Falkland Islands

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By Mike Unwin

MAY 16, 2024

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Falkland Islands destination overview

The Falkland Islands is a jewel of a destination. For sheer scale, it may not compete with the remarkable spectacles of South Georgia and the Antarctic, but it makes up for this with an alluring blend of wilderness vibe and rich wildlife. In fact, because of the quality of the wildlife experience, this remains one of the most rewarding destinations I have ever been to. Make sure you include it on your Antarctic cruise. And if you ever get the opportunity to spend longer than the one or two nights this usually involves – ideally on a dedicated tour – don’t pass it up.

First, we should address the elephant – or perhaps the elephant seal – in the room. It’s an unfortunate reality that the Falklands’ chief claim to fame is the brief but bloody Falklands War of 1982, when Britain and Argentina contested the sovereignty of this remote, barely populated archipelago. Today, The Falklands remain a self-governing British Overseas Territory, though Argentinians, who know the islands as Las Malvinas, continue to press their claim given that the Falklands lie just 480km from Argentina yet 12,985km from the UK. However, the islanders remain defiantly British at heart, their identity having been unanimously upheld in a 2014 referendum.

The geography, thankfully, is less contentious. The Falklands sit in the South Atlantic Ocean and comprise two large Islands, East Falkland, and West Falkland, surrounded by some 776 smaller islands – of which only a handful are inhabited. First impressions suggest Scotland’s Western Isles, with big skies, green moorland dotted with more sheep than trees, and a backdrop of mist-shrouded hills. The weather is invariably windy, often rainy, and sometimes flecked with snow but seldom threatens anything extreme, and on a clear day, the rolling landscape is exceptionally picturesque. Habitation beyond the capital, Stanley, is confined mainly to scattered hamlets and farmsteads. Indeed, with just 3,360 people living in a land area of roughly 12,000 km2, this is one of the least populated, inhabited places on earth.

The archipelago’s prolific wildlife can be explained by the rich, nutrient-packed seas that surround it. These sustain large breeding colonies of seabirds, including five species of penguin, black-browed albatrosses, and southern giant petrels. Alongside them are equally impressive numbers of sea mammals, with elephant seals, fur seals, and sea lions littering the shoreline, plus orcas patrolling the inshore waters, two specialised local dolphin species, and great whales passing through.

For birders, the inland attractions are equally alluring – especially on the offshore islands that remain free of rats, cats, and other invasive predators. Highlights include several endemic or near-endemics – birds such as the flightless steamer duck, striated caracara, and diminutive Cobb’s wren. These, and many more, often seem absurdly tame: I once had the caracara – a medium-sized raptor, known locally as Johnny Rook – land at my feet and start to undo my shoelaces. And, while checking your shoes, don’t overlook the rich native flora: botanists will be enthralled by the likes of Falkland lavender, water milfoil, and lady’s slipper.

The appeal of the Falklands doesn’t end with its wildlife. Most tours include visiting the tiny capital, Stanley, where you can stroll between the philatelic museum and Christchurch cathedral, which has a whale jawbone arch. With time to spare, pick up a copy of Penguin News, the Falklands’ daily paper, to find out what’s on. Historians can also visit various memorials and battlefield sites. Meanwhile, if your itinerary allows a night or two on one of the outer islands – such as Saunders, Carcass, or Sea Lion – you’ll find the slow-paced nature of island life, where your hosts serve up wholesome traditional fare, has a charm all its own.