Faroe Islands Packing List: Summer Hiking

The Faroe Islands look stunning in photos. But on the ground? Even in their best months the Faroe Islands have capricious weather. Not to mention the rugged terrain, which can make it challenging to pack all the gear you’ll want while sticking to a carry on.

What you pack depends on the type of trip you plan to take. If you’ll be doing lots of hikes, bring plenty of layers, hiking socks, and trekking poles. If you want to take all the photos, save space for cameras, lenses, and drones. And if you will be doing leisurely drives along the stunning coastlines, then stick to comfortable attire. 

Our recommendations in this article will list the essentials that you need to do some of all of the above while fitting it all into a carry-on suitcase.

What’s Included:

• What Weather Should I Expect in the Faroe Islands?
• Summer Packing & Gear List for One Week in the Faroe Islands
• What Photography Equipment Do I Need?
• What Rules are there About Flying a Drone in the Faroe Islands?

What Weather Should I Expect in the Faroe Islands?

The Faroe Islands are located at the top of the North Atlantic Current, so they have relatively mild weather year-round (winter lows average in the 40s, while summer highs are in the 50s °F, or about 4 to 15 °C). However, the islands are positioned in a meteorological depression (a low pressure region where cold air rises and condenses into water) so the islands can experience battering winds, rain, snow, and frequent thick fog. There are over 200 rainy days per year! It’s a near-guarantee that you’ll see fog, mist and heavy downpours, perhaps even all in one day.

The tourist season spans from early May through late September, with the peak months being June, July, and August. You can expect anywhere from 16 to 20 hours of daylight. More light means more time to explore, but the more activities you do, the greater the variety of clothing you’ll need.

Because the islands are so mountainous, the weather changes rapidly and can vary quite drastically over relatively short distances. You’ll likely find yourself standing in the rain on one island and looking across the water to another, sunny island. Heed the adage about experiencing all four seasons in a single day.

For the latest weather conditions, the most reliable source is the Norwegian Meteorological Institute forecast.

Summer Packing & Gear List for One Week in the Faroe Islands

Even though you will likely be traveling in summer, plan for rain and chilly days. Our packing list contains the bare minimum. It will see you through inclement weather, but we also recommend saving suitcase space for any non-outdoorsy activities on your itinerary, like having a nice dinner in Torshavn. 

Clothing

• 3 synthetic undershirts/running long sleeved shirts (rotated through the week – or one per day, space permitting. Tracksmith has great merino wool options that are warm and don’t get too stinky after sweating in them)
• 1 mid-weight synthetic weather or light winter running pull-over
• 1 shell jacket with at least a 10,000 wind and water protection rating
• 1 pair leggings (for women) or 1 pair technical pants (for guys) (Alex likes 5.11 Stryke Pants, which are water resistant and mostly Polyester, with plenty of pockets. And Emilia loves the Miles pant from Vuori, which are thin enough to layer comfortably with leggings and dry super quickly)
• 1 pair of wool hiking socks per day, plus two extra pair in case any get wet
• 1 light winter hat
• 1 pair sturdy hiking boots (we both wear Vasque boots and really like them)

Gear

• Day pack or small backpack for day hikes
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm
• Sunglasses
• Water bottle
• Trekking poles (if desired for hiking)
• Roadmap (available for free from the airport car rental center)
• Small first-aid kit
• Camera + optional light tripod
• Drone + controller
• Extra battery packs

Don’t just trust us! The Faroe Islands’ tourism board has their own recommended packing list as well.

What Photography Equipment Do I Need?

Whether knowingly or not, you’ve seen a photo of the Faroe Islands on Instagram, in a travel  magazine, or in movies like No Time To Die. The other-worldly scenery and atmospheric weather make the islands a photographer’s paradise.

You’ll want equipment that lets you capture both majestic, faraway landscapes and awe-inspiring details. If you are trying to pack lightly, and considering that you may bring your equipment on hikes, we advise sticking to a single dynamic camera with good macro and zoom functions. (We like our Canon Powershot sx70 HS for its mix of point-and-shoot and 4k video abilities, color balance, long zoom range, and high resolution, all in an easy-to-carry size). If you plan on driving to your photo destinations (or if you don’t mind hiking with a heavy pack), by all means bring more cameras, lenses, and equipment.

We thought we might want to film our drives in the Faroe Islands (like we did in Namibia), so we brought our GoPro Hero 8. However, we found that photos tended to better capture what we were seeing. For this reason we wouldn’t recommend packing light video equipment, unless you have specific shots in mind.

Although the Faroe Islands looks gorgeous on the ground, we highly recommend bringing a drone for aerial video and photos. The Faroe Islands’ landscapes are even more astounding when viewed from above. Your adversary will be the weather, which is often too windy and rainy for drones to fly. If you do bring a drone, check whether or not the model you have can stand up to high winds (15-25mph / 25-40kph) and water, and be prepared to be grounded if the weather is bad.

With all camera equipment, plan for rain and mist. Also plan for backup batteries or other charging systems, particularly if taking long hikes. Unlike sunny destinations like Namibia, do not plan for a solar powered charger to carry the load of recharging your devices while on the go, since the sun won’t hit it at the right angle and frequent rain means lots of clouds.

What Rules are there About Flying a Drone in the Faroe Islands?

If you don’t own a drone, a visit to the Faroe Islands is a great excuse to get one. You can’t fly drones near towns in the Faroe Islands, but, because the islands are sparsely populated it’s easy to find beautiful spots where you can legally and safely use your drone.

The Faroe Islands do a good job of allowing drone use while limiting the public nuisance of drones if you follow the rules. In addition to the stated rules, there are a few other important tips to keep in mind:

1. You will see signs around the Faroe Islands specifying where you cannot fly your drone (see below). Be mindful of these, particularly when you are near popular tourist spots.

2. Most land in the Faroe Islands is privately-owned land where shepherds graze sheep. Although you can stand at the side of the road or along a designated hiking trail and fly your drone, do not climb over a fence to get a better spot to take off and land. Also do not antagonize the sheep with your drone

3. As we mention above, the Faroe Islands can be windy and rainy. Know your drone’s weather limits. We found that our DJI Mavic Air 2S was able to fly in light rain (without add-on rain protection) and in winds up to 20 mph (30 kph). 

If you don’t  have drone insurance, you’ll need it to fly in  the Faroe Islands. We recommend checking out these insurance options for your time in the Faroe Islands:

https://www.thimble.com/ – Flexible on demand insurance coverage for anywhere in the world.

https://www.skywatch.ai/ – Allows purchase of hourly insurance plans but does not cover areas outside the US, except for commercial purposes.

https://www.droneinsurance.com/ – Covers most of the world, but requires that you purchase an annual plan and then specific coverage for when you fly. Cannot be purchased by residents of certain US states.