L  A   D  A  T  C  O     T  O  U  R   S
	HOME	South America	Central America	Falkland Islands	Antarctica	Unique Destinations	Unique Experiences	Newsstand	e-mail

Black Brows and Long Whiskers Highlighting Black Browed Albatross Five species of penguins Sea Lions & Elephant Seals 12 Days

Locally Hosted Independent Tour Suggested Departure Day: Thursday October - March

ITINERARY (Subject to change without notice):

Thursday - Depart Miami: Evening departure for overnight flight south to Chile.

Friday - Arrive Santiago: Morning arrival and meeting and transfer to the Ritz Carlton Santiago. Afternoon visit to the main points of interest in Santiago including the Pre-Columbian Museum, a drive up Cerro San Cristobal for a bird's-eye panoramic view of the city and wine tasting at the Enoteca wine museum. (B)

Saturday - Santiago - Falkland Islands: Early morning pick-up at your hotel and transfer to the airport for your flight via Punta Arenas to the Falkland Islands. Upon arrival at Mount Pleasant Airport on East Falkland Island, meeting and assistance with obtaining the local FIGAS flight to Pebble Island. Upon landing at Pebble Island airstrip, you'll be met by your local hosts from the Pebble Island Hotel. (B/D)

GETTING AROUND THE ISLANDS: FIGAS (Falkland Island Government Air Service) is the way to get around. FIGAS flies Islander aircraft - twin engine 9-seater aircraft with wings above the windows for excellent viewing as you fly at an average altitude of 500 to 1000 feet. There are weight restrictions - you are allowed only 14 kilos (28 pounds) of luggage; if you have more and IF there is weight allowance to carry it, you will be allowed to take it at an overweight charge; if weight allowances do not allow transport, it will be left behind. Therefore, pack to take only 28 pounds with you. You will also be weighed and seats in the aircraft will be assigned based on weight distribution.

NOTE: You can leave a suitcase with your local hosts when they meet you upon landing in Mount Pleasant. They will store that suitcase for you until your return to Stanley on Wednesday.  This means you must indeed arrive already pre-packed to take only 28 pounds with you and prepared to leave the excess behind.

In order to know what time your flight leaves and what routing it will take, listen to the radio the evening before. Flight schedules and passengers' names are announced following the news report. Generally flights leave Stanley around 8:30 AM so arrivals and departures at Camp destinations will be based on routing. Generally the hotel or lodge where you are staying will be paying attention to the flight announcements as it is their responsibility not only to pick you up or take you to the airstrip, but also to act as airstrip managers - put up the wind sock, open up the shed with the fire equipment, talk to the pilot on approach, swap paper work with the pilot, receive and deliver the mail for transport, etc.

ABOUT PEBBLE ISLAND: Pebble Island is 25 miles long with large expanses of marshland and inland fresh water ponds with some of the best conditions to view a great variety of fauna. Wild duck, grebe and black-necked swans are easily viewed. Colonies of southern sea lions are often seen along the beaches and rocky coast, as are four types of penguins: Gentoo, Magellanic, Rockhopper and in summer the Macaroni. The island has long sandy beaches, well suited to beach combing. The island is named for the semi-precious stones which are found along its coast - you can walk from one cove to another turning over pebbles, occasionally finding yellow or red stones polished by the endless action of the waves. Just a short walk from the hotel is Elephant Bay, one of the longest white sand beaches in the Islands, which serves as the airstrip during winter.

ABOUT PEBBLE ISLAND HOTEL: The hotel is situated in the settlement of the 22,000 acre farm and was originally the farm manager's house. It has been totally renovated and has 6 twin rooms and 1 single room, each with private bath. There is a large living room with peat burning fireplace and well stocked honesty bar. There is a dining room with meals featuring the fresh produce grown in their own gardens. There is also a gift-shop table with small collection of hats, t-shirts, sweat shirts and other souvenirs.

Sunday - Pebble Island: Today you will explore this island and it's wildlife. You may also have time to walk to Elephant Bay or explore the small community. (B/L/D)

Monday - Pebble Island - Carcass Island: At the appropriate time your local host will transfcer you to the airstrip for your flight on FIGAS to Carcass Island. Upon landing, meeting by your local hosts and transfer to the Managers House, your accommodations for the next two nights. (BLD)

ABOUT CARCASS ISLAND:  Lying to the northwest of the Falklands archipelago, this is one of the most picturesque outer-lying islands. It is named after the sloop HMS Carcass that arrived in 1766 with the fleeet sent to establish the first British settlement at Port Egmont. In its 100+ years of habitation this island has had only three owners, all environmentally conscious, and an absence of cats and rats, making the luxuriant, well-established hedges and trees an attractive home to many small birds such as the Cobb’s wren, Black-chinned siskins and Falklands thrush.   The sandy beaches, rolling hills and low cliffs are superb platforms from which to view the multitude of sea and shore birds that either breed or feed on and around Carcass Island.  These include gentoo and Magellanic penguins, yellow-billed pintail and flightless steamer ducks, Magellanic oysetcatchers, striated caracara and red-backed hawk.

Both the north and south of the island provide great hiking opportunities, taking in interesteing flora, beaches (some good beachcombing), penguin colonies and sheltered dunes which make great picnic spots.

This destination gives you the opportunity to explore completely at your own leisure, as there are no guided excursions on this small island. 

ABOUT THE MANAGERS HOUSE ON CARCASS ISLAND: The Managers House can accommodate up to 8 persons total in one double and three twin bedded rooms all of which have en suite bathroom facilities. From here you will also be able to enjoy the settlement gardens which have almost a tropical feel with their Monterey cypress trees, New Zealand cabbage palms and flax and colourful array of flowers.  The island is self-sufficient in organic vegetables, meat and dairy products, all of which  you will be able to sample as it is prepared into typical Falkalnds "camp style" fare. There is also an honesty bar and tea/coffee making facilities.

Tuesday - Carcass Island:  A full day excursion by boat to nearby West Point Island provides the opportunity to see amazing colonies of black-browed albatross and rockhoppers. The motorlaunch takes about one hour each way. Weather permitting, there will be an opportunity to visit dirbird feeding grounds and view the stunning cliffs of West Point, including the Devil's Nose,.  Whale and dolphin spotting are also possible.   (BLD)

Wednesday - Carcass - Sea Lion Island: At the appropriate time transfer to the airstrip for your FIGAS flight to Sea Sea Lion Island where your host from the Sea Lion Island Lodge will meet you at the airstrip for the short ride to Sea Lion Island Lodge. Once you are settled in, you will enjoy an introductory visit of the island to point out areas of interest. In the afternoon you'll have plenty of time to return to the beaches or the inland lagoon for wildlife viewing. (B/L/D)

ABOUT SEA LION ISLAND: Sea Lion is the most isolated of the Falkland's inhabited islands and today boasts a resident population of only two persons but more than forty species of birds, southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. Measuring one mile wide by five miles long, it is a virtually flat island with spectacular beaches and rocky coastline. While it has an interesting human history, wildlife is the highlight. Over forty species of birds visit and nest on the island including one of the rarest birds of prey on earth, the Striated Caracara (called Johnny Rook locally), four species of penguins including Gentoos, Rockhoppers, Magellanic and occasionally the Macaroni; large tussac area with lagoon and many fresh water ponds are home to many small birds and ducks; the beaches are frequented by a variety of ducks, marine birds, the southern elephant seals and south american sea lions; fur and leopard seals can be seen at times and the beaches are patrolled by Orca killer whales. All in all, Sea Lion Island is a spectacular wildlife experience.

ABOUT SEA LION LODGE: Sea Lion Lodge is the only "purpose-built" lodge in the Falklands. Built in 1986, it's one of the world's most southerly hotels and one of the most remote. There are six twin bedded rooms, one double bedded room all with private bath; 2 single rooms share a bathroom. There is a comfortable lounge-TV room with extensive library of reference books and magazines and videos; a well stocked cozy bar-lounge and a dining room. Many wildlife sites are within walking distance and transportation to the far end of the island can be arranged.

Thursday - Sea Lion Island - Sea Lion Island - Stanley: Morning return flight back to the Stanley airport. You'll be met upon arrival and transferred to the Malvina House Hotel where you will stay for two nights. This afternoon you'll enjoy a guided visit to the main points of interest in historic Stanley and make a stop at the small but outstanding Falkland Islands Museum. You'll have time to explore this town at your own pace. (B)

ABOUT THE MALVINA HOUSE HOTEL: Malvina Felton gave her name to the original Malvina House back in the 1890's. The modern Malvina House, built in the late 1960's, was converted into a hotel in 1983 and has since been extensively renovated. Located on Ross Road, it is within easy walking distance to all points of interest. With 18 rooms, it is the largest of the two hotels in Stanley. All rooms have private bathrooms. There is a bar-lounge and the Conservatory Restaurant provides dining in a relaxing atmosphere of plants and shrubs in the renovated original 19th century conservatory, with full a la carte menu. Because it is THE place to dine in Stanley, reservations are suggested. Make arrangements with the hotel to store your large luggage while you travel in the Islands.

Friday - Stanley: Today you will visit Volunteer Point which boasts a colony of King Penguins and one of Gentoo Penguins with Magellanic penguins in burrows all along the area. Today is the epitome of travel in Camp. The first 30 miles are over all weather roads, and take about one hour. You'll pass stone runs and Mount Tumbledown. Then the road ends and the next 19 miles are by "track" through the countryside - up and down and along seemingly invisible tracks and along beaches, across streams - two hours of amazing travel. Volunteer Point's King Penguins are stately, almost elegant, with their orange muffs, scarf and lipstick. The brown balls of fluff of varying sizes are the babies, juveniles and teenagers and it's difficult to image how they grow up to be the aristocratic adults. Plenty of time to observe the King Penguins - they are curious fellows and it would not be unusual for them to saunter up to inspect you. You will also visit the Gentoo colony but today is mostly about the King Penguins and land rover travel in Camp. Box lunch is provided. (B/BL)

Saturday - Stanley - Mount Pleasant - Santiago: This morning enjoy one last excursion to Kidney Cove.  A short motorlaunch ride from the Jetty will take you to Sparrow Cove where you will transfer to landrovers for drive up to Kidney Cove, with more exquisite wildlife viewing.  Return to Stanley mid-day.  Mid-afternoon transfer back to Mount Pleasant airport for departure flight on Lan Chile to Santiago. Upon arrival, meeting and transfer to your hotel for overnight, the Ritz Carlton Santiago. (B)

Sunday - Depart Santiago: Day at leisure to explore at your own pace.  You might want to visit the Wine House or the Blue Stone or visit some of the museums. Your room is paid for late check-out so no need to rush through the day.  Early evening check-out and transfer to the airport for your departure flight. (B)

Monday - Arrive Miami: Morning arrival in Miami, clear immigrations and customs and proceed to your home city.

RATES and DETAILS: