Chasing the Northern Lights: Iceland - Faroe Islands

Trip Type: Coastal, Offshore
Instructors: 2
Crew Size: Max 9 (10 for ocean)
Ages: 18-70 ish
Region: Norway, Iceland & The Arctic

Adventure Rating:
High

Experience Required:
Low to some

12 Days from £2,299

Run late in the season to maximise your chances of seeing one of the world’s greatest natural wonders, the aurora borealis, this voyage begins on Iceland’s wild east coast, where dark skies return after the midnight sun fades. If conditions favour us, you could see magical green hues dancing above ice-capped mountains and steep fjords as we sail out into the North Atlantic; a sight few will ever experience from the deck of an ocean-going yacht.

Crossing a remote stretch of ocean few sailors ever get to visit, we make a two-day offshore passage to the hauntingly beautiful Faroe Islands, ranked by Conde Nast as one of the top 10 places in the world to visit. There you’ll find sheer cliffs, carved rock formations, and dense seabird colonies, with around three days to explore. Depending on conditions, we can take a boat trip through sea caves, visit Saksun’s tidal lagoon, and hike to Kallur Lighthouse, past the cinematic location of James Bond’s grave.

Finally, a second offshore passage brings you south to Scotland’s northwest coast, a land of castles, whisky distilleries, and breathtaking landscapes: the perfect finale to an adventure of a lifetime.

Ready to join the offshore sailing experts?

This passage from Iceland to Scotland via the Faroe Islands is run by Rubicon 3, Europe’s leading authority in offshore adventure sailing. We specialise in taking everyday people, solo travellers, couples, and groups, on iconic ocean passages that are as challenging as they are rewarding.

You’ll join a mixed crew usually aged 30 to 65, with sailing backgrounds ranging from novices to more seasoned sailors. Everyone gets involved from day one: helming, navigating, trimming sails, cooking, and standing watch. Our highly respected skippers will teach you the skills you need to build confidence offshore, from heavy-weather tactics to safe navigation.

Rubicon 3 is about real adventure, not a packaged cruise. You’ll face open ocean conditions, explore breathtaking, remote islands, and share an unforgettable experience with a remarkable crew.

This is the one chance on the Rubicon 3 schedule to sail under the northern lights. Click the Dates & Prices button and secure your berth now!

Get Ready For…

High-Latitude Offshore Sailing

Cross hundreds of miles of open North Atlantic on two serious offshore passages, from Iceland to the Faroes, then the Faroes to Scotland. These are wild, remote waters.
Chasing the Northern Lights

Sail late season to maximise your chances of seeing the aurora borealis. Witness green ribbons of light dancing across dark skies from the deck of an ocean-going yacht
Exploring the Faroe Islands

Land in one of Europe’s most dramatic and rarely visited archipelagos. Experience towering bird cliffs, hidden sea caves, turf-roofed villages, and world-class hiking far off the beaten track.

Sailing Area

The Yachts

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Key Information

What’s included

All food and accommodation on board
All fuel & berthing fees
Your own bunk and storage area
Use of oilskins
Use of lifejacket with PLB
All sailing tuition
RYA Competent Crew (supplementary fee)

What’s Not included

Your connecting travel to & from boat
Sailing & travel insurance
Meals you choose to eat ashore
Alcohol
Visas (where required)
Discretionary crew tip

Interested in dates & availability?

To see when this trip runs, its start and end locations, price to join the crew and availability, click on the ‘Dates, Prices & Travel’ button up top.

Discretionary tipping of the Rubicon 3 crew

We’ve priced this trip 5-10% lower than we otherwise would to allow you the option, at the end of your adventure, to offer a discretionary tip to the Rubicon 3 skipper and mate if you feel they’ve provided exceptional service. A combined tip of 5-10% is suggested but is entirely at your discretion and based on your satisfaction with their performance. See our FAQs here.

Got Questions? We’re Here to Help!

We get it – joining a major sailing adventure is a big decision, and it’s natural to have lots of questions before you book. Wondering who else will be onboard? What the experience will be like? These and many more questions are completely normal. While our homepage and FAQs provide loads of info, we know sometimes it’s best to talk it through. Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone, email, or live chat (at the bottom of the screen). Better yet, we’d suggest you schedule a call. Most crew who join do and find it really useful. We can discuss your options, answer every question, and make sure you’re booking on the perfect trip for you.

This is a typical route from Seyðisfjörður, Iceland, to the west coast of Scotland. Exact timings and destinations will depend on the weather and sea conditions. The trip can run in either direction, up to Iceland or toward Scotland. Check the Dates & Prices tab for your departure details.

Chase the Northern Lights on an Unforgettable Passage

This unique sailing adventure runs late in the season to maximise our chances of witnessing the aurora borealis, the magical northern lights, dancing across the night sky. As we set off from Iceland’s remote east coast, dark nights return after the endless light of midsummer, giving us a chance to see these spectacular displays. Imagine green ribbons of light shimmering above ice-capped mountains and steep fjords as you sail into the open ocean. It’s a true bucket-list moment.

northern lights iceland

Training and departure from Seyðisfjörður

We start in Seyðisfjörður, a remote town on Iceland’s east coast, surrounded by steep mountains and waterfalls. It’s a small place with a working harbour, some well-kept wooden houses, and a reputation for local art. Before heading offshore, we aim to spend two days training, tacking, gybing, reefing, helming, and practising man-overboard drills. It’s a chance to get familiar with the boat, the crew, and the basics of offshore sailing. We’ll likely spend a first night docked in Nordfjord, a quiet, rugged spot nearby, known for its hot springs (which we can visit) and good shelter. After that, we prepare to head out into open water.

Offshore passage to the Faroe Islands

The crossing to the Faroes is around 250 nautical miles and usually takes 2 days. We run a rotating watch system, typically three hours on, six off. You’ll take the helm, help with sail changes, help navigate, and keep watch.

This stretch of ocean is remote and exposed. There’s nowhere to stop and little to see but sea, sky, and the occasional ship. But the sense of isolation and purpose is magnificent and part of the draw. We may spot whales, humpbacks and minkes are common, and there’s usually a steady presence of seabirds, especially gannets, and fulmars. Offshore sailing like this is an experience you remember all your life.

As we close in on the Faroes, the tides start to run hard and the coastline rises sharply out of the sea, often appearing first through a sudden bank of fog. It’s a dramatic and exciting arrival.

Exploring the Faroe Islands

If the weather holds, we’ll have about three days in the Faroes. That can shift, depending on the forecast and the sea state, but it’s usually enough to have a real explore. There is Mykines, the westernmost island, where local boatmen can take us deep into sea caves that cut beneath the cliffs. Above, thousands of puffins nest in the grass. The cliffs rise steeply, vertically out of the sea.

To the north there’s Kalsoy, where a short, steep trail leads to Kallur Lighthouse, via the grave of James Bond. It’s not a long hike, but the rewards are scenes for life. The wind can come hard off the Atlantic, and the drop-offs on either side are razor sharp. The views along the narrow ridge are some of the most iconic of all.

man walking to the kallur lighthouse in the faroe islands

Another possible stop is Saksun, a hamlet at the end of a tidal inlet, with black sand, turf-roofed houses, and a 17th-century church facing the sea. When the tide is out, the lagoon empties. When it’s in, the whole place feels cut off from the rest of the world.

We’ll likely stop in Tórshavn, the capital, if only to resupply. It’s a small town with narrow streets, a few good restaurants, and boats working in and out of the harbour and the capital of the Faroes.

Final passage to Scotland

From the Faroes, we sail south to Scotland, around 280 miles and two and a half days at sea. Another offshore passage, another round of watches. More time to sail, marvel at the sea and take it all in. If conditions allow, we aim to anchor at Loch Scavaig, on the south coast of the Isle of Skye. It’s backed by the Cuillin mountains and often described as the most dramatic anchorage in the country. From there, a short walk leads to Loch Coruisk, a freshwater lake surrounded by steep rock faces and absolute silence.

We finish the trip on the mainland, where we’ll debrief, and head ashore. You’ll leave with some of the. very best offshore sailing possible behind you, a raft of new skills, friends for life and a life experience that few others will be lucky enough to get.

About the Northern Lights

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Formed by charged solar particles colliding with the Earth’s atmosphere, they create vivid curtains of green, purple, and red light across the night sky. We absolutely cannot guarantee seeing them, but sailing in September offers a solid chance of witnessing this extraordinary phenomenon, made all the more magical by observing it from the deck of a yacht at sea.

Dates, Prices & Travel

Start Date & Location

September 1, 2025
Seydisfjordur, Iceland

End Date & Location

September 12, 2025
Oban, Scotland

Price

£2,299

Deposit

£999

Availability

Available

Booking Information

Trip Information

Start Date: September 1, 2025

Start Time: 09:00

Start Country: Seydisfjordur, Iceland

Start Port: Seydisfjordur

Start Marina: Seydisfjordur

End Date: September 12, 2025

End Time: 10:00

End Country: Oban, Scotland

End Port: Oban

End Marina: Oban Marina North Pier Pontoons

Find Flights For This Trip

Fly Into: Egilsstaðir Airport (IATA Code: EGS)

Fly Out of: Glasgow Airport (IATA Code: GLA)

Search on Google Flights

Important Notes

Joining the boat

You will join the boat in Seydisfjordur, Iceland.
It is scheduled to be in Seydisfjordur Harbour.
It is easy to get here from Egilsstaðir Airport in a taxi.
The trip starts at 9:00 AM on September 01st 2025, so you will need to be in Iceland by August 31st, 2025.
You have two options for accommodation on the night before the start date:
- Stay in a hotel or AirBnB in Seydisfjordur.
- Alternatively, you can stay onboard the boat from 6:00 PM on a bed & breakfast basis. Select this option during your booking process.

Leaving the boat

You will leave the boat in Oban, Scotland.
The boat is scheduled to arrive into Oban on the evening of September 11th, 2025, and you will need to disembark by 09:00 AM, September 12th, 2025

General Notes

We have a very strong track record of meeting the scheduled end date, with only a few exceptions over a decade of sailing and across hundreds of thousands of miles of sailing. However, given the nature and distance of ocean crossings, we can’t guarantee it and recommend booking flexible onward travel from Scotland or at least allowing an extra day in your itinerary as a precaution.
You cannot stay on the boat after the trip end date.
Once you have booked, we will connect you up with other crew so you can liaise regarding connecting travel, meet up in advance etc.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

5-Point Pre-Booking Checklist

Before you finalize your booking, we suggest you run through our pre-booking checklist:

Check Flights: Make sure you have found the right flights for your trip. Book them as soon as you have booked your Rubicon 3 trip.
Travel Insurance: Once you’ve booked your trip with us, buy some sailing travel insurance. Read our full guide here.
Passport Validity: Ensure your passport is valid for at least six months beyond your planned return date. Some countries require this for entry, so it’s crucial to check and renew your passport if necessary.
Visas: Most sailors will not require any visas for this trip. However, if you are concerned, check any visa requirements for both your destination and any transit countries. If you do need a visa, processing times can vary, so it’s advisable to apply well in advance of your trip.
Vaccinations and Health Checks: There are no vaccinations required for this trip. Make sure you have an acceptable level of fitness and agility. You can read our guide here. This is for the safety of all on board.

Add Trip Extras

Pre-departure night on the boat £50 RYA Competent Crew Qualification £75 RYA Logbook £10

Sub total: £999

Qty

Start Date & Location

September 14, 2026
Iceland

End Date & Location

September 25, 2026
Scotland