Mykines - A Ramsar Site

The island of Mykines is a Ramsar site. Ramsar is an intergovernmental treaty on protecting wetlands of global importance, including bird cliffs. Ramsar sites are to be managed sustainably, the natural environment preserved, the area utilized sensibly, and measures should be taken to protect the environment.

Because of the growing pressure from the steadily increasing number of travelers from all over the world wanting to go to this small delicate area, there have been installed some safety measures to limit the number of people going to this Ramsar area and to protect this wildlife.

Implemented rules for hiking on Mykines:

Sustainable tourism with regards to the immediate environment calls for limitations and therefore, the maximum number of visitors is set to 200 visitors and the time when one can venture into the outfield is set to 10:00 am to 17:00 pm. Outside these times, the outfield is to be considered closed and all travel in the outfields with visitors can only be done by consulting the landowners. 

Hiking on Mykines – Not without guide

If you want to hike in the outfield in Mykines, you have to pay for a tour with an approved Faroese guide.

A tour arranged by the landowner association of Mykines including hiking fee and guide costs DKK 400 if booked on hiking.fo no later than the day before arrival. It is also possible to pay on arrival but then the price is DKK 500.  (The fee is valid for everyone over the age of 15 yrs)

You can also contact a local Faroese guide yourself and make your own arrangements or contact one of the Faroese travel agencies that sell tours to Mykines. Just make sure to check with the provider if the fee is included.

Groups of visitors that travel to Mykines with a tour operator or other supplier, must be accompanied by an approved or certified Faroese guide.

Foreign guides without work permit in the Faroe Islands are not allowed to guide on Mykines.

For approval to guide on Mykines tour operators and others need to contact the association of landowners on Mykines.

The lighthouse on Mykineshólmur

To protect the puffins during the nesting period, the path to the islet of Mykineshólmur and the lighthouse, is closed during the summer months. There is also an imminent risk of landslides in the area called Lamba. This means that everything beyond viewpoint á Rógvu is closed. No worries, there are still plenty of opportunities to see the puffins and the view of the lighthouse can be enjoyed from the viewpoint á Rógvu.