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.

Seals and sea lions

Three seal species breed in the Falklands, all of which can be seen at sea or at their colonies on offshore islands. The South American fur seal prefers the rocky outer islands. The southern sea lion is larger and paler and favours sheltered beaches on islands dominated by tussac grass. Southern elephant seals – the largest of the world’s pinnipeds – are less common but may be seen in good numbers on the South Sea Lion Island beaches. Look out for the massive 3–4-tonne bulls slugging it out in bloody territorial beach battles.

Penguins

The Falklands are home to five penguin species. The king penguin is the biggest and best-known – with the entire population of ±1,500 pairs breeding at one colony on Volunteer Point, West Falkland. The Magellanic penguin is much more widespread, nesting in beachfront peat burrows around the coastline and announcing its presence with a loud braying. The gentoo penguin is the most numerous, with the archipelago’s ±120,000 pairs representing the world’s largest population of this species. The southern rockhopper penguin – of which the Falklands hold a third of the world’s breeding population – is known for its jaunty crest and agile scaling of cliffs. Tiny numbers of the similar Macaroni penguins occur among rockhopper colonies; the challenge is picking them out.

Albatrosses and other seabirds 

The Falklands are a critically important haven for several pelagic seabird species. Best known is the black-browed albatross, of which the archipelago holds at least two-thirds of the world’s breeding population. The most accessible colony is at West Point, where these big birds share their breeding grounds with rockhopper penguins. Other key breeding seabirds include sooty shearwater and southern giant petrel, while a variety of other petrels, prions, and shearwaters comb the waves offshore. Look out too for brown skuas, dolphin gulls, and large, noisy colonies of South American terns.

Other birds

You will find plentiful wildfowl and shorebirds on land around the sheltered bays and boggy pools. Highlights include the flightless Falkland steamer duck, alongside various other ducks and geese, the diminutive two-banded plover, and the camouflaged Magellanic snipe. There is also a cross-section of land birds that have colonised from mainland South America, some having evolved into unique island races – or even endemic species. Raptors include the striated caracara, a confident character often seen scavenging around seabird colonies, turkey vultures, variable hawks, and short-eared owls. Among a select group of songbirds, birders will seek out the endemic Cobb’s wren. At the same time, other notables include the long-tailed meadowlark and blackish cinclodes – the latter often foraging around seal colonies. Many birds are extraordinarily tame and likely to approach closer than a long lens can focus.

The following items are essential:

• Warm, windproof jacket with a hood – or a lighter down jacket, with a thin waterproof jacket to wear over it
• Fleece (a thin fleece that can layer)
• Thermal base layers – tops and leggings (easily removed if the weather gets warm)
• T-shirts
• Jeans and/or hiking trousers x 2
• Waterproof over-trousers. (Ensure these are waterproof and not just water-repellent. You will get wet in Zodiacs and on some landings.) 
• Waterproof gloves
• Woolly hat
• Scarf (and buff)
• Two pairs of thick hiking socks to go over regular socks (take as many pairs of every day as you can comfortably pack)
• Good backpack (with waterproof cover), suitable for hiking 

Footwear

• Walking boots (or sturdy walking shoes): most cruise operators will provide muck boots, but proper walking footwear is better for longer hikes
• Trainers/casual shoes to wear onboard 

Other gear

• Binoculars: indispensable if you’re serious about wildlife, especially when scanning at sea
• Sunscreen and sunglasses: the ozone hole is sometimes over the islands so the sun can be strong