The Drangarnir boat tour was high on our list for the Faroe Islands. And that is not very surprising, because Drangarnir is one of the most famous rock formations on the islands. You see two huge sea stacks off the coast of Vágar, with that well-known rock arch where the sea crashes straight through.
We did the boat tour from Sørvágur. And this was a really fun way to get there. Especially if you do not want to do a long hike or if, like us, you are travelling with a baby. From the water you get close to the rocks, sail past beautiful cliffs, a waterfall and also see puffins flying around along the way. And what always makes a tour extra fun: you learn something from a local guide. Our guide said, for example: bad weather does not exist in the Faroe Islands. Bad clothing does!
In this blog I will tell you all about our experience with the Drangarnir boat tour, what you see along the way, what the boat tour is like with a baby, what you should wear and whether we thought this tour was worth it.
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What is Drangarnir?
Drangarnir is a famous rock formation off the coast of Vágar, one of the western islands of the Faroe Islands. The two rocks are located between Vágar and the small island of Tindhólmur. Especially the large rock arch makes this place so recognisable.
Drangarnir already looks impressive in photos, but from the water you only really notice how rugged this coastline is. High cliffs, deep cracks in the rocks, seawater pounding against the walls and birds flying everywhere along the cliffs. This is exactly the kind of landscape you come to the Faroe Islands for. And in many places you can experience that with a hike or by car, but this is one of the few tours you can do on the island from the water.
You can also see Drangarnir from land during a hike, but you are not allowed to do that walk independently just like that. You need a guide or permission for it and the hike takes 3 to 4 hours. The boat tour is therefore a much easier way to get close to Drangarnir.
The Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur
The boat tour departs from Sørvágur, a village on Vágar. That is convenient, because you are also close to the airport, Múlafossur, Bøur and the famous hike to Sørvágsvatn / Trælanípa here.
We set off in the morning. At first it was still quite rainy, so we had a bit of a moment like: are we really going to sit on a boat soaking wet later? But when we arrived at the harbour, luckily it cleared up a little. And because you sail mostly between the cliffs and islands, we did not really end up on the open sea. Because of that, the boat tour felt a lot more relaxed than I had expected beforehand. Still, with wind force 6, the sea was unfortunately too rough to sail through the arch.
We went on the boat well wrapped up. That is definitely not an unnecessary luxury here. Even when it is dry, it can be chilly on the water. The tour was run by a married couple, a man and woman, who guided the boat trip together. That immediately made it feel a bit more personal and small-scale.
Do you want to do this tour yourself? Then you can already book the Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur here.
Sailing between the cliffs
What we liked is that the boat tour did not feel like a wild trip across the open sea. Of course, it remains the Faroe Islands, so the weather can always change. But because you sail sheltered between the cliffs and islands, it was surprisingly relaxed for us.
Along the way you sail past rugged rock walls and get closer and closer to Drangarnir. That famous rock formation with the large opening in it is really beautiful to see up close. You probably know the image from photos, but on the water you only really see how big and jagged those rocks are.
The fun thing about this boat tour is that you see the coastline from a completely different perspective. Many places in the Faroe Islands are viewed from a cliff or hiking trail. Here you are sitting low on the water and looking up at those enormous rock walls. And there were puffins flying all around us!
Puffins around the rocks
One of the nicest surprises along the way were the puffins. These are those small black-and-white seabirds with a striking colourful beak. In English they are called puffins, and you also see that name a lot in the Faroe Islands.
They were flying all around the rocks and were busy looking for food. You do have to look carefully though, because they are smaller than you might expect. From a distance, you mostly see tiny birds shooting low over the water. And getting a good photo of them? That is quite a challenge.
But after missing them earlier in Iceland (because we visited in autumn and according to our guide they fly out again in large numbers around mid-August), we finally spotted them now! You obviously come for Drangarnir, but those birds make a boat tour like this just that bit more lively. It then does not feel like just a loop past rocks, but really like a piece of nature that is constantly moving.
Also past Múlafossur from the sea
After Drangarnir, we also sailed on towards a waterfall that flows into the sea. It is such a typical Faroe Islands scene: high cliffs, grassy green slopes and water falling straight into the ocean.
If you have only seen Múlafossur from land, it is fun to also see it from the water. From the sea you can really see how the waterfall sits in the landscape and how steep the coastline actually is here.
We also sailed past old rock formations on this side of the island. The guides told us something about the area along the way, without it becoming too school-like. NASA comes here every year to take samples, because this area is said to be the closest match to Mars. Well, another fun fact learned for back home.
With a baby on the Drangarnir boat tour
We did this boat tour with our 8-month-old daughter. And it actually went surprisingly well. She was well wrapped up and was completely fine with it all. Until she got tired, because yes, in the end a baby still decides the schedule.
Halfway through, she fell asleep on me. That meant that I spent the last half of the boat tour mostly inside with a sleeping baby in my arms. My wife could take photos outside, while I could still peek out through the window a little. Not quite how I had imagined it beforehand, but oh well: baby asleep, everyone happy.
Is this boat tour suitable with a baby? In our opinion it can be, but only if the weather is reasonable and you prepare well. Dress your baby warmly, bring something against the wind and make sure you are flexible yourself. You should not expect to spend the entire tour standing outside taking relaxed photos. Luckily, our guides had 5 kids together, so they gave us plenty of useful tips.
With older children, this tour actually seems really fun to me. The boat is small, the rocks are impressive and there is plenty to see along the way. I would think carefully if your children get seasick easily though, because it is still a boat tour in the Faroe Islands.
What was the weather like on the boat?
The weather in the Faroe Islands is a story in itself. When we left it was rainy at first, then it cleared up, and on the boat it actually turned out to be quite okay. That is basically very normal here: you get several types of weather in one day.
The woman who guided the tour also made a nice comment about that. Something along the lines of: in the Faroe Islands there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. You just have to dress properly and not wait too long for “perfect” weather, because then you might be waiting for quite a while.
For this boat tour I would definitely wear layers. Think of a warm sweater, windproof jacket, hat or hood and shoes that can handle a bit of wetness. Even if it seems dry in Sørvágur, it can be chilly on the water.
Drangarnir boat tour or hiking?
Many people hesitate between the hike to Drangarnir and a boat tour. Both have their own advantage. During the hike you see Drangarnir from land and get that famous view over the rocks and Tindhólmur. But that walk is longer, must be done with a guide or permission and takes more time.
The boat tour is much more accessible. You depart from Sørvágur, are on the water for about 1.5 hours and get very close to the rocks from the water. For us that was ideal, especially with a baby and because we wanted to hike at Sørvágsvatn later that day. You do pay more for the boat tour though.
Do you mainly want the classic view from above? Then the hike is more interesting. Do you want to experience Drangarnir in an easy, beautiful and relatively short way? Then the boat tour is a very good choice.
What should you bring?
You do not have to overcomplicate things for this boat tour, but a little preparation does help. This is what I would bring:
- Warm sweater or fleece
- Windproof and rain jacket
- Hat or hood, also in summer
- Waterproof bag or cover if it rains
- Something to attach your phone to yourself, so it cannot unexpectedly fall overboard
- Something against seasickness if you are sensitive to it
- For babies or children: extra layers and something warm for afterwards
And perhaps the most important tip: do not assume the weather you see when you wake up will stay the same. In the Faroe Islands it can be completely different again an hour later.
Tickets for the Drangarnir boat tour
The Drangarnir boat tour is popular, especially because it is a relatively easy way to reach one of the most famous places on Vágar. I would therefore book in advance, especially in high season or if you only have a few days in the Faroe Islands.
You can view and book the tour here: book the Drangarnir boat tour via GetYourGuide.
The nice thing about booking in advance is that you immediately know what to expect. In the Faroe Islands, the weather can affect tours, so always check the conditions carefully and keep an eye on your email or messages if the weather is bad.
Combine with Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa
After the boat tour, we did not go back home, but continued to the famous hike at Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa. I wrote a separate blog about it, so definitely read that one too. This is the place where it looks as if a lake is floating above the sea. Perhaps one of the most famous images of the Faroe Islands. It was less than fifteen minutes by car, so very easy to combine!
The hike ended up being about 8 kilometres for us. By Faroe Islands standards, we found it quite manageable. Most of it is relatively flat, although at the end you still have a fairly steep climb to the viewpoint by the cliffs.
From there you see the sea crashing against the high rock walls and you get that special perspective where the lake seems to lie high above the ocean. Our daughter did not notice much of it, because she slept practically the entire walk. Not bad either, after a travel day.
In our opinion, this is a very logical combination: first the boat tour from Sørvágur and then hiking at Sørvágsvatn. You stay on Vágar and do not have to drive much.
Staying overnight on Vágar
Are you doing this boat tour early in the day or do you want to combine it with Sørvágsvatn, Múlafossur and Bøur? Then staying overnight on Vágar is very convenient. You will then be close to Sørvágur, the airport and a few of the best-known places in the Faroe Islands.
You can choose accommodation in Sørvágur itself, or something more atmospheric towards Bøur or Gásadalur. The range is not huge, so book in time. Especially in summer, good places fill up quickly.
Would you rather stay somewhere central for several days? Then Tórshavn is more practical as a base, but for this boat tour you will have to drive quite a bit to Vágar.
So, is a Drangarnir boat tour fun to do or not?
Yes, in our opinion it definitely is. Especially because you see a lot in a short time: Drangarnir, Tindhólmur, high cliffs, puffins and, if you are lucky, also Múlafossur from the sea.
It is not a long day tour and you do not have to do much physically. That makes it a nice activity if you want to see something special, but do not want to walk for hours. Especially with a baby, we thought this was a good choice.
Do go with the right expectations. It remains a boat tour in the Faroe Islands, so the weather determines a lot. You can get sun, rain, wind and fog all in one morning. But that is also a little part of being here.
For us it was a very nice start to the day. Not too intense, but still special, and with plenty of moments where you think: yes, this is exactly why you come to the Faroe Islands.
Practical tips for the Drangarnir boat tour
- Dress warmly. Even if it is dry, it can be chilly on the water.
- Bring a rain jacket. The weather in the Faroe Islands changes quickly.
- Book in advance. Especially if you only have a few days on Vágar. You can book the Drangarnir boat tour here.
- Do not expect a large boat. The small-scale feel is exactly what makes this tour fun.
- It is possible with a baby or children, but stay flexible. It went well for us, but I spent half of the tour inside with a sleeping baby.
- Combine it with Sørvágsvatn. It is close by and turns it into a lovely day on Vágar.
- Keep your camera ready for the puffins. They are small and fast, so taking good photos is harder than you think. And they are there until mid-August.
