In 2021 I had the unique opportunity to go to East Africa for work for the acquisition and integration of a number of companies, an incredible experience that allowed me not only to discover this beautiful part of the world but also to experience the (work) culture and meet some truly inspiring people.

Since I wanted to visit friends in the Maasai Mara whom we had kept in touch with from our last safari trip, two work colleagues and I decided to head there over the weekend. After an already thrilling day of witnessing a lion hunt, spotting both a leopard and a cheetah, our guide suddenly received an exciting call from one of his fellow guides—Tira, the rare zebra, had been spotted again! And off we went to find Tira—all the way to the Tanzanian border.

Who is Tira and why was he so special?
Tira born in 2019 and was a sensation. As is customary, he was named after the guide who first spotted the foal, Anthony Tira. Tira's incredibly rare pattern, caused by pseudomelanism, a genetic mutation that distorts the typical zebra stripe pattern, made him famous worldwide and people were tripping over themselves to find this special zebra. Instead of black and white stripes, Tira had dark spots on a brownish coat, which gave him a polka-dotted appearance. In late 2019 Tira and his herd returned to Tansania with the great migration and he had not been spotted since then.

After racing through the Mara, we finally reached the area near the Tanzanian border where Tira had supposedly been spotted. Sure enough, there he was—what an incredible sight. We stayed for a while to observe the herd and Tira always stayed close to one particular zebra, which must have been his mother. The photo below captures the beautiful bond between them

Since that day in 2021, there have been no confirmed sightings of Tira. It appears he returned to the Maasai Mara for just that one day, as we couldn’t locate him the next day. My friend and guide also confirmed that Tira has not been seen again.

We may have been among the last people to see him. While his fate remains uncertain, zebras with such distinctive markings often face a greater risk of predation due to their visibility in the wild.

Seeing Tira in the wild was both a privilege and a reminder of nature’s fleeting beauty. His story is a testament to the unpredictable and awe-inspiring ways nature manifests itself. For wildlife enthusiasts like myself, Tira remains an iconic figure.

Welcome back, fellow adventurers! During our Lapland road trip, we made our way from Saariselkä back to Rovaniemi via Oulanka National Park to see the Mill at Myllykoski rapids, a place of serene beauty. Nestled amidst the pristine wilderness, we stumbled upon a scene straight out of a fairytale - a charming house perched above a river, adorned with a mesmerizing display of pancake ice swirling in graceful circles in the river below.

Now, you might be wondering, what exactly is this pancake ice phenomenon? Allow us to shed some light on this natural marvel.

Pancake Ice: Nature's Artistry

Pancake ice, as whimsical as its name suggests, is a remarkable sight that often appears in the icy waters of polar regions during the winter months. These circular ice discs resemble oversized pancakes floating on the surface. They create an eye-catching spectacle that is fascination to watch, especially in this case since the pancake ice was slowly dancing in circles - round and around. Every now and then one of the pancakes would almost escape and then be caught again by the current, only occasionally one would get away to be swept down the river and out of sight.

But how does nature conjure up such a spectacle?

Each ice disk has its own unique pattern of cracks, bubbles, and ridges, crafted by the whims of nature and the flow of the surrounding waters. The formation of pancake ice in rivers mirrors that of its oceanic counterpart - just on a smaller scale.

In sea water pancake ice typically forms in areas with a combination of low temperatures and turbulent ocean currents. As the frigid waters begin to freeze, slushy ice crystals form, then start to aggregate and gather in clusters. This process is facilitated by collisions between the crystals and the movement of the water. The clusters collide and meld together, growing in size and eventually forming circular discs that are gradually taking on the characteristic circular shape of pancake ice ranging in size from a few inches to several feet in diameter. As the pancakes bump into each other, their edges may become rounded due to the continual freezing and melting of the surrounding water. This gives them their characteristic pancake-like appearance.

So, in the case of a river like the one in Myllykoski, pancake ice forms through a similar process, albeit in a freshwater environment. The complex interaction between temperature, water flow, and freezing processes leads to the creation of this natural event.

Oulanka National Park

Now that we have unraveled the mysteries of pancake ice, let's talk about Oulanka National Park. Just up the river from the swirling pool of pancake ice you will find an old Mill, which is the main attraction in this area. In case you don't want to venture here on your own, there are travel companies offering snowshoe excursions. We arrived in the afternoon mid-February - just in time to miss all the tourist groups and to see the beautiful light preceding the sunset.

Walking down the stairs to the river proved to be a bit difficult as they were covered in thick layers of ice and snow and were in some places barely visible. We decided to return to the car to get our snowshoes, which made the short hike a lot easier - spikes would also have come in handy, which we have already added to our list of things to bring to our future Arctic Circle trips.

One of the highlights of our winter road trip through Finnish Lapland was the drive from Levi/Sirkka to Saariselkä. Since we had planned to stop at the Sami Museum in Inari, we decided to take the less busy route via Inari instead of driving down to Sodankylä and taking the wider and busier E75.

Route 955 passes through Lemmenjoki National Park and the Hammastunturi Wilderness Area, both of which are characterized by rolling hills covered by a mixed forest of pine and birch with a few openings and lakes as well as small streams here and there.

While we were expecting a small road, mainly to get us from A to B, we did not anticipate it to be this scenic and remote and ended up spending about three hours driving through a glistening winter wonderland. As it turns out, there is not a single settlement with more than 200 inhabitants along its 165 km and a good part of it is unpaved. The latter was barely noticeable as it was covered with packed snow. This probably evened out a lot of bumps and we assume it was a much nicer drive than it would have been during warmer seasons or once the snow starts to melt. When we drove Road 955, the temperature had been between -15 and -31 for a couple of weeks and while it looked like the road is cleared on a regular basis, we knew we were going to be in for a bit of an adventure when, after turning right after Tonttula Elves Village, the road was suddenly covered in snow and completely pristine, suggesting we must be one of the first travelers on it in hours. Once we were on it, we saw maybe two or three cars total during our entire three-hour trip.

If you enjoy road trips and driving, this is the road for you. We found it very enjoyable and easy to dive Road 955, making frequent stops to either simply admire nature or to take pictures. We did have good cell phone service most of the time, so don't worry - you are not completely out of reach. Moreover, we saw snowmobile tracks along parts of the road and a couple of parking areas. It looked like people had gone snowshoe hiking through the woods from there.

What struck us was also the change of the landscape over time. When starting out in Levi, the trees had been covered in a thick layer of ice and snow but the closer we got to Inra, the greener the trees were, although there was still a good amount of snow and the temperature had only increased by a few degrees form the -31°C in Levi. Check out our video, you can see the difference between the first part and the very end.

At both sides of the road, we saw nothing but untouched nature sparkling in the morning light, covered in a deep snow cover. It would have been amazing to see some Northern Lights during this drive. There are numerous fabulous photo spots if you want to capture the ice and snow covered tress with Northern Lights flickering behind them. Something we will certainly keep in mind when planning our next trip here.

We captured Leigh Lake on a beautiful hike on the day the solar eclipse passed through the area in 2017.

When we drove up Icefields Parkway, we came across this little gem of a lake. It was a very calm morning and the reflection was just perfect, so we decided to have a little photographic fun with it.

When visiting the capital, we recommend you check out the following highlights:

• Old Town, which is located around Reyn and Undir Ryggi. Go on a leisurely stroll through this part of town, you will see a number of black-tarred wooden houses with grass roofs.

• Tinganes, the historical part of the city by the harbour and one of the oldest Parliament meeting places in the world. The Viking parliamant began meeting here more than 1200 years ago to discuss matters of national importance. The parliament complex consists of a number of bright red wooden houses, some of them with grass roofs. There are no guards or security controls, you can walk around this area as you please.

• Skansin, the remains of the fort built by the Faroese adventurer Magnus Heinason in 1580. The fort was destroyed by French pirates in 1677 after their rather outrages demands were not fulfilled. According to the offical Faroe Islands Tourism Website, they asked for 100 oxen, 200 sheep, 500 pairs of gloves, 1,200 pairs of stockings and 60 nightshirts. The fort was rebuilt and expanded a few times and used as a mility base by the British Royal Navy during Wold War II. Today, not much remains but there are still a few brass cannons and the Skansin Lighthouse. Also, when you walk up the hill, you will have a good view of the Torshavn port as well as the surrounding islands.

Only about a dozen people live in Saksun, a picturesque and remote village set in a natural ciruclar Amphitheatre above a tidal lagoon. The highlight of the village is the church, built in 1858. Amazing photo spot! At low tide, it is possible to walk along the sandy shore of the lagoon.

The village also includes an active sheep farm, which is also a museum. During the summer months, make sure to visit either early in the morning or towards the evening to avoid the crowds.

Gásadalur is a magical place and a must-see in Faroe Islands. You simply cannot leave without having seen this remote and unspoiled spot of land. Besides the tiny village that seems to be from a distant past, the actual highlight is Múlafossur, the waterfall that falls off the cliff into the ocean. Simply spectacular!
Gásadalur is surrounded by some of the highest mountains on Vágar and you have a pretty good view of the island Mykines. Until quite recently, Gásadalur was only accessible via a path over the mountain, which the poor postman had to walk three times a week - this person must have been in great shape! The tunnel connecting the village with the rest of the island was only build in 2004, ending Gásadalur's long islation. The old post route is still a pretty nice hike. Now, Gásadalur even has a café, called Gásadalsgarður, which serves authenic local food and baverages as well as a smal guesthouse with four rooms.

We like to explore on our own and also go beyond the "classics". In some countries, there is not much else to see. In Faroe Islands, however, there was an abundance of great photo spots - alongside the road as well as during the few hikes that we did. You absolutely need a car to get to some of the remote spots and trail heads. Here are a few of our shots. If you can - rent a car, go on a few hikes and explore, it is absolutely worth it!

0. Explore the islands on your own & find great photo spots alongside the roads

Before getting into the main sights and highlights in Faroe Islands: since we are always on the lookout for good photo spots, one of our personal highlights was to explore the islands independently by car. We also went off the main roads to explore some of the more remote spots. Many of the roads are quity narrow and windy - ideal for some fun road pictures. Also, there are a lot of sheep along the roads and some of them actually posed for us quite nicely. Since the weather in Faroe Islands is changing extremely fast, a spot we passed in the morning could look completely different in the afternoon.

1. Gásadalur & Múlafossur

Gásadalur is a magical place and a must-see in Faroe Islands. You simply cannot leave without having seen this remote and unspoiled spot of land. Besides the tiny village that seems to be from a distant past, the actual highlight is Múlafossur, the waterfall that falls off the cliff into the ocean. Simply spectacular!
Gásadalur is surrounded by some of the highest mountains on Vágar and you have a pretty good view of the island Mykines. Until quite recently, Gásadalur was only accessible via a path over the mountain, which the poor postman had to walk three times a week - this person must have been in great shape! The tunnel connecting the village with the rest of the island was only build in 2004, ending Gásadalur's long islation. The old post route is still a pretty nice hike. Now, Gásadalur even has a café, called Gásadalsgarður, which serves authenic local food and baverages as well as a smal guesthouse with four rooms.

2. Saksun

Only about a dozen people live in Saksun, a picturesque and remote village set in a natural ciruclar Amphitheatre above a tidal lagoon. The highlight of the village is the church, built in 1858. Amazing photo spot! At low tide, it is possible to walk along the sandy shore of the lagoon.The village also includes an active sheep farm, which is also a museum. During the summer months, make sure to visit either early in the morning or towards the evening to avoid the crowds.

3. Sørvágsvatn

It is also called "The Lake over the Ocean" and sits only about 30m above the ocean. It's an easy hike of about 1 hour to get there from the village of Sandavágur, with many sheeps keeping you company along the way. Make sure to bring some water, wear layers and waterproof walking or hiking boots.
When approaching the lake from the other side, you can actually get a much better view, we didn't know when we first went there. Lesson learned, we will add more spectaular pictures after our next trip.

4. Risin & Kellingin (Giant & Witch)

You will have the best view of the witch and the giant rock formations from Tjørnuvík and Eiði.
The myth behind it is quite special: an icelandic giant and his wife, who was a witch, were sent to steal the Faroe Islands and to bring them all the way to Iceland. When they arrived at the most north-western part of the Faroe Islands, they worked hard to attach a rope in order to be able to pull the islands but that turned out to be quite difficult. They were so engulfed in their work, that they didn't notice the sun rising. The first sunbeams turned them into stone and this is where they stand until today.

The Giant and the Witch - Visit Faroe Islands

Read about or listen to the story of Risin & Kellingin, the giant and the witch from Iceland who tried to steal the Faroe Islands.

Visit Faroe Islands

5. Kirkjubøur

Kirkjubøur is a historic site and one of the oldest villages in Faroe Islands. It used to be the center of all religious as well as cultural activies, also because if it's central location as well as fertile soil.

6. Gjógv

Gjógv is a charming little village located on the northeast tip of the island of Eysturoy. The village was named after a 200-metre long sea-filled gorge. There are some easy walking trails with great views along the way and great views of the neighboring islands.

7. Tórshavn & Surroundings

Higlights in Tórshavn include:

• the old town, which is around Reyn and Undir Ryggi. Here you will find a number black-tarred wooden houses with grass roofs.
• Tinganes, the historical part of the city by the harbour and one of the oldest Parliament meeting places in the world. The Viking parliamant began meeting here more than 1200 years ago to discuss matters of national importance. The parliament complex consists of a number of bright red wooden houses, some of them with grass roofs. There are no guards or security controls, you can walk around this area as you please.
• Skansin, the remains of the fort built by the Faroese adventurer Magnus Heinason in 1580. The fort was destroyed by French pirates in 1677 after their rather outrages demands were not fulfilled. According to the offical Faroe Islands Tourism Website, they asked for 100 oxen, 200 sheep, 500 pairs of gloves, 1,200 pairs of stockings and 60 nightshirts. The fort was rebuilt and expanded a few times and used as a mility base by the British Royal Navy during Wold War II. Today, not much remains but there are still a few brass cannons and the Skansin Lighthouse. Also, when you walk up the hill, you will have a good view of the Torshavn port as well as the surrounding islands.

We had planned to visit the islands Mykines and Kalsoy - unfortunately, it was really foggy and rainy the last few days and we decided to save this for the next trip. Vestamanna tours only start in May, so we were a bit too early for that. Next time, we will travel during the summer months to see a different side of Faroe Islands.

8. Island of Mykines

Mykines is the most western island of the Faroe Islands. It offers great views all around as well as great hiking and bird-watching opportunities. In fact, Mykines is know as "bird paradise". During the summer months, hundreds of puffins build their nests in burrows in the clifftops. Also, there is a popular hiking path from the old Mykines village to the lighthouse on the other end of the island.

9. Island of Kalsoy: Mikladalur & Kallur Lighthouse

Kalsoy can be reached via ferry from Klaksvík. Is is also known as "the flute" because of it's thin shape and many tunnels that connect the 4 villages on the island. Less than 150 people live on Kalsoy.
Highlights include: besides some great trails and views as well as ample bird-watching opportunties, including the famous puffins, storm petrel and black guillemots, there is the village of Miklaralur with the Kópakonan statue - the seal woman - and Kallur lighthouse, which is located on the norther tip of Kalsoy.

10. Vestmannabjørgini - Vestamanna Sea Cliffs

Vestamanna is famous for it's towering, up to 700m high cliffs. Because the cliffs and caves provide safe nesting places during the summer months, it is quite a popular spot for puffins, razorbills, guillemots and fulmar. You can visit the Vestamanna bird cliffs via boat, there are a number of tours on a daily basis from May - September.

Our first stay was in the town of Sandavágur, which is the town closest to the airport, on the Vágar island.

• Wanderung Sørvágsvatn
• Gásadalur

Streymoy / Eysturoy

Out second "base" was in Hvalvík, in a beautifully renovated cabin right on the Sundini sound that separates Streymoy and Eysturoy, which are the two central, and largest islands.

• Islands connected via new tunnel

Streymoy:

• Tórshavn
• Norðradalur (da haben wir glaube ich gute Serpentinenfotos?)
• Saksun (Strohbedeckte alte Häuser in einem Fjord Tal, cooles Parkplatzbild)
• Tjørnuvík (ziemlich gute Strandbilder mit Wolken/Nebel)
• unklar ob Fotos / interessant:
•  Vestmanna?

Eysturoy

• Gjógv (schmale Bucht mit Schluchtartigem Ufer)
•  Eiði/ Tjørnuvík
•  Oyndarfjørður / rocking stones? Ist in Furkot aber ich weiß nicht ob wir da waren

Borðoy

Our third base was in Klaksvík on the island of Borðoy.

• Could have taken a ferry to Kalsoy (next time)
• Hvannasund / Norðdepil
• Villingardalsfjall

What you will find here

planning advice for your visit to Faroe Island, including:

• Essential Information about Faroe Islands (short & sweet)
• Trip Planning Advice (when to go & what to bring)
• Faroe Islands Highlights & Tops 10 places to visit
• Our travel photos to give you a better idea of what to expect

Nowadays, it seems as if everything has been discovered. Most places you visit, you expect to see bus loads of Japanese, Chinese and other highly motivated tourists, cameras and phones ready and eager to swarm the most exciting sites. Iceland, for instance, is being overrun by tourists in some areas, mostly along the ring road, while the more remote areas are usually less crowded. But what about Faroe Islands?

If you were hoping that Faroe Islands are so small and remote that surely, this place must have been spared from mass tourism, I need to disappoint you. First of all, it is only about 700km from the now so popular Iceland and a short plane ride of about 1.5 hours will take you from Reykjavik to Vagar, which is why many tour operators offer combined packages as essential part of "THE North Atlantic Experience". Secondly, it offers some quite spectacular landscapes and photo spots, great hiking trails, an El Dorado for bird watchers and interesting food experiences. The good news is, tourism is nowhere as bad as in Iceland and since Faroe Islands consist of 18 islands, you do have a number of options to avoid other tourists, even more so if you rent a car and don't mind getting up early.

Trip Planning Advice

Best time to visit Faroe Islands

Generally recommended: June-August

Why? Temperatures reach as high as 13°C/ 56F and it "only" rains about 13 days a month vs 16 or more the rest of the year. Due to the country's very northern position in the hemisphere, days in summer are long and short in winter. Therefore, your chances to catch a few glimpses of the sun will greatly increase.
If you want to avoid crowds, consider April or May. We visited in April. It was only around 3°C and quite rainy with only a few glimpses of the sun - but still well worth the trip!

The weather is known to be unpredictable and fast-changing. Throughout the year, it is rather cool, cloudy and also windy. If you don't like rain and prefer warmer temperatures, you may think that Faroe Islands are not the most ideal destination for you - but with the right attire, you'll be fine. Don't let the weather forecast scare you! It is well possible that the clouds will be blown away in a matter of minutes.

How much time to spend on Faroe Islands

Our recommendation: at least 5-7 days

Most tourists only spend a couple of days on their way to or from Iceland and go to the most well-known sites to check them off their list, which is completely fine. However, there is an abundance of hiking and bird watching opportunities, making it well worth to stay a week or longer. Also, because it rains so much, if you only stay a couple or a few days, there is a good chance that it will rain your entire stay.

What to Bring on the Trip

Prepare for cool temperatures & rain - no need for shorts unless you are from one of those countries or US States where 10°C/ 50F are warm enough to bring out shorts and sandals.

When we visited Faroe Islands in April, we rented a car and drove around the Islands, always on the lookout for good photo spots. Besides visiting the cities and small villages, we also went on a few hikes. Therefore, we brought comfortable cloths but also layers of warm cloths and most importantly, waterproof clothing.

Some must-bring items if you are planning to be out and about:

• Warm coat & wind breaker
• Rain gear (rain coat & pants, umbrella)
• Layers
• Waterproof backpack with rain cover
• Hat & gloves
• Water-proof Hiking or Trekking boots
• Energy bars (limited selection & pretty expensive on site)
• Approx. 2 pairs of socks per day, bring some wool socks to keep your feet warm!

Where to Stay & How to Get Around

We visited Faroe Islands after spending 10 days in Iceland. The best connection at the time was to fly through Copenhagen, since flights from Denmark to Fareo Islands are technically domestic flights and the prices were quite reasonable. We arrived at Vágar Airport, the only international airport on Faroe Islands, which is close to the village Sørvágur, on the island Vágar.

We rented a car and picked it up directly at the airport - Avis had the most reasonable prices at the time. We stayed at AirBnBs in different towns. Faroe Islands are quite sparsely populated and the capital Tórshavn is the only bigger town. Therefore, this is where you will find most of the hotels. Anywhere else Airbnb is a great option and there are a number of cozy fishermen's cabins and vacation homes available, right in the middle of beautiful scenery and nature.

Faroe Island Highlights

Top 10 Places to visit on Faroe Islands

When planning a trip, one of the biggest challenges for us is to compile a comprehensive list of must-see-sights and unique places. Sometimes, the abundance of resources available online can be confusing or overwhelming.

When planning our itinerary, our focus is not only on the most famous sights but also on finding good photo spots. On Faroe Islands, we found some great spots just by driving along the narrow, winding roads & exploring the Islands on our own. The quickly changing weather makes every shot unique.

Here are our Top 10 recommendations:

1. Gásadalur & Múlafossur - famous waterfall dropping into the sea
2. Sakun - picturesque church & village
3. Sørvágsvatn - Lake only about 30m above the ocean & easy hike
4. Tjørnovik, Risin & Kellingin - great view of the giant & the witch rocks
5. Kirkjubøur - historic site
6. Gjógv - charming village & sea-filled gorge
7. Tórshavn & Surroundings - especially the old town
8. Island of Mykines
9. Island of Kalsoy: Mikladalur & Kallur Lighthouse
10. Vestmannabjørgini - Vestamanna Sea Cliffs