Falkland Islands wildlife holidays

Few places offer wildlife-watching experiences as intense as those you get every day on the Falkland Islands. Here you can expect closeup views of penguins, albatrosses, sealions, elephant seals and much more in a beautiful setting located 400 miles off the Southern Eastern tip of Southern Eastern tip of South America.

Many of the animals are very inquisitive, and no hides or long drives are needed. Simply explore each island on foot at your own pace – without the crowds. Small wonder the Falkland Islands are a firm favourite with the world’s top natural history photographers.

The nutrient-rich seas around the Falklands archipelago (there are over 740 islands) teem with life during the southern summer – from October to April.

As a result this is heaven on Earth for penguins: five species nest here, together with almost two-thirds of the global population of blackbrowed albatrosses. A visit to a vast penguin or albatross colony at the peak of the breeding season is unforgettable.

Fur seals, sea lions and elephant seals also breed in the Falklands in impressive numbers. Depending on the time of your trip, you can see the blubbery bulls battling for dominance, or harems of females with their adorable pups.

Orcas prowl offshore – you might spot one launching itself onto a beach to attack. Many species of cetacean occur regularly.

“Where else can you enjoy a full English breakfast while penguins stroll past?”

Islands are evolutionary hotspots, and the Falklands are no exception. Among the animals found nowhere else are flightless ducks and wrens, a unique race of short-eared owl that hunts seabirds, and even a butterfly: the Queen of the Falklands fritillary.

The fascinating flora includes rare orchids and magnificent ‘forests’ of giant tussock grass. Huge kelp beds lie off the islands’ white sandy beaches.

Summers are surprisingly mild in the Falklands, which are only as close to the South Pole as London is to the North Pole. And the light is fantastic for photography.

Best of all, you can relax in comfortable lodges just a stone’s throw from great photo opportunities. Where else can you tuck into a full English breakfast or cream tea while wild penguins stroll past outside?

Essential Information

• Visitors can reach the Falklands on the weekly LAN Airways flight via Chile or the charter flight operated twice weekly from RAF Brize Norton in the UK.
   
• Many cruise ships also visit the islands.

• Getting around the archipelago is easy: you can build your own itinerary and travel independently, or book with an international or locally based tour operator.
   
• The islands are connected by an air-taxi network run by the Falkland Islands Government. Flights start from about £30.

For more details or to request a brochure, contact the Falkland Islands Tourist Board:

Telephone: 00 500 27019
Email: info@falklandislands.com
Website: www.falklandislands.com