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Natural Wonders Photography
Tylwyth Teg
Llanigon
Hay on Wye
Hereford
HR3 5QA
United Kingdom
Natural Wonders Photography
Tylwyth Teg
Llanigon
Hay on Wye
Hereford
HR3 5QA
United Kingdom
We will arrive at Mount Pleasant Airport on 19 December and after an overnight stay in a hotel at Port Stanley will then begin our tour of 6 locations around the Falkland Islands to maximise our range and variety of photographic opportunities.
We will visit Pebble Island, Sea Lion Island, Bleaker Island, Hill Cove, Saunders Island and Volunteer Point. With this tour we should see all 5 species of penguins (King, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Macaroni and Magellanic) plus many species of birds including colonies of Black-browed Albatross, Caracara, gulls, shags, oystercatchers, snipe, geese, ducks, grebes, plover, arctic skua and petrels to name just a few. There are photographic opportunities everywhere on these magical islands.
After our arrival at Mount Pleasant we will transfer to Port Stanley for a night in central Stanley. After breakfast the next day we will transfer to Stanley Airport to catch our FIGAS flight to Pebble Island for 4 nights. Here we will have 2 full day tours and time to stay at our preferred locations on other days. This island has one of the largest colonies of Rockhopper Penguins in the Falkands. There are approximately 5200 pairs. They are constantly on the move and you will be able to spend time waiting for the moment to obtain your perfect image.
On Christmas Eve we will catch our FIGAS flight to Sea Lion Island where we stay until 27 December. This is a designated National Nature Reserve with Elephant Seals and the Southern Sea Lion. Pods of Orcas are sometimes seen hunting the sea lions. The island also has 3 species of penguin, 5 species of birds of prey and 47 different species of breeding birds.
Our next flight takes us to Bleaker Island for two nights with ponds, Imperial Cormorants and more rockhopper colonies. The beaches here are beautiful. We will hopefully have the use of a vehicle on this island to explore it fully. From here we move to Hill Cove, (by FIGAS flight) where we will be amazed at the wildlife around us including Gentoo Penguins, Elephant Seals, Southern Sea Lions, Fur Seals and Black-browed Albatross. Hill Cove is off the Tourist Trail so we will have the wildlife all to ourselves.
On New Years Eve we leave Hill Cove to fly to Saunders Island. We will spend 2 nights at The Neck and 2 nights at The Rookery. This island is a photographers paradise, natural scenic beauty and an abundance of captivating wildlife. It is here that you have the opportunity to see the famous penguin shower where rockhopper penguins and albatros share a small waterfall to clean themselves.
From Saunders we fly to Stanley where we will transfer to Volunteer Point and spend 2 nights in the Wardens Cottage. Volunteer Point has the largest concentration of breeding King Penguins. This place is a trip highlight. King Penguins can be photographed on the beach. at sunrise and sunset, in the colony and there will be many inquisitive chicks to see also. It is simply a wonderful experience to be so close to the penguins here.
After 2 nights here we will transfer back to Stanley ready for our flight home on 7 January.
- FIGAS flights
- All Transfers
- All meals whilst on the Islands
- Breakfast only when in Stanley
- Guided Tours
- Hints and tips for photography
- International Flight to/from Mount Pleasant via MOD service from Brize Norton
- Insurance
- Evening meals and lunch when in Port Stanley
- Items of a personal nature
- Departure Tax from Mount Pleasant (Currently £26 per person)
Please note: Sometimes the itinerary may change but this will not interfere with game viewing and photography opportunities!
What does FIGAS stand for?
Falkland Islands Government Air Service
How do you travel to the Falklands?
The recommended route from the UK is with an MOD flight from Brize Norton in Oxfordshire
How much is the flight?
In 2022 it was £2222.00 per person
Are flights easy to book?
They are reasonably easy to book. You need to follow a procedure to reserve a seat on the aircraft.
What is the weather like at this time?
It varies! You will need to pack clothes for all conditions. It can be windy at times but it also can be gloriously hot when all you need is a T shirt or light jacket to wear. It can also be very cold so you will need gloves and a hat at times.
What is the accommodation like?
This varies from Hotels to lodges and also the Wardens House. On some Islands we will self cater but all food is provided so will will not go hungry.
Below is a collection of photos our customers have captured whilst on this photography experience
Click a thumbnail to view larger
We are fairly seasoned travellers and have visited many parts of the world. However, having been on a tour of the Falkland Islands with Janette, it is now one of our top destinations! Janette’s well planned itinerary gave us every opportunity to experience island life and to get close to the incredible wildlife.
Starting with Stanley, this is a small but very smart and clean town with a hotel and seafront restaurant, It also has a brilliant museum with lots of information about the Falklands war and an unforgettable war memorial. A large bust of Margaret Thatcher stands alongside adjacent to Thatcher Drive! It was also moving to be able to talk to local islanders about their first hand experiences of the conflict with Argentina in 1982.
One of the fun features of this trip was travelling between the islands in the small Islander planes courtesy of FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service). Merrilou, Dan and the other pilots were all happy to put one of their passengers in the co-pilot’s seat and chat to them about flying in this remote part of the world.
And then to the locations themselves. We stayed in small lodges on several of the islands and this was so much nicer than being in large impersonal hotels. We were able to explore the white beaches and cliff sides of the islands, usually with no one else in sight and with just the sounds of the sea and wildlife for company. The settlements on the smaller islands usually have between two and ten residents, mainly engaged in sheep farming.
Meeting and photographing the local wildlife was, of course, the main purpose of the trip and we were not disappointed!. Being able to sit or lie down and having Rockhopper or King penguins hopping or waddling up to you and checking you out has to be experienced to be believed. We were also privileged to have close encounters with the other wildlife residents including Albatrosses, Elephant seals, Sea lions, Cobb’s Wrens, Caracaras, Upland geese, Steamer ducks, Skuas, Meadowlarks and so many more. There were many memorable moments not least the cautious descent of a rocky slope (with Janette’s guidance), to visit the famous penguin shower. Wow, what an experience!
Undoubtedly this is a trip of a lifetime and one not to be missed!
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