The Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands – An excursion of a lifetime

Article and photography by Daniel Smajovits

Tucked away in the South Atlantic Ocean, 300 miles east of Argentina and 750 miles north of Antarctica, the Falkland Islands are easy to miss, yet, if you’re adding places to that proverbial bucket list, this destination should be right at the top.

Home to less than 4,000 residents of the human kind, the islands are undoubtedly most famous for its thousands of its tuxedo wearing natives: the multiple penguin breeds that call the Falklands home.

Once a remote destination that was only accessible via one daily flight from Santiago, recently, major cruise lines such as Norwegian, Celebrity and Princess have begun to include the Islands as a port-of-call. Itineraries allow visitors one full day on the island of East Falkland, which is just the perfect amount of time to indulge in the colony’s incredible wildlife as well as sample some of its unique culture.

When planning your trip, the premiere sight is Volunteer Point, a private peninsula that is home to the island’s largest breeding group of king penguins as well as large colonies of Gentoo and Magellanic penguins. Located roughly two-hours northeast of the port (Stanley), the trek to Volunteer Point will encompass the majority of your day, but it will be the excursion of a lifetime.

For the complete Falkland Island experience, we recommend reserving your tour with Jimmy and Tanya Curtis, the dynamic husband and wife duo who own and operate Volunteer Point Tours (curtis@volunteerpointtours.com). Jimmy, Tanya and their team of drivers will pick you up directly from the port and zip you off to Volunteer Point in their fleet of 4x4s. Once at Volunteer Point, guests are free to walk amongst all the penguins and unlike in other reserves, no physical barriers exist between guests and the animals. For mutual protection, one must always be conscious not to get too close as not to disturb them either on land or in the sea. For conservation reasons, daily visitors to the reserve are limited and it is recommended to book your tour well in advance of arrival, especially if you are sailing on a large ship.

Yet, perhaps the most enjoyable part of your journey with Jimmy and Tanya will be the drive to and from Volunteer Point itself. As lifetime residents of the Falkland Islands, they love chatting about day-to-day life in such a unique and sought-after British Colony as well as will share some incredible stories from the infamous and deadly Falklands War. On route, they will also point out famous landmarks and relics from the war. Should time allow before the last tender of the day, make sure to join Jimmy and Tanya at their favourite pub, one of four in Stanley, for a delicious local pint.

Should you choose to spend your day in Stanley, the quiet town offers some nice shops, restaurants with local and British fare as well as a museum and a golf course. Due the Islands’ location, the average summer temperature in the is 14 degrees (58 F), so dress in layers and expect a mix of rain and sun.

www.falklandislands.com