The Faroe Islands, a remote North Atlantic archipelago situated between Iceland and Scotland, have long been celebrated for their dramatic cliffs, windswept landscapes, and a sense of solitude. Now, a new tourism initiative invites visitors to experience the islands in an entirely different way: by surrendering control of their itinerary to a “self-navigating” road trip.
A Different Kind of Rental Agreement
Instead of the usual rental contract full of clauses on mileage or insurance, travelers booking through 62°N—a local company based at Vágar Airport—are asked to make a small but unusual promise: to follow the car’s “mysterious path,” accept guidance from a GPS system, and embrace the unknown. Once the journey begins, directions to the next stop are revealed only after arriving at the current destination, ensuring that every trip remains a surprise.
How It Works
The program relies on routes generated via Google Maps and QR codes provided in rental cars. Each itinerary is unique; even travelers leaving from the same location at the same time will be guided along different paths. The routes cover all seven of the Faroes’ main islands, connected by bridges and undersea tunnels, leading participants to places both scenic and unexpected. Stops might include Kirkjubøur, with its medieval cathedral ruins and turf-roofed houses; the fishing town of Fuglafjørður, now also known for its cozy cafés and yarn shops; or remote black-sand beaches where seabirds outnumber human visitors. Along the way, travelers may stumble upon abandoned boathouses, sheep-dotted valleys, or cliffside overlooks that rarely make it onto “must-see” lists.
Tackling Overtourism Through Surprise
The initiative is more than just a gimmick. In 2023, the Faroe Islands welcomed over 130,000 international visitors—more than double the local population of about 54,000. To prevent overtourism, the government has experimented with creative solutions, such as temporarily closing the islands for “voluntourism” projects and introducing a nightly tourism tax starting in October 2025. “This is a more thoughtful kind of journey, designed to both protect what’s most beloved and reveal spots often overlooked. With this initiative, we hope to lead by example, demonstrating how destinations can embrace innovation to spread tourism more responsably and meaningfully,” so CEO of Visit Faroe Islands Guðrið Højgaard.
The Trade-Offs of Letting Go
Handing control to a GPS “overlord” has its downsides: weather can obscure viewpoints, itineraries might not align with meal times, and some stops may feel underwhelming. Yet for many travelers, the lack of predictability is precisely the point. By removing the pressure of planning, the program encourages visitors to slow down, explore without expectation, and connect with the Faroes’ quiet rhythms.
Practical Information
Booking: Available through 62°N at Vágar Airport. Packages start around €920 for four nights, the same cost as a standard rental.
Flexibility: Itineraries can be followed with any vehicle via selfnavigatingcars.com.
Base Options: Trips work for travelers staying in the capital, Tórshavn, or moving between villages on multi-day loops.
A Chance to Be Surprised
For first-time visitors, the self-navigating tours may skip some of the archipelago’s most famous attractions. Yet what emerges instead is a more personal mosaic of experiences: a windswept fjord shared only with grazing sheep, conversations with locals in village shops, or the discovery of hidden valleys untouched by tour buses. In an age of hyper-curated travel, the Faroe Islands’ self-navigating road trips offer something rare—the luxury of surprise.
Read more on 62n.fo, Cntraveler.com, VisitFaroeislands.com
