Mykines is the westernmost of the 18 main islands of the Faroese Archipelago.
Luxury Holidays to Mykines
© Tommy Kwak
© Tommy Kwak
© Guilherme Romano
Mykines, Designed Around You
Mykines is a truly amazing place. It is without a doubt the most sacred and fragile of all the places in the Faroe Islands that people can go. It is filled with everything unspoiled nature has to offer and is one of the few Ramsar areas (areas of special wetland conservation). With thousands of wild seabirds, Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, Fulmars, Kittiwakes, Gannets and many many more. Not to mention all the land-based birds that live there as well. Puffins and bird watching are the main attraction on Mykines.
The main attraction on Mykines is the guided hike to the islet Mykineshólmur, a much loved tourist attraction. The eventful journey to the islet will take you through steep climbs, a walk through an area highly populated with puffins, to the lighthouse at the end of the world.
The Guidebook
Explore Mykines
Enjoy tremendous views of the ocean to the west and other islands to the east as you walk across the island dubbed the “paradise of birds” because of its magnificent and rich bird life, including hundreds of cute puffins nestled in burrows in the clifftops during the summer months.
Visiting Mykines offers many adventures; hiking along the coastline, crossing the Mykines bridge, visiting the Mykines Holmur Lighthouse. With only 14 permanent inhabitants on the island you will feel as though you have truly visited somewhere untouched!
Getting There
We recommend that you visit Mykines at the beginning of your trip to the Faroe Islands because it is possible to be detained on the island by weather. This rarely happens, but can never be ruled out completely.
There are two ways to reach Mykines; Boat and Helicopter. In the summer – from May 1. until August 31. the boat “Jósup” sails to Mykines every day when weather conditions allow. Day tours by speedboat are also arranged twice a day.
The Helicopter flies all year round – if the weather allows.
Climate
First of all, we always recommend you to go to Mykines at the beginning of your journey because it is possible to be stuck on Mykines because of weather. This rarely happens, but it always happens a few times every year. Furthermore, we recommend you to have alternative plans if the conditions are too bad to moor at Mykines.
The harbour in Mykines is a natural one and is located at a place where the sea is very rough. Therefore, it can be very difficult to moor on Mykines. Cancelations of the boat are therefore not uncommon. The weather we cannot control, and cancelations can be up until the very last minute. This is also the reason that the boat only sails in the months with best weather (mai-august).
Bird Watching
For birdwatchers, Mykines is a must see when visiting the Faroe Islands. It is difficult to get closer to the birds than when walking through the large colonies of puffins on the sea facing hillside, passing cliffs filled with kittiwakes and gannets.
If it is land birds you are looking for, the moorlands of Vágar are an excellent place to start. The birdsong you hear when crossing the plains is a dead giveaway of what to expect: the songs of whimbrels, snipes and oystercatchers will catch your ears as soon as you are out in the open, along with many more.
Puffins are the main attraction of Mykines. There are very few places where you can get this close to Puffins as the area along the southern coast of Mykines.
Fantastic trip to Svalbard which delivered the true Arctic experience we were hoping for. The hotels were excellent and the activities – dog sledding and snowmobile expedition were lead by first class guides.
Top tip! The champagne tasting in the world’s most northerly wine cellar in the exceptional Funken Lodge is not to be missed!
Faith
Amy was a great help with planning this trip. Our trip turned out amazing. I also was very grateful for Off the Map’s Front Desk service, which promptly handled an on the spot issue we had.
Karen
My family and I traveled to Sweden to see The Northern Lights in March of 2023. From the planning process to every detail of the trip, I could not have been more pleased with our experience. Alex was exceptional to work with. His guidance on the time of year, where to stay, activities to do and how to get to and from everything was spot on. I have never used a tour company before but thought a trip of this kind would be easier with some help. I am so glad that I did. The entire week was seamless and completely stress-free, allowing us to truly enjoy Sweden and our time together as a family. I will be recommending Off The Map travel to friends and family and will certainly be using them myself again in the future.
Emily
I used OTMT to organise a holiday to see the Northern Lights for my partner’s 50th birthday. They took the time to understand my priorities, the kinds of places we like to stay and the things we like to do. They recommended a fabulous itinerary in Norway centred around the Lyngen Experience Lodge. The holiday itself lived up to expectations and I have no hesitation in recommending OTMT. They listened carefully during the planning and delivered the perfect present for my partner.
Alex
Exceptional service throughout the entire planning and booking process – travel agencies don’t get any better than this. A brilliant, seamless experience matched by the holiday experience itself. Would recommend ‘Off the Map Travel’ to anyone considering booking for a Nordic experience ‘par excellence’.
Chris
Well-organized trip to Norway and Svalbard with great accommodations and activities. Gwen was communicative and responsive to requests. Highly recommend!
Russell Snook
Amy planned a fantastic trip! Everything was very well-thought out. All transfers went smoothly, accommodations were amazing, great restaurant recommendations and the tours were once-in-a-lifetime, can’t book it yourself off the internet experiences. The guides were all fantastic. Communications were prompt and everything worked exactly the way it was supposed to. What a pleasure! Already working on our next trip.
Anonymous
The best travel experience ever on every level you can think of during a Lapland expedition (food, activities, timings, accommodation, transport, service, equipment…). I highly recommend Off The Map Travel for their outstanding level of professionalism and detail oriented mindset!
Sophie & Guy
We originally hired Off the Map Travel in 2020 to set up a trip to see the Northern Lights. That didn’t happen, thanks to COVID. But, we persisted and in March of 2023, we took a 16-day trip that included both Iceland and Norway. IT WAS MAGICAL! Off the Map took care of everything! We were pampered at every stage of our trip. The people they hired and the activities they planned added up to a trip that will set the standard for any we’ll ever take in the future. Alex and his team were fabulous! We recommend them without restraint!
Jim & Kris
Off the Map Travel was great! Alex helped us plan the most amazing 10 day honeymoon to Iceland. He gave us great recommendations and was so patient with us during the planning process!
Tori
I would thoroughly recommend this company. Their planning and advice was spot on. Alex responded to my calls and emails very promptly. I will definitely use them again for future trips.
Rosie