Luxury Tours in South America: Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador. Deluxe Hotels in Buenos Aires. Find luxury accommodation in Buenos Aires. Alvear Palace Hotel Deluxe Tours, your luxury tour operator in South America
East Malvinas is the largest of all the Islands in the archipelago, home to more than 85% of the country's population and the tallest mountain in the Islands (Mount Usborne, 705m). Most points of interest are accesible by road, and for those on tight timelines a short flight is also available to selected locations using small aircraft.
Part of the appeal of the Falklands is the change in the natural environment and wildlife between locations. The destinations detailed here are merely a starting point for planning your own Falklands' adventure and should not be regarded as an exhaustive list of all you can see and do. Once you're ready to set out, be sure to read the Countryside Code to make sure you get the best of your experience.
Volunteer Point (3 hours from Stanley or Puerto Argentino)
Volunteer Point is one of the most popular and important tourist destinations in the Falklands. The site is a cornucopia of bird activity, home to king, gentoo and Magellanic penguins - as well as waterfowl and endemic subspecies like the dark-faced ground tyrant, Falkland pipit and thrush. In 2006/07, Falklands Conservation counted approximately 750 adult king penguins and 550 chicks, making Volunteer Point the largest, most accessible king penguin colony in the world outside of South Georgia.
Part of Johnson's Harbour Farm, Volunteer Point and surrounding land has been in the same family since the 1870s. Volunteer Point is a vast lowland peninsula on the north-east coast of mainland East Falkland. Heading along the coast one encounters low cliffs, sand and boulder beaches and extensive off-shore kelp beds. Volunteer Beach, used by the penguin colonies, is approximately 2km long with nearby seasonal ponds. During the summer a warden resides on-site to ensure that tourists abide by the Countryside Code and do not interfere with sensitive breeding birds like the King Penguins.
Track notes: Drive from Stanley to Johnson's Harbour farm house - approximately 1 hour of driving on a well-formed road. To get to Volunteer Point visitors must then pass through a succession of gates and cross un-marked paddocks which are often very boggy and require great driving skill and local knowledge - this may take several hours if conditions are poor. For this reason a guide is generally recommended. Vehicles should travel in an convoy whenever possible, lone vehicles are not encouraged. Volunteer Point is usually closed from April to November due to weather conditions.
Bertha's Beach (1 hour from Stanley or Puerto Argentino)
Named after the Norwegian iron barque that wrecked at the site in 1892, Bertha's Beach is a gentle 10 minute drive from Mount Pleasant Military Complex. Open to the general public with permission, the area is popular with locals and military day-trippers and features a beautiful white sand beach with abundant bird and marine life. The site also offers plenty of opportunity for hiking, photography and picnicking. Dolphins are a regular feature at the beach, often coming close to shore as they hunt in the shallows. Access to the beach is via a locked gate, details of where to secure a key are outlined below.
Access: Private land, permission required. Suitable for 4WD vehicles (self drive or hire a guide ). Visitors and residents can secure a key from the Fitzroy Farm Manager, military personnel can obtain a key from the Joint Education Centre inside MPA (+500 76205).
Flora/fauna: Commerson's and Peale's dolphin, Magellanic and blackish oystercatcher, gentoo penguin.
Accommodation: Darwin House , Kingsford Valley Farm self catering , Stanley operators
WEST AREA
"West is best" is the common catchphrase used by those lucky enough to live on the Falklands' second largest island. Accessing the West has never been easier - with flight and ferry access available from neighbouring East Falkland - providing direct access to some of the most spectacular scenery in the Islands.
Port Howard is a sheep farming settlement from which the 200,000-acre Port Howard Farm is operated. The thirty or so inhabitants look after approximately 42,000 sheep and 1,000 cattle.
In a scenically attractive location, Port Howard Lodge provides an ideal base from which to experience Camp life first hand, and an excellent base from which to explore the fine landscape of West Falkland. Port Howard has a small museum with relics of the 1982 Conflict. Visitors can watch the various aspects of sheep farming and take advantage of hiking and golfing opportunities. Port Howard is also one of the best places to stay for sea trout fishing on the Warrah and Chartres rivers, for which guiding and transport can be provided.
