2 UNFORGETTABLE DAYS OF ADVENTURE. A BEAUTIFUL MULTISPORT NORTHERN TRAVERSE OF THE FAROE ISLANDS
Step off the beaten path and into the untamed wilds of the Faroe Islands with a two-day, human-powered journey like no other. This mega multisport traverse takes you deep into the heart of the archipelago, starting in the remote southwest on Vágur, moving across the dramatic landscapes of Streymoy, and finishing in the northeast on Eysturoy, with a summit of Slættaratindur, the highest peak in the Faroes.
Expect a true test of endurance, spirit, and awe as you cross ancient volcanic terrain sculpted by time and weather. Hike rugged ridgelines, bike through misty valleys, and experience the raw beauty of this remote North Atlantic world, where nature still rules and tradition runs deep.
This isn’t just an adventure. It’s a journey through land, culture, and challenge. Crafted for those who seek more than just a destination.
DURATION:
4 DAYS /3 NIGHTS
LOCATION:
FAROE ISLANDS
DISTANCE: 112KM
(26KM ON FOOT, 12KM KAYAK, 74KM CYCLE)
WHAT'S INCLUDED:
ACCOMMODATION
3 nights accommodation + most meals included.
GUIDES AND SUPPORT
Rat Race Expedition Leader, high quality outdoor event crew, water safety crew and British medic and welfare support.
SAFETY
Professional local and UK safety staff and medics. Rat Race experts on hand throughout. Audited and accredited to BS8848 expedition safety standard.
TRANSFER POLICY
Transfer your entry to event credit up to 12 weeks before the departure date and protect your entry with optional Refund Protect.
EXTRAS
High quality medal, rat rag and premium souvenir t-shirt included. Kayak equipment included, bike rental available at additional cost.
AIRPORT TRANSFER
Group transfer included to and from Vagur Airport
WE ARE GOING TO BUY A TRACT OF STRATEGICALLY IMPORTANT
RAINFOREST IN CENTRAL AMERICA.
RAISE £3000 AND GET UP TO £1500 REFUNDED
RAISE AT LEAST £10,000 (EXCLUDING GIFT AID) FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER UK AND GET £5000
OR FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR CHARITY PARTNERSHIP HERE
DAY ONE: ARRIVAL IN THE FAROES: SETTLE IN AND GEAR UP
Welcome to the wild North Atlantic! Touch down in the Faroe Islands and take the transfer to your hotel, experiencing your first taste of this remote and rugged landscape. From 3pm, you can check into your comfortable twin room. At 4pm, we’ll gather for event briefing and registration, where you’ll meet your fellow adventurers and our expedition team. As the sun dips behind the volcanic peaks, we’ll share a hearty, welcoming dinner and prepare for the challenge ahead.
ACCOMODATION: Hotel (Twin rooms)
FOOD: Dinner
DAY TWO: THE JOURNEY BEGINS: RUN & KAYAK ADVENTURE
Lace up your trainers, the adventure starts here. We set off on foot from Vágar, running through moody moorlands toward the iconic Lake Leitisvatn, perched above crashing ocean cliffs. Here we meet local kayak guide Michael and take to the water, paddling the full length of the lake. We’ll take time to explore the breathtaking Bøsdalafossur waterfall, where fresh water spills dramatically into the Atlantic Ocean. From here, it’s back in the kayaks for a final push to our transition point. Once ashore, we return to our feet and run a scenic trail into Sandavágur, our overnight stop.
ACCOMODATION: Hostel, Sandavágur (Dormitory-style)
FOOD: Breakfast, pit stop provision, expedition dinner (provided by you)
DAY THREE: PEDALS & PEAKS: CYCLE TO SUMMIT
Today is a self powered adventure on 2 wheels. We begin with a stunning ride out of Sandavágur and into the depths of the sub-sea tunnel, emerging on the island of Streymoy. The road climbs relentlessly before we reach the trailhead of Slættaratindur at 880m, the highest point in the Faroes. We’ll park up the bikes and ascend this mighty peak on foot, rewarded with panoramic views that stretch across the archipelago. After conquering the summit, we descend, reunite with our bikes, and ride the final stage of our traverse to the picturesque village of Gjógv, tucked into a dramatic northeast fjord.
ACCOMODATION: Guesthouse, Gjógv (Twin rooms)
FOOD: Breakfast, pit stop provision, celebration dinner
DAY FOUR: FAREWELL
After breakfast, we’ll transfer you back to Vágar Airport by 10am, or wave you off as you continue your own exploration of these mysterious, magical islands.
TRANSFER: (to Vágar Airport)
FOOD: Breakfast
ACCOMMODATION
All accommodation is offered on a shared basis. If you're joining solo, you’ll be paired with another participant of the same sex in a twin room, adventure is always better with new friends! If you’re traveling with someone specific, you’ll have the chance to let us know your preferred roommate when we send out our pre-event forms (around three months before departure).
Mountain accommodation will be in same-sex dormitory rooms, typical of remote and rugged environments.
Single supplements may be available, please email events@ratrace.com for pricing and availability.
MEALS
We’ve got your fuel covered. Meals provided are outlined in the itinerary, and all dietary requirements will be catered for with care.
Evening meals will include a hearty main course, perfect after a big day in the wild. Packed lunches will be sandwich or wrap-style, designed for convenience on the move.
We’ll also provide a selection of trail snacks, but we strongly recommend bringing your favourite “scooby snacks” to keep your energy levels high throughout the day.
Kit List
Running/Trekking kit
This is our mandatory kit list for these activities. Your event specific kit list will be confirmed 3 months before the event date. Mandatory kit helps keep you and others safe in wild and rugged environments are they should be seen as a minimum.
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Ultra Running rucksack/hiking backpack or other appropriate method of carrying your kit. BUY HERE
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Light trail Running Shoes: i.e. running shoes with some grip
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Hydration Bladder or Bottle(s) with a minimum of 2 litre capacity. BUY HERE
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Snacks – Min 1000kcal per day.
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Puffer Jacket
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Warm Beanie hat
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Waterproof Jacket with TAPED or WELDED SEAMS as a minimum standard. BUY HERE
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Waterproof Trousers with TAPED or WELDED SEAMS as a minimum standard. BUY HERE
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Hat suitable to the conditions (a Rat Rag is OK). BUY HERE
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Gloves (lightweight running gloves are OK). BUY HERE
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Bivvi Bag (NOT a blanket): Essential for unplanned stops. BUY ONE HERE
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Basic First Aid Kit containing at least:
– A conformable roller bandage.
– Assorted adhesive dressings.
– Separate sterile absorbent material
(e.g. gauze or gauze bandage) suitable for compressing bleeding wounds
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Whistle: Effective for getting attention in an emergency. BUY ONE HERE
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Fully charged mobile phone.
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Hand Sanitiser
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Reusable cup suitable for hot drinks. BUY ONE HERE
Cycling kit
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Padded bike shorts
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Cycling top
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Helmet 100% essential, no exceptions.
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Multi tool
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Puncture repair kit
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If you’re hiring a bike, feel free to bring your bike shoes with cleats and pedals to fit to the bike. However, it is highly recommended that you also please bring a decent pair of shoes/ trainers for wearing with flats in case you encounter a compatibility issue here.
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Ultra vest or small daypack
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2L (min size) Bladder or bottles to the same capacity
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High SPF factor sun cream – min 30SPF recommended.
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Cycling gloves
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Multi tool
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Sunglasses with CAT 3 protection suitable for riding
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First Aid kit (small personal kit with a triangular bandage, steri strips and an adhesive dressing as a minimum)
PAY IN INSTALMENTS
SIGN UP TODAY FROM
/ MONTH
£111.57
INTEREST FREE!
TOTAL ENTRY COST
£1950
/ TOTAL PAYMENT
SIGN UP TODAY
All entries will are in GBP A booking fee of 2.99% will be added to all payments.
PAY MONTHLY INTEREST FREE!
ENTER NOW AND SPREAD THE COST INTEREST FREE WITH OUR INSTALMENT PLAN
We’ve created a flexible, interest-free* instalment plan so you can choose how many months to spread the cost of your adventure. Choose to pay in full or in equal monthly instalments up to 3 months before your event date.
*Once you sign up, Rat Race will set up a recurring monthly payment via Stripe. If a payment fails, you’ll receive reminders from Stripe and our team. After three failed contact attempts and no payment, your entry will be cancelled with no refund or transfer eligibility.
Please see here for full terms and conditions and our cancellation policy.
PROTECT YOUR NON-REFUNDABLE BOOKING WITH REFUND PROTECT
Add Refund Protect to your booking during purchase and receive a full refund of your entry fee if you are unable to attend the event due to a qualifying unforeseen circumstance. PLEASE NOTE this protection is with our 3rd party partner Refund Protect and NOT Rat Race. In the event you make a refund application this is administered by the Refund Protect customer service team, Rat Race are not privy to the application and cannot intervene on your behalf to influence the outcome determined by their team.
To check the full list of qualifying unforeseen circumstances that are protected please click here to view Refund Protect terms and conditions.
To add Refund Protect (administered by a 3rd party) to your Rat Race booking simply select this option when presented during the entry process. Refund Protect cannot be added retrospectively. Rat Race will then send you name and booking details to Refund Protect in order to protect your transaction with them. If you opt to pay in instalments and transfer your entry before the entry cost is full paid you will be liable to ensure the cost of Refund Protect has been fully covered. This total amount will be deducted from any Rat Race credit due through the transfer process or you will be invoiced by Rat Race for the outstanding amount as Rat Race have paid this on your behalf to Refund Protect at point of entry.
WHERE YOUR MONEY GOES
At Rat Race, we create extraordinary adventures for everyone people. We know we’re a premium brand and that those adventures are premium experiences. In our 20th year, we have decided that our commitment to investment in our standards, safety and quality of experience should be matched in our commitment to the transparency in showing how we spend your hard-earned cash in bringing these adventures to life.
So here it is. A pie chart of how we spend your money in bringing our events and trips to life.
RAISE AT LEAST £3000 (EXCLUDING GIFT AID) FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER UK AND GET £1500 OF YOUR ENTRY FEE REFUNDED!
Our longstanding partnership with Children with Cancer UK gives #ratracers the opportunity to raise much needed funds for this great cause in exchange for a refund of their entry fee. So far our #ratracers have raised over £2million for Children with Cancer UK and we would love for you to join the team to help us chase down that £3million target!
The funds you raise will be invested into vital specialist research to improve survival rates in children and young people and help more of them ring the end of treatment bell.
All you need to do is set up a Just Giving page and start your fundraising! You will have until 1 month after the event date to hit your target and then send us the link to your page which will allow us to process your refund. Refunds will be made 2 – 3 months after the event completion date.
Refunds are not mandatory you are welcome to opt-out of receiving a refund. Should participants opt-out their refund will instead be used by Children with Cancer UK to help fund their research.
If you choose to support Children with Cancer UK and raise £5000, you will also receive:
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A Children with Cancer UK fundraising and training pack
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Regular Children with Cancer UK updates
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A dedicated point of contact at the charity
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A technical Children with Cancer UK t-shirt to wear with pride
For more information on Children with Cancer UK please visit www.childrenwithcancer.org.uk.
Alternatively please contact the Sports Team on 020 7430 7788 or email sports@childrenwithcancer.org.uk.
Children with Cancer UK is a registered national charity (no. 298405)
Adventure, by its very nature, involves uncertainty—and that’s part of what makes it so rewarding. While we always aim to deliver ‘Plan A,’ there may be times when unforeseen circumstances require us to move to Plan B, C, or even D.
We prepare for many eventualities with well-thought-out contingencies. However, it's important to understand that routes or plans may change at short notice, whether due to safety concerns, weather conditions, or other operational reasons. In such cases, we reserve the right to make changes as necessary.
You’ve entrusted us with organising this experience, and part of that trust is allowing us to exercise our professional judgement when conditions demand it. If a route change becomes necessary, we will do our best to inform you in advance—where possible.
More often than not, these unexpected turns only add to the richness of the adventure and make for the best stories at the end of the day!
Rat Race require you to be over 18 on the day of Registration for this adventure.
The Faroe Islands still practise the controversial tradition of whaling, are we supporting this by visiting? As a B-corp organisation, we are deeply committed to responsible travel and environmental stewardship. While the Faroe Islands offer some of the most breathtaking natural experiences on Earth, we are aware of and do not support the traditional whaling practices that still take place here. By bringing conscious, adventure-driven tourism to the region, we aim to showcase the incredible marine life that thrives in these waters and support a more sustainable future. As part of this commitment, a portion of every entry fee will be donated to Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) to help fund their vital work in education, awareness, and the protection of marine mammals worldwide.
While the traditional whale hunts (known as grindadráp) in the Faroe Islands have drawn international attention and criticism, it's important to recognise that not all Faroese people support the practice. In fact, a growing number of residents, especially younger generations, are speaking out against whaling on ethical, environmental, and health grounds.
Many locals advocate for more sustainable practices and are actively engaged in conservation efforts. Public opinion in the Faroe Islands is increasingly diverse, and respectful dialogue within the community is helping shape a more modern relationship with tradition.
Getting to the start line is important and we are there to help you as best we can. However, if you feel on reflection that it is just not your time yet, we do have a transfer system that you can use to transfer out, receive Rat Race credit and come back again next year or do something else. Credit is typically valid for 12 months and there is a fee to be paid for transferring out in this way. We want to be really clear that this option is there for you if you need it, but it does have a deadline. View our full terms and conditions here.
The route is all road based so you could use a road bike or a gravel bike for this one which may be the better choice if conditions are particularly wet or wild!
This adventure has a significant, early upfront cost for Rat Race to secure the vessel and staff, as such the transfer window for this event will close 12 MONTHS before the departure date of your Exped Antarctica trip. Transfers can be processed automatically from your Rat Race account during the live transfer period.
You will be issued a credit voucher once you transfer out. Credit vouchers are valid for 12 months from the date of issue. Credit vouchers are exempt from the transfer process. To find out more information and how to submit a request, view of full transfer policy HERE
You’re very welcome to bring your own bike to the event, and many participants choose to do so. If you’re bringing your own, please ensure it’s in good working condition and suitable for the terrain . We strongly recommend a recent service before the event to avoid any mechanical issues on the day.
If you prefer not to travel with your bike, we offer a convenient local bike hire service which you can book through your Rat Race account. All hire bikes are well-maintained and suited to the challenge. They’ll be ready and waiting for you on day 2, and we’ll take care of transporting and maintaining them throughout the event.
Whichever option you choose, rest assured that our support team will be on hand throughout the challenge to assist with any mechanical issues.
We’ve created a fantastic instalment plan that gives you complete flexibility over how you pay for your adventure. Whether you prefer to pay in full or spread the cost across multiple months, the choice is entirely yours and it's completely interest free.
There are no credit checks required to use this facility.
When you sign up for the instalment plan, Rat Race will set up a recurring payment. Your card will be automatically debited on the same date each month for the duration you’ve chosen.
If there’s an issue with your payment, you’ll receive reminders from both Stripe (our payment provider) and the Rat Race customer service team. After three unsuccessful attempts to contact you regarding an outstanding balance, we’ll assume you no longer wish to take part in the event. At that point, your entry will be withdrawn, you will not be eligible for our transfer process, and no refund will be issued.
We’ve created a fantastic instalment plan that gives you complete flexibility over how you pay for your adventure. Whether you prefer to pay in full or spread the cost across multiple months, the choice is entirely yours—and it's completely interest free.
There are no credit checks required to use this facility.
When you sign up for the instalment plan, Rat Race will set up a recurring payment. Your card will be automatically debited on the same date each month for the duration you’ve chosen.
If there’s an issue with your payment, you’ll receive reminders from both Stripe (our payment provider) and the Rat Race customer service team. After three unsuccessful attempts to contact you regarding an outstanding balance, we’ll assume you no longer wish to take part in the event. At that point, your entry will be withdrawn, you will not be eligible for our transfer process, and no refund will be issued.
Yes. You need a decent travel policy covering you for general travel and which covers participation in outdoor sports. You will also need what is called an Evacuation Insurance Policy, which is for if we need to send you back to the closest city for urgent medical attention via a helicopter or similar. We also recommend you have this in place as soon as you enter this event and that if you book flights, we highly recommend booking a flexible option for any last-minute changes you might need to make or to ensure you have maximum flexibility if you cannot attend for any reason.
Travel insurance is compulsory for our events, so please make sure your insurance policy covers the activities you will be participating in. There are a number of specialist providers available including Mann Broadbent.
In short, no. The event price covers everything outlined on our website, and it’s not possible for us to split out individual elements. Our accommodation is based on group rates and shared occupancy, and all event logistics have been carefully planned with all participants staying in the same locations. This allows us to run transfers, briefings, and support smoothly and helps you connect with your fellow #ratracers!
You're welcome to arrange your own accommodation if you prefer, but please note:
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This will not reduce your event fee.
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You will be responsible for getting yourself to all meeting points on time.
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We will not be able to transport you to or from your own accommodation.
Thanks for your understanding, it’s all part of keeping the adventure seamless for everyone involved!
GPX route files will be provided one week before the event, giving you time to load them onto your own device if you wish. Alternatively, you can hire one of our GPX devices with the routes pre-loaded for the duration of the challenge.
Don’t worry, getting lost is unlikely. But if you do stray off course, support is never far away. We've got your back.
We have designed this challenge so that you may travel at your own pace and in general you will have 12 hours to complete each day allowing all foot stages to be hiked if you prefer. There will also be some cut-offs within each day, but in the true Rat Race tradition these will be generous and we will always look to help you to achieve your goals in finishing this challenge, vs having to pull out.
Rat Race have been audited and accredited to the prestigious BS8848 expedition safety standard. We have firm emergency protocols and response systems in place whilst out on our adventures. Our main priority above all else is to keep you and our staff safe. Before we leave for each trip a comprehensive in-country risk and threat assessment has been conducted by the Head of Expeditions. All protocols are put in place relating to those assessments. We make sure that the staff involved have the highest level of first aid training; a higher level of medical cover is also put in place if needed; all instructors have qualifications and/ or competencies to match the adventure we will undertake. In the event of an emergency, Rat Race staff and appointed contractors have comprehensive knowledge of procedures which will rapidly be put in place. If needed, our staff will provide first aid and then further medical assistance and evacuation if needed in line with a published Medical Procedures Plan. We have medical back-up and Clinical Directorship provided by a specialist events medical company and we have further emergency response support services provided by competent contracted partner. All our cover is available 24/7 while operations are underway. We use our knowledge and emergency procedures to provide the best possible care in our often remote and austere environments. Before leaving on a trip, we will advise on the insurance cover you are required to have in place for the trip; we will ask for a copy of these insurance details before the departure date.
Throughout the challenge, you'll be supported by a combination of guides, stewards, pit stops, and support vehicles. Our mobile ‘pit stop’ team will meet you at various intervals with snacks, drinks, and encouragement to keep you moving.
On the water, our local safety team will be with you every step of the way.
Across the event, we’ll have multiple vehicles and experienced staff at your disposal to ensure your safety, comfort, and enjoyment.
A word on Distance vs. Difficulty:
Although the distances on this adventure may appear modest on paper, don’t be fooled, these trails pack a serious punch. The rugged, uneven terrain of the Faroes, combined with rapidly changing weather conditions, means you’ll be constantly tested by the elements. Wind, rain, mist, and steep ascents are all part of the experience. Out here, nature calls the shots, and that’s exactly what makes it so exhilarating.
Come prepared for a true adventure, where the challenge lies not just in the miles, but in the wild.
Bike hire available here, or through your Rat Race account
Bike hire available here, or through your Rat Race account