Falkland Islands

The Falkland Islands, 500 km / 310 mi east of the Patagonian coast, may appear to be a somewhat unlikely paradise, but for adventurous travelers who love to discover virgin lands full of wildlife they offer all they have been looking for. With more penguins than people – almost 500,000 breeding pairs of penguins compared to a human population of a mere 2,967 - along with lots of other migratory birds and mammals, both on sea and land, the Falkland Islands is the ideal spot hop off the tourist track and go on an independent discovery trip. Despite a small populace, the Falkland Islands have a turbulent history and land disputes have raged since 1766.

Today, Argentina claims the islands and labors to require the United Nations to use both their Spanish and English names. The two biggest and most populated of the over 200 islands are East Falkland and West Falkland. The capital, Stanley, is located on East Falkland, as is the international airport. There are four other airports on other islands, one of which is paved, and flights are the only way to reach some of the remote spots on the islands. The most popular reason to visit is for the scenic beauty and to encounter local wildlife.

Environmental protection is high on the Island's agenda. Birds and marine species are the most prevalent animals and include five species of penguins, four species of seal, albatross, petrels, the Falkland Flightless Steamer duck (Logger Duck) and other duck species, geese, hawks, falcons; the Striated Caracara (Johnny Rook) is a rare bird of prey found only on the Falkland Islands and some islands off Cape Horn. Porpoises and dolphins are often sighted and occasionally whales.