Overview

The Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas) lie 500km east of the coast of Argentina. Many people know a bit about their history, but few are aware of the wilderness beauty of this remote archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean. The islands have an unpolluted hilly environment with sprawling, wind-buffeted, tree-less landscapes and white sand beaches. A huge variety of wildlife inhabits or visits the archipelago and the fauna outnumbers the human population by 10-1. At least five species of penguin crowd the shores of the Falklands - gentoo, macaroni, rockhopper, king and African penguin. Elephant seals, sea-lions and seals, an abundance of birds, minke and killer whales can be spotted here, their mournful cries carried on the incessant winds.

Port Stanley, the capital, resembles a small English town fifty years ago, with squat, white, pitched roofed cottages, an Anglican seafront church and familiar red phone boxes. The hulks of ships abandoned a century ago lie in rocky coves, testament to an era when the islands were a port of call for passing ships before the opening of the Panama Canal. Nowadays, the 3,000 islanders remain British in outlook and descent, adhering to British laws and buying British goods.

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Chile / Falkland Islands

Chile and the Falklands Wildlife Holiday

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Where to go when - our guide to Falkland Islands

Emperor Penguin

The weather in Falkland Islands is wide and varied

The remote wind-swept Falkland Islands lie exposed to the elements in the South Atlantic Ocean some 300 miles east of South America’s Patagonian coastline and 800 miles from Antarctica. Consisting of two main islands, East Falklands and West Falklands, and approximately 750 smaller islands this rugged, sparsely populated archipelago offers superb close-up wildlife encounters and some stunning wild landscapes. Although some visitors come for the fly fishing (September - April) or for battlefield tours to learn about the 1982 conflict, the vast majority of tourists come for the fabulous and abundant wildlife. Wildlife activity starts in the spring months of Sep and Oct but the long austral summer days between November and February, when the weather is at its best and the migratory birds, penguins and mammals have all arrived, is the best time to visit. The average temperature over these months is 13°C although on a clear sunny day, when the wind lets up, it can get as hot as 20-25°C. The wind is a constant most of the time and it’s common to experience all four seasons in the same day with a wind-chill that can make it feel colder than the average temperatures suggest. The autumn months of March and April still provide some good wildlife watching, but the days are shorter with less sunshine, it gets colder and by the end of April most migratory species have headed out to sea. Annual rainfall is relatively low and pretty evenly spread throughout the year. In fact, the islands get less rain and enjoy a similar amount of sunshine as the south coast of England, with an average of 6 - 7hrs a day between October and March. There’s little reason to visit between May and August as it’s very cold (2°C average in June and July), days are short and whilst you can still see Gentoo penguins (in reduced numbers), King penguins and smaller non-migratory birds there’s little other wildlife.

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  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

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    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

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    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

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    Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

    Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

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