Cruise Ship Landings

Each year thousands of tourists make the journey to the Falklands onboard a cruise ship or expedition vessel. This increasingly popular method of travel allows people to visit many sites that remain largely inaccessible to land-based tourists in the Falklands, all from the comfort and safety of a world-class vessel. Most of these vessels visit our seaside capital Stanley, but some operators also include the following outlying islands to provide a true taste of the Falklands.

Bleaker Island

Bleaker Island is located just off East Falkland. Spectacular wildlife includes large breeding colonies of gentoo penguins, Magellanic penguins and imperial shags. You may also spot the rare flying steamer duck. Sandy Bay, a beautiful white beach and Big Pond offer excellent wildlife watching opportunities. Listed as an ‘Important Bird Area’, the land north of the settlement is a designated national nature reserve.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Magellanic, gentoo and rockhopper penguins, sea lions, white-tufted and silvery grebe, silver teal, flying steamer ducks, yellow orchid
Activities: Walking, photography, Tea and cakes in the farmhouse

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Carcass Island

Carcass Island is located off the north-west of West Falkland. Cat and rat free, it is haven for small birds including the endemic Cobb's Wren, dark-faced ground tyrants and tussac birds. Striated cara-caras abound. Gentoo and magellanic penguins breed on the island and many marine mammals can also be observed. Stunning white sandy beaches are situated at the southern end of the island. Carcass Island Farmhouse is surrounded by palm trees and colourful blooms.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Several small bird species including Cobb’s Wren, blacked-chinned siskin and Falkland thrush; Magellanic and gentoo penguins; Peale’s dolphin; fuchsia, gorse and cypress around the settlement
Activities: Walking, photogrpahy, birdwatching, sit or stroll around the pretty gardens, traditional Falkland Island tea and cakes in the farmhouse

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George and Barren Islands

George and Barren Islands are located south of East Falkland and form the southernmost working farm in the Falklands. The islands are free from introduced species such as rats. The small bird population thrives with many breeding pairs of tussac birds and Cobb’s wren. They share the islands with elephant seals, southern sea lions, abundant southern giant petrel colonies and gentoo and Magellanic penguins. Both islands are recognised as “Important Bird Areas”. Shearing demonstrations are sometimes given.

Read more about the George and Barren Island Group

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Magellanic, gentoo and rockhopper penguins, elephant seal and southern sea lion colonies, southern giant petrel colonies, Grass Wren, Falkland pipit
Activities: Walking, photography, Tea and cakes with the family, Shearing demonstrations

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Grand Jason

The Jason Island group is chain of remote islands off West Falkland. Grand Jason, as its name suggests, is the largest of the group. Cat and rat free, it is home to a large number of small birds as well as black-browed albatross, striated cara-cara, rockhopper, gentoo and magellanic penguins. The entire group of islands are either privately owned nature reserves or government owned National Nature reserves and there is no smoking permitted anywhere on the islands. Unpredictable weather and strong tidal currents make landings difficult.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: coastal naussavia, woolly ragwort, Falkland cudweed, emerald bog, black-browed albatross, rockhopper, gentoo and magellanic penguins, Cobb's Wren, tussac birds, southern giant petrels
Activities: Walking, photography

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Grave Cove

Grave Cove is part of Hope Harbour Farm, located on the mainland of West Falkland, adjacent to West Point Island. It is home to the largest colony of gentoo penguins, along with a number of other interesting birds including ruddy-headed geese, speckled teal and crested ducks. Sae lions are often observed. The area has spectacular scenery, with the high cliffs of Death's Head in the distance.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: gentoo penguins, black-browed albatross, ruddy-headed geese
Activities: Walking, photography

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New Island

New Island is located off Weddell Island in the far west of the archipelago. The most remote of all the inhabited islands in the Falklands archipelago, New Island is a popular destination for small expedition ships who enjoy the stunning scenery, birdwatching, offshore dolphin sightings, as well as penguins, sea lions and fur seals. The entire island is a Nature Reserve and is home to over 40 of the Falklands’ breeding bird species. Ship passengers land steps away from one of the oldest building in the Falklands; built in 1812-13, the Charles Barnard building, having been carefully restored now houses a small museum and visitor centre.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Thin-billed prion, black-browed albatross, peregrine falcon, South American fur seal, lady’s slipper, vanilla daisy and other endemic plant species
Activites: Birdwatching, walking, photography

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Pebble Island

Pebble Island is situated north of West Falkland. Pebble is scenically attractive, the mountainous western half contrasting with the grassy plains of the east. It has some of the most important wetlands and wildfowl breeding areas in the Falklands along with penguin colonies, king cormorants and sea lion haul outs. A stunning 4 mile long sand beach doubles an airstrip for the local Government Air Service Planes to land.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Several species of water fowl and wading birds, rockhopper, gentoo, macaroni and Magellanic penguins, imperial shags,sea lions and several endemic plant species including vanilla daisy, and Falkland woolly ragwort
Activities: Birdwatching, walking, photography

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Saunders Island

Saunders Island is situated north of West Falkand. It is the second largest offshore island in the archipelago and is a working sheep farm. Port Egmont was chosen as the site for the first British settlement on the Islands. Rich in wildlife and history – the island boasts four species of breeding penguin (gentoo, king, magellanic, rockhopper) and a spectacular black-browed albatross colony on its northern cliffs, the Rookery. The Neck, located on a narrow isthmus of sand, is frequently visited by Commerson's and Peale's dolphins and many seabird species. The combination of wildlife and natural, scenic beauty afford some of the best photography opportunities in the World.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: Black-browed albatross and rockhopper penguin colonies, gentoo, magellanic and king penguins, endemic plant species including silvery buttercup and hairy daisy, four native orchid species
Activities: Birdwatching, walking, photography

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Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island is situated to the south of East Falkland. Beautiful tussac plantations cover one fifth of the island and provide a perfect habitat and protection for much of the island’s varied fauna, including elephant seals and sea lions. Besides the tussac, there are sand beaches, cliffs, freshwater ponds and heathland, all with their own wildlife. The 47 different species of breeding birds to be viewed on the island include four species of breeding penguins and five different birds of prey. Every year brings exciting sightings of vagrants. Pods of killer whales circle the island in pursuit of the elephant seals and sea lions that breed there. Leopard seals and larger whales are also seen from time to time.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: orcas, southern sea lions, southern elephant seals, several bird species including eight resident songbirds, four species of breeding penguin, water fowl and wading birds, tussac plantations
Activities: Wildlife watching, walking, photography

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Steeple Jason

The Jason Island group is chain of remote islands off West Falkland. Steeple Jason, which rises sharply from the sea, is undoubtedly one of the most dramatic islands in the archipelago. Home to the world’s largest black-browed albatross colony, the area is of significant importance to conservationists. Large numbers of Striated cara-cara, Falkland Skuas and Southern Giatn Petrels also breed here. The entire group of islands are either privately owned nature reserves or government owned National Nature reserves and there is no smoking permitted anywhere on the islands. Unpredictable weather and strong tidal currents make landings difficult.

Landing: zodiac
Flora/fauna: coastal naussavia, woolly ragwort, Vanilla Daisy, Lady's Slipper, emerald bog, black-browed albatross, rockhopper penguins, striated cara-cara, king cormorants, southern giant petrels
Activities: Walking, photography

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West Point Island

West Point Island lies off the northwest corner of West Falkland. It is a working sheep farm but home to numerous species of plants, birds and marine mammals. The main destination for visitors to this island is Devil’s Nose – a rocky promontory with over 2,000 pairs of black-browed albatross and about 500 pairs of rockhopper penguins. Spectacular cliffs are a feature of the coastline. As well as the rich wildlife, the picturesque settlement and small harbour often teeming with dolphins makes this island well worth a visit.

Landing: zodiac or tender
Flora/fauna: Black-browed albatross, rockhopper penguin, rock shag, striated caracara
Activities: Birdwatching, walking, photography, tea and cakes in the farmhouse, stroll around traditional gardens