​An intense and exciting photo tour to what has to be one of the worlds most amazing wildlife photography destinations, the Falkland Islands. With penguin colonies right in front of the door of the accommodation, chicks just starting to hatch, birds of prey soaring just meters over your head, sealions patrolling the beaches, this trip will offer more wildlife photography than any other destination.

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Some highlights of the tour

• A photo tour planned exactly in the period with most bird activity. The Gentoo and Rock hopper penguin's chicks are hatching or have just hatched and the King cormorants are flying off and on with building materials for their nests.

• We visit four different areas. Each offering completely different photography opportunities.

• We maximize the photography time and opportunities by spending two to four days in each area, instead of rushing through all the islands trying to see everything and spending most of the time on traveling. 

• Accommodation right at the penguin colonies. 

• Visit the largest King penguin colony of the Falkland Islands. A sight which you will never forget! 

• Chance for seeing killer whales hunting seals and penguins.

• The tour leader is a hobby cook. Even at the most remote places you will get served a tasty meal!

• Other interesting birdlife is never far away.

• Small group of like-minded people, maximum seven participants.

 

 

The Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean 500km from the coast of the most southern part of South America, offer one of the most exceptional bird photography experiences on the planet. With over 200 species of birds, including iconic penguin colonies and rare seabirds, the islands provide endless opportunities for stunning wildlife shots. Here you will have the chance to capture intimate moments with a variety of penguin species, such as the majestic King Penguins, the playful Gentoo, the striking Rockhopper and the cute Magellanics. The islands are also home to large populations of caracaras, albatross, petrels, and other seabirds, making it a prime location for capturing dramatic action shots against breathtaking coastal backdrops. The rugged terrain and varied landscapes, from windswept beaches to dramatic cliffs, offer diverse settings for your shots. You'll have the opportunity to photograph birds in their natural habitats, often from just a few meters away, with the islands' incredible wildlife habituated to human presence. This photography tour provides a rare chance to not only witness a vast array of birdlife but to document it in an unspoiled and serene environment. Whether you're an amateur enthusiast or a seasoned professional, the Falkland Islands are a must-visit for anyone passionate about wildlife photography.

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Reaching Stanley, the capital of the Falkland Islands, typically involves flying via RAF Mount Pleasant Airport (MPA), located about 35 miles west of the city. Flights operate every Saturday from Santiago, Chile, with a stop in Punta Arenas, or via the UK Ministry of Defense (MoD) airbridge from Brize Norton, England. From Mount Pleasant airport we take a pre-arranged transfer to Stanley, which takes about an hour. Due to limited flight availability, booking well in advance is recommended for a smooth journey to the islands.

 

Exploring the Falkland Islands is an adventure in itself! Travel across the rugged landscapes often involves off-road journeys, making for a scenic but slow-paced experience. Reaching the outer islands requires small aircraft, with flights scheduled based on the latest weather conditions.

To ensure you make the most of your photography tour, we have carefully selected four key locations, each offering exceptional wildlife photography opportunities. By focusing on these prime areas, we maximize your time in the field, allowing for incredible encounters with the unique wildlife and breathtaking scenery that make the Falklands a photographer’s paradise.

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Volunteer point

Located on the east coast of East Falkland, Volunteer Point is a must-visit destination when visiting the Falklands. It can be reached by car from Stanley. It is famous for the largest colony of King Penguins of the Falkland Islands, with nearly 2000 breeding pairs. This area offers unrivaled opportunities to capture these majestic birds in their natural habitat. With a stunning, expansive beach and dramatic coastal scenery, Volunteer Point provides a pristine backdrop for our images. In addition to the iconic King Penguins, the area is home to Gentoo and Magellanic Penguins, as well as a number of Sealions which patrol the beaches, hunting the penguins. There is a good chance to witness a hunt on the beach. The remote and tranquil setting allows for up-close encounters, where photographers can capture unique behavioral shots.

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Sealion Island

Sealion Island, one of the crown jewels of the Falkland Islands, offers an unforgettable wildlife photography experience. This remote and pristine island is a premier destination for photographers. Sealion Island is home to vast colonies of southern elephant seals and playful South American sea lions, both of which can be observed up close. The island is also a critical breeding ground for the endangered striated caracara and hosts colonies of Rockhoppers, Gentoos and Magellanic penguins and also the stunning black browed albatross. This abundance of marine life also attracts killer whales, which patrol the coastline in search of prey. Witnessing these apex predators hunting along the shore, sometimes capturing young seals or sea lions, is a thrilling and rare spectacle that provides unparalleled opportunities for dramatic wildlife photography.

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Accessible only by small aircraft, Sealion Island offers an exclusive, uncrowded experience where wildlife thrives undisturbed. With endless opportunities for breathtaking photography, it’s the ultimate destination for anyone seeking to capture the raw beauty and unspoiled nature of the Falklands in its purest form.

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Saunders Island

Saunders Island, one of the most spectacular wildlife destinations in the Falkland Islands, is a dream location for wildlife photographers. This remote and rugged island offers breathtaking landscapes, from dramatic sea cliffs and rolling dunes to pristine beaches, all teeming with life.

The two main photography hotspots on the island are The Neck and The Rookery.

 

The Neck, a stunning sandy isthmus, is one of the best places in the Falklands to photograph wildlife. Here, four species of penguins—king, gentoo, Magellanic, and rockhopper—have their breeding colonies, creating incredible photo opportunities. Elephant seals and sea lions also haul out along the beaches, while predatory skuas and caracaras patrol overhead. The sunrise and sunset light at The Neck is particularly spectacular for photography.

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The Rookery, a high, windswept cliffside, is home to a vast colony of black-browed albatrosses. Watching these majestic birds soar above the dramatic coastline or tend to their chicks on precarious ledges is an unforgettable experience. Rockhopper penguins also nest in the rugged terrain, making their way up steep cliffs via the famous "rockhopper highway" passing the also famous "penguin shower".

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With its diverse wildlife, stunning scenery, and dramatic lighting conditions, Saunders Island offers a truly world-class photography experience in the heart of the Falklands.

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Kidney Cove

Located just a short distance from Stanley, Kidney Cove is an amazing but often overlooked destination for bird photography. This stunning coastal area features a mix of grassy headlands, rocky shores, and sheltered coves, creating the perfect habitat for a diverse range of bird species.

The main highlights of Kidney Cove are its colonies of gentoo and rock hopper penguins, which can be observed straight from our accommodation. The penguins are waddling along the beach, tending to their chicks, or returning from the sea after a day of fishing. These charismatic birds offer fantastic close-up and action shots, especially at sunrise and sunset when the golden light enhances their striking markings. These colonies are perfectly situated for photographing with backlight during the early mornings and evenings. One of the beaches also holds a small colony of King penguins, which offer great photo possibilities. 

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We will also have the opportunity to photograph the King cormorants while they are flying on and off with nesting materials, oystercatchers patrolling the shoreline, kelp geese grazing along the water’s edge and the grasslands are filled with Dotterels and Plovers, which with some patience will show themselves in front of our lenses.  

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Itinerary

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• Day 0 (20/11) 
  Flight to Santiago de Chile. Overnight in an airport hotel. The tour leader will meet you in the hotel. 

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• Day 1 (21/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  After a breakfast together with the whole group, we travel back to the airport to catch our flight from Santiago de Chile to Mount Pleasant (with short stop in Punta Arenas). A bus will take us to our accommodation in Stanley. The bus drive will take about an hour. In the accommodation the tour leader will give a briefing about the upcoming days and we can spend some time getting to know each other. ///Breakfast at our hotel in Santiago de Chile, lunch in the airplane, dinner in a restaurant in Stanley. 

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• Day 2 and 3 (22 - 23/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  In the early morning we are picked up with two large 4x4 vehicles and make the 2.5 hour drive to Volunteer Point. We spend the full days out in the field, mainly photographing the impressive King penguins. There is a good chance of seeing sealions hunting penguins along and on the beach. In the evening we make our way back to our accommodation in Stanley. ///Breakfasts are arranged by our accommodation, lunch packages we get at Volunteer Point, dinners are in a restaurant in Stanley.

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• Day 4 (24/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  Today we fly to Sea Lion Island. We try to get a flight in the morning, but the flight schedule will be planned last minute accordingly to the latest weather conditions. Upon arrival on the island, we get picked up from the tiny airstrip and make the short drive to our accommodation (the Sea Lion Lodge) for the coming three nights. After having dropped off our luggage we head out for our first photo outing on the islands. ///Breakfast at our accommodation in Stanleys, lunch either in Stanley or on Sealion Island and dinner in Sea Lion Lodge.  

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• Day 5 and 6 (25 - 26/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  These days we spent entirely on photographing the wildlife on Sea Lion Island. As the sealions and elephant seals are more approachable on this island than on the others, we spend a good amount of time with these species. Also, we keep an eye out for killer whales patrolling the coast, trying to catch a young elephant seal or penguin. There are plenty of gentoos, rockhoppers, magellanics, caracaras and giant petrels around to photograph if we get "bored" of the seals. ///Breakfasts, lunches and dinners are arranged by our lodge.   

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• Day 7 (27/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  In the morning we have our last photography session on Sea Lion Island. Depending on the weather conditions, we will take a short flight from Sea Lion Island to Saunders Island. At the airstrip the only locals of the island pick us up and drive us to our accommodation at the Neck, where we will spend two nights. The drive takes a bit more than an hour. This accommodation is very basic, but it is situated right at the stunning beach which is filled with gentoo colonies, a king penguin colony, magellanic penguins and much more. The sunsets and sunrises can be spectacular here. The rockhopper and albatross colonies are situated right next to the beach. Here it is possible to photograph the rockhoppers jumping out of the water when they are returning back from sea. ///Breakfast in Sea Lion Lodge, lunch on the go and dinner cooked by the tour leader at the Neck)

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• Day 8 (28/11) 
  A full day of photography at the Neck on Saunders Island as described for Day 7. ///Breakfast and lunch made by ourselves and dinner cooked by the tour leader.  

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• Day 9 (29/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  In the morning we have our last photography session at the Neck. Around noon we get picked up and make the 1 hour drive to the settlement. Here we will be staying in a large house with two bathrooms. After having dropped off our luggage and having taken a nice warm shower, we are driven up the hills to the Rookery for an afternoon and evening of photography. Here we are high up on the cliffs where the Albatross, Rockhopper and King cormorant colonies are. The scenery is breathtaking up here. In the evening we are picked up and driven to our accommodation in the settlement. The drive takes about 45 minutes. ///Breakfast and lunch made by ourselves and dinner cooked by the tour leader.   

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• Day 10 (30/11) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  In the early morning we are picked up and brought back to the rookery. We spend the whole day up here photographing. For those who want, we can decent the famous Rockhopper highway, down to the penguin shower. This is a spot where fresh water runs down over the rocks, which is used by the Rockhoppers to shower off all the nasty stuff they collected in their feather coat. This area offers some opportunities to photograph the wildlife with a wide angle lens, to include some of the stunning landscapes. In the evening we are picked up and driven to our accommodation in the settlement. ///Breakfast and lunch made by ourselves and dinner cooked by the tour leader. ​

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• Day 11 (01/12) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  Today we fly back to Stanley. If the flight schedule allows it, we will make one more trip up to the Rookery for one last photography session. From Stanley airport we take a taxi to our accommodation in Stanley. This afternoon and evening we have some time off from the photography. We can spend some time going through our images and do an editing session with the group.  ///Breakfast at our accommodation on Saunders Island, lunch either on the go or in Stanley and dinner at a restaurant in Stanley.  

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• Day 12 (02 /12) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  After breakfast we get picked up with two large 4x4 vehicles and make our 1.5 hour journey to our last photography destination, Kidney Cove. This area offers some incredible bird photography possibilities. the position of the beaches and Gentoo colonies make it perfect for backlight photography in the early mornings and evenings. Also, there is a small photogenic colony of King penguins. This location is often overlooked, as there is very limited housing available. There are two cabins with each only four beds. The cabins are a 90 minute walk apart from each other. One has a Gentoo colony right in front of the door and the other one has a Rockhopper and King cormorant colony right in front of the door. Sadly, we have to split the group in two to be able to visit this area. But it will be worth it! Each group gets driven right to the front door of the cabin. The cabins are very basic, don't have electricity or running water. There are generators in case batteries have to be charged. Jerrycans with freshwater for drinking, wishing and cooking are supplied. The afternoon and evening we spend photographing in the surroundings of our cabins. ///Breakfast at our accommodation in Stanley, lunch and dinner prepared by ourselves.   

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• Day 13 (03/12) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  In the morning we have our morning session around our cabins at Kidney Cove. After the morning session we pack our bags and get ready to switch cabins. Around noon we get picked up by car and transported to the other cabin. This gives everyone in the group the chance to photograph at both locations. The rest of the day we can spend photographing around our cabins. ///Breakfast, lunch and dinner at prepared by ourselves.

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• Day 14 (04/12) (Breakfast – Lunch – Dinner)
  Today is our last day of photography. In In the morning we have our morning session around our cabins at Kidney Cove. Around noon we are picked up and driven to our accommodation in Stanley. The drive takes about 90 minutes. After a much wanted warm shower, we can spend some time going through our images and do an editing session with the group. ///Breakfast and lunch made by ourselves and dinner in a restaurant in Stanley.   

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• Day 15 (05/12) (Breakfast – Lunch - Dinner)
  In the morning we are picked up by bus at our accommodation in Stanley and driven to Mount Pleasant airport. The check-in process at Mount Pleasant is extremely slow and requires us to be there 6-7 hours prior to departure. In the afternoon we fly over Punta Arenas to Santiago de Chile. Here we stay overnight in an airport hotel. ///Breakfast at accommodation in Stanley, lunch at the airport and dinner in a restaurant in Santiago de Chile. ​

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• Day 16 (06/12) (Breakfast)
  Today each of us will have their flight from Santiago de Chile homewards. After breakfast we say goodbye. ///Breakfast at our hotel in Santiago de Chile.   

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