful beak, or the impressive gannet, which can only breed on the isolated isle to the west of the main island. Upon arrival to the island of Mykines, you meet your hiking guide and prepare to set out.

To get out to the islet of Mykineshólmur, and its lighthouse, one must cross a bridge – a bridge that spans a length of the open Atlantic Ocean. We explore the islet and its lighthouse before crossing the bridge back to the village of Mykines, where you can pop in at the local café. A packed lunch is served during the course of the day’s adventure.

You take the ferry back to Gásadalur and then drive to Streymoy Island and the capital of Tórshavn, where you spend the night. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 03: Tórshavn – Viðoy – Guided Svínoy Hike – Klaksvík

Breakfast is at your hotel this morning. Depart Tórshavn, driving to Viðoy and taking the local ferry from Viðoy to Svínoy. Today we’ll enjoy a beautiful and easy hike. The hike starts in the small village on Svínoy and takes us on a walk out to the headland called Dragin, where the English used to have an outpost during the war. There’s also a bird fowling seat at Dragin, which will be pointed out to you during the walk.

This area is home to abundant birdlife, and you can expect to see or hear whimbrels, European golden plovers, arctic skuas, arctic terns, common eiders, meadow pipits, greylags and several species of gulls. In the cliffs are northern fulmar, puffin, and European shag. Along the shore between large stones and boulders, the beautiful black guillemots nest.

After the hike, you return to Tórshavn and your rental car, driving to the nearby island of Borðoy to spend the night in Klaksvík. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 04: Klaksvík – Kallin Lighthouse Hike – Eysturoy

Breakfast is at your hotel this morning. Drive and take the ferry from Klaksvík to the island of Kalsoy, popularly called The Recorder because of the 12-kilometer-long road that winds through four tunnels and connects the island’s four villages.

Drive to the village of Trøllanes to meet the local guide at the bus stop. The guide will walk with you to Kallin. After approximately an hour’s walk you will reach the lighthouse and be rewarded by an unforgettable panoramic view.

On your own, you can make a stop at the village of Mikladalur—known for its artists and sagas. By the ocean, you can visit the beautiful sculpture of the Kópakonan, the ‘Seal Woman’. Afterward, take the ferry back to Klaksvík and then drive to Eysturoy using one of the Faroe’s famous subsea tunnels.

Spend the night in Eysturoy in either Runavík or Gjógv. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 05: Eysturoy – Slættaratindur Mountain Hike – Eysturoy

Breakfast is at your hotel this morning. We begin the day with a bus and local guide from Tórshavn, and head out on a roundtrip excursion to the highest mountain in the Faroe Islands: Slættaratindur.

Slættaratindur (880m/2890 ft) is a must-hike, and on a clear day all 18 islands of the Faroe Islands can be seen from the top. It’s tradition to climb to the top of the mountain once a year on the longest day (June 21) to watch the sun set and rise again. Our hiking trip up Slættaratindur starts from the mountain pass Eiðisskarð, and will take about an hour. The hike is moderate. When you reach the top, the view of the Faroe Islands is nothing less than spectacular!

Travel back to Eysturoy and spend the night. Dinner is on your own tonight.

Day 06: Eysturoy – Guided Hike from Tjørnuvík to Saksun – Tórshavn

Breakfast is at your hotel this morning. Drive from Eysturoy back to the Tjørnuvík region. Tjørnuvík is surrounded by steep mountains, and offers a fantastic view to the impressive rock formations the Giant and the Witch – both of which jut out of the sea. On the hike from Tjørnuvík to Saksun you will see, among many other things, the previous day’s hiking grounds of Slættaratindur as well as Gráfelli – the second-highest mountain in the Faroe Islands archipelago.

Looking down from Tjørnuvíksskarð (meaning ‘pass’ or ‘gap’; in this case more of a valley) and down to the village of Saksun, you get a fantastic view of the beautiful lagoon surrounded by sand in the fjord. The high mountains give the area some mystery as well as unimaginable beauty. Return to Tjørnuvík after the hike to pick up your rental car.

You drive back down the length of Streymoy Island to Tórshavn, where you spend the night. Dinner is on your own tonight.

NOTE: Due to weather conditions, the starting point is sometimes Saksun instead of Tjørnuvík, operating in reverse.

Day 07: Tórshavn – Optional Excursions

Breakfast is at your hotel in Tórshavn this morning. Today is yours to explore on your own, but we suggest the following excursions:

• We recommend the hike over the mountain and back to the cultural centre of Kirkjubøur. The majestic view over the islands of Sandoy, Hestur, Koltur, and Vágar is second to none! After arriving in Kirkjubøur you can visit Kirkjubøargarður, which is thought to be the oldest inhabited wooden house in the world (approx. 900 years old). You can also see the ruins of the Saint Magnus Cathedral (built in the 1300s) and Ólavskirkja (Ólav’s Church, from year 1111 AD).
• Enjoy the day in the scenic village of Gjógv, known for its unique natural harbour and a beautiful view of the island of Kalsoy. The natural harbour is an attraction everyone should take the time to see. If you walk up the hillside, you will be rewarded with beautiful views of the bird cliffs and the village.

Spend your final night in the Faroe Islands in Tórshavn.

Day 08: Depart Faroe Islands

Your final Faroese breakfast is at your hotel this morning, and you return your rental car at the airport. Depart on your flight back to Copenhagen.