'Falklands First':
Thursday 11 - Wednesday 24 January 2007 (14 days)
Thursday 10 - Wednesday 23 January 2008 (14 days)
'Falklands Forever!':
Thursday 25 January - Wednesday 7 February 2007 (14 days)
Thursday 10 - Wednesday 23 January 2008 (14 days)
Journey with us to the most accessible of the sub-Antarctic Islands, a land of albatrosses, penguins, Sea Lions and Elephant Seals... plus a warm and very British welcome. Such is demand that we are again running two trips: our regular tour mainly aimed at first-time visitors to the islands - 'Falklands First' - and a second tour to cater for the interests of both first-time and repeat visitors - 'Falklands Forever!'
The rich seas of the South Atlantic are teeming with life - which means an abundance of food for the seabirds and sea-mammals. These are present in greater abundance and diversity than the North Atlantic but the problem for wildlife enthusiasts has always been the inaccessibility of the area and the islands which are home to many of the species.
With direct flights from the UK with the RAF, however, and a well-established infrastructure to accommodate special-interest high-quality tourism, the Falkland Islands are simply the most accessible place to see breeding colonies of true sub-Antarctic species such as Black-browed Albatross, Rockhopper, Magellanic, Gentoo and King Penguins, Snowy Sheathbills and Southern Giant Petrel. And, as with all the wildlife here, most are extremely approachable, giving unparalleled opportunities for photography. With a maximum group size of only eight, places will go fast on these tours -so do book early!
Tim Earl is one of the pioneers of Falklands tourism, and has led eighteen groups there, his first in 1987.
'Falklands First':
Thursday 11 - Wednesday 24 January 2007 (14 days)
Thursday 10 - Wednesday 23 January 2008 (14 days)
Please note that the 2007 tour is currently fully booked - please enquire for vacancies due to cancellation.
Itinerary
Please note that this itinerary may change according to flight schedules.
Day 1
We take a late evening departure from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The approximate duration of the flight is eight and a half hours to the refuelling stop at Ascension Island where there is a chance of seeing the endangered Ascension Island Frigatebird. The onward flight to Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, is seven and a half hours.
Days 2 - 3
We arrive early afternoon at Mount Pleasant Airport - with luck a Tornado jet escort will accompany us for the last hour. We drive to our hotel in Darwin where we'll be welcomed by our hosts Ken & Bonny Greenland. Those not wishing to rest will have a chance to go out and get a first flavour of Southern Atlantic wildlife. We should see our first Upland Geese, Correndera Pipits and endemic Falklands Flightless Steamer Duck along the shore, with Southern Giant Petrel and Brown Skua out to sea. Hospitality in the Falklands is excellent and our first taste of it here will be a special treat.
Next day we will be walking the shoreline, looking for Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers, Black-crowned Night-herons, Rufous-chested Dotterels, Kelp and Ruddy-headed Geese and our first Magellanic Penguins. On the land we will start to familiarise ourselves with the Red-backed Hawks, Falkland Thrushes, Black-chinned Siskins, Long-tailed Meadowlarks and Dark-faced Ground-tyrants. We will visit San Carlos and Goose Green, and may persuade Ken Greenland to talk us through the 1982 Battle of Darwin . Note: some rooms here are not en-suite, but we have the hotel to ourselves.
Two nights Darwin
Days 4 - 5
We take a FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service) flight in a 9-seater Islander aircraft to Pebble Island, West Falkland.
Pebble Island Hotel used to be the farm manager's house, but now caters for visitors with six twin rooms - all with en-suite facilities. The island itself is 22 miles long, and has a population of fewer than 10 people. The wildlife is quite outstanding. Freshwater pools hold both Silvery and White-tufted Grebes while wildfowl include Black-necked Swan, Silver Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail and Chiloe Wigeon. The shores have occasional Flying Steamer Duck and Snowy Sheathbill, while we will also be picnicking beside colonies of Rockhopper Penguin, where they share the territory with King Cormorants, and, occasionally, Macaroni Penguins. Gentoo Penguins nest inland here and can be seen making the long trek from the sea, and in recent years there has been the odd King Penguin in attendance, making this a possible five-penguin day. Tim achieved this by great luck when an Erect-crested Penguin walked out of the sea and settled down in a Rockhopper colony last year. We will also visit a recently-discovered pond on which Coscoroba Swans have been seen.
The shores can hold migrant waders including White-rumped Sandpiper, while the beaches of Pebble Island have a colony of Southern Sea Lions, with the 'beachmaster' surrounded by his retinue of adoring females. The sea is always worth watching, and we will be looking for passing Black-browed Albatross, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, White-chinned Petrels and Slender-billed Prions, while Peale's and the lovely Commerson's Dolphins may also be cruising by.
Two nights Pebble Island
Days 6 - 7
We fly from Pebble to the superb and wildlife-rich Carcass Island. Introduced to our main tour itinerary last year, this was an instant hit with both our groups which visited the Falklands. Here the absence of introduced predators has allowed birds to thrive, including large colonies of Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins. Owner Rob McGill's farmhouse hospitality is legendary and Carcass was voted the 'best stop' by last year's groups. The island has superb wildlife including pods of Commerson's and Peale's Dolphins.
While on Carcass we will enjoy (weather permitting) a day-trip by boat to West Point Island to visit a Black-browed Albatross colony. Dolphins are frequently seen from the boat and on one trip Orcas were also spotted.
Two nights Carcass Island
Days 8 - 10
We fly to Sea Lion Island, East Falkland. Sea Lion's is the only purpose-built lodge on the Falkland Islands and has all rooms with en-suite facilities, and a tradition of great welcomes: we'll no doubt be greeted with 'smoko' - tea and cakes - in the lodge lounge.
Sea Lion Island, the most southerly inhabited island of the archipelago, is just five miles long by one and a half miles wide, and has a resident population of four. During our stay here we will be visiting Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguin colonies, with their ever-present Blackish Cinclodes (known as 'Tussac-birds' locally), Snowy Sheathbills and Brown Skuas. Land birds include the endemic Cobb's Wren, and the more familiar Short-eared Owl, while wildfowl include Patagonian Crested Duck. Some beaches are solidly occupied by Elephant Seals, while offshore cetaceans may include Orca, seen from the lounge and beaches on many previous visits.
On the land, one of the local specialities is Striated Caracara, a raptor which is now virtually restricted to the Falkland Islands, having been almost wiped out of South America. 'Johnny Rooks', as they are called locally, can be embarrassingly tame despite their global rarity - mind your packed lunches here. Crested Caracara and the dark Cassin's race of Peregrine can also be found here, with Rufous-chested Dotterel abundant on the 'diddledee' moorland.
Three nights Sea Lion Lodge
Days 11 - 12
We fly to Stanley and check into our hotel with an afternoon boat trip to Kidney Island where we 'chum' for seabirds. We hope to attract some of the South Atlantic seabirds, especially the shearwaters and petrels, including Wilson's Petrel, which are hard to see from the shore. In the past we've had impressive gatherings of over a hundred Black-browed Albatross close in to the boat, and have recorded Royal or Wandering Albatross on four of our six pelagic boat trips. Last year we enjoyed a brief visit from a Grey-headed Albatross.
Gypsy Cove is a picture-book beach with white sand, clear water, and lots of Magellanic Penguins which nest in burrows, and we should get superb views of these, together with some of the other resident species, which may include Kelp Geese. Kelp and Brown-hooded Gulls and the delightful Dolphin Gull should also be seen. Sweet-singing Sedge Wrens are one of the most numerous landbirds, while the shores can hold the resident Two-banded Plover.
The following day a three-hour Land Rover drive takes us to one of the biggest penguin colonies of the Falklands, at Volunteer Point. Here can be found more than 3,000 Gentoo Penguins, with a colony of several hundred King Penguins nearby. These immensely impressive birds are one of the specialities of a Falklands tour and we will get close to them here. At this time of year the King Penguin chicks are just hatching, and we should get views of the tiny grey young peeping out from between their parent's legs. South American Fur Seals are a regular sight here.
Two nights Stanley
Day 13
Early departure from Stanley to Mount Pleasant Airport to catch the mid-morning flight to UK, with a refuelling stop at Ascension Island, and arriving back at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire early on Day 14.
'Falklands Forever!':
Thursday 25 January - Wednesday 7 February 2007 (14 days)
Thursday 10 - Wednesday 23 January 2008 (14 days)
Itinerary
Please note that this itinerary may change according to flight schedules.
Day 1
We take a late evening departure from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The approximate duration of the flight is eight and a half hours to the refuelling stop at Ascension Island where there is a chance of seeing the endangered Ascension Island Frigatebird. The onward flight to Mount Pleasant, Falkland Islands, is seven and a half hours.
Day 2
We arrive early afternoon at Mount Pleasant Airport - with luck a Tornado jet escort will accompany us for the last hour. We drive to our hotel in Darwin where we'll be welcomed by our hosts Ken & Bonny Greenland. Those not wishing to rest will have a chance to go out and get a first flavour of Southern Atlantic wildlife. We should see our first Upland Geese, Correndera Pipits and endemic Falklands Flightless Steamer Duck along the shore, with Southern Giant Petrel and South Polar Skua out to sea. Hospitality in the Falklands is excellent and our first taste of it here will be a special treat.
Overnight Darwin
Days 3 - 4
We take a FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service) flight in a 9-seater Islander aircraft to Bleaker Island the following morning for a two-night stay. Bleaker has two self-catering bungalows which were built a couple of years ago to extremely high standards. They are owned by Mike Rendall, who regular visitors will remember as owner of the Malvina Hotel in which he still has an interest. The Malvina will provide our main meals which we will reheat. Bleaker is a low, flat island we have flown over on our way back from Sea Lion on previous trips. It has a good Gentoo Penguin colony, with some Rockhoppers and Magellanics, a large pond and miles of wonderful walks. We will have use of a Land Rover for this visit. Its eastern end is accessible and a good site for sea-watching, and has Snowy Sheathbills and Crested caracaras amongst the Southern Giant Petrel colonies. The pond held three White-winged Coots in 2005 and Tim recorded the first breeding record for these rare South American birds. Sadly, a storm blew the chicks off their nest and they were taken by skuas.
We brought a group to Bleaker Island for the first time in 2006, and all agreed that it made an excellent start to the trip, as well as a fine addition to our itinerary.
Two nights Bleaker Island
Days 5 - 6
We fly to Sea Lion Island, East Falkland. Sea Lion's is the only purpose-built lodge on the Falkland Islands and has all rooms with en-suite facilities, and a tradition of great welcomes: we'll no doubt be greeted with 'smoko' - tea and cakes - in the lodge lounge.
Sea Lion Island, the most southerly inhabited island of the archipelago, is just five miles long by one and a half miles wide, and has a resident population of four. During our stay here we will be visiting Gentoo and Rockhopper Penguin colonies, with their ever-present Blackish Cinclodes (known as 'Tussac-birds' locally), Snowy Sheathbills and Brown Skuas. Land birds include the endemic Cobb's Wren, and the more familiar Short-eared Owl, while wildfowl include Patagonian Crested Duck. Some beaches are solidly occupied by Elephant Seals, while offshore cetaceans may include Orca, seen from the lounge on previous visits.
On the land, one of the local specialities is Striated Caracara, a raptor which is now virtually restricted to the Falkland Islands, having been almost wiped out of South America. 'Johnny Rooks', as they are called locally, can be embarrassingly tame despite their global rarity - mind your packed lunches here. Crested Caracara can also be found here, with Rufous-chested Dotterel abundant on the 'diddledee' moorland.
Two nights Sea Lion Lodge
Days 7 - 8
We fly to Pebble Island, West Falkland. Pebble Island Hotel used to be the farm manager's house, but now caters for visitors with six twin rooms - all with en-suite facilities. The island itself is 22 miles long, and has a population of fewer than 10 people. The wildlife is quite outstanding. Freshwater pools hold both Silvery and White-tufted Grebes while wildfowl include Black-necked Swan, Silver Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail and Chiloe Wigeon. The shores have occasional Flying Steamer Duck and Snowy Sheathbill, while we will also be picnicking beside colonies of Rockhopper Penguin, where they share the territory with King Cormorants, and, occasionally, Macaroni Penguins. Gentoo Penguins nest inland here and can be seen making the long trek from the sea, and in recent years there has been the odd King Penguin in attendance, making this a possible five-penguin day. Tim achieved this by great luck when an Erect-crested Penguin walked out of the sea and settled down in a Rockhopper colony last year. We will also visit a recently-discovered pond on which Coscoroba Swans have been seen.
The shores can hold migrant waders including White-rumped Sandpiper, while the beaches of Pebble Island have a colony of Southern Sea Lions, with the 'beachmaster' surrounded by his retinue of adoring females. The sea is always worth watching, and we will be looking for passing Black-browed Albatross, Great and Sooty Shearwaters, White-chinned Petrels and Slender-billed Prions, while Peale's and the lovely Commerson's Dolphins may also be cruising by.
Two nights Pebble Island
Days 9 - 10
We fly from Pebble to the superb and wildlife-rich Carcass Island. Here the absence of introduced predators has allowed birds to thrive, including large colonies of Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins. Owner Rob McGill's farmhouse hospitality is legendary and Carcass was voted the 'best stop' by last year's groups. The island has superb wildlife including pods of Commerson's and Peale's Dolphins. While on Carcass we will enjoy (weather permitting) a day-trip by boat to West Point Island to visit a Black-browed Albatross colony. Dolphins are frequently seen from the boat and on one trip Orcas were also spotted.
Two nights Carcass Island
Days 11 - 12
We fly to Stanley and check into our hotel with an afternoon boat trip to Kidney Island where we 'chum' for seabirds. We hope to attract some of the South Atlantic seabirds, especially the shearwaters and petrels, including Wilson's Petrel, which are hard to see from the shore. In the past we've had impressive gatherings of over a hundred Black-browed Albatross close in to the boat, and have recorded Royal or Wandering Albatross on four of our six pelagic boat trips. Last year we enjoyed a brief visit from a Grey-headed Albatross.
We will visit Dolphin Point the following day. Only recently made accessible to visitors by the completion of a new road, Dolphin Point is home to large colonies of Rockhopper Penguins, Southern Fur Seals and numerous other species. At this time of year there is a good chance of seeing dolphins and possibly the great whales from the point.
Two nights Stanley
Day 13
Early departure from Stanley to Mount Pleasant Airport to catch the mid-morning flight to UK, with a refuelling stop at Ascension Island, and arriving back at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire early on Day 14.
Accommodation :
We stay in comfortable lodges and hotels. En-suite facilities are available throughout, with the exception of one or two rooms at Darwin. The exception is on Bleaker Island on the 'Falklands Forever' tour where we stay in self-catering bungalows. We can offer a very limited number of single rooms, but these may not be available throughout.
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