FALKLAND ISLANDS #119

The second stop of our voyage is spent in the quaint town of Ushuaia, southernmost city and the most southerly city in the world, and the capital of Tierra del Fuego (Land of Fire). 

We visited Tierra del Fuego National Park, the most southerly national park  and southernmost city of South America. 

Falkland Islands

southernmost city 

king penguins.

The park, in the southernmost city, offers a range of hiking trails that lead you through the stunningly beautiful and dramatic scenery of snow-capped peaks, lush meadows, rugged coastline, glaciers, waterfalls and lakes.

Port Stanley is the Falkland Islands' capital and largest town. Situated on East Falkland, the largest of the Falkland Islands, it is about 380 miles east of Argentina.

Ship had to anchor in the bay in the southernmost city.

Port Stanley) is the capital city of the Falkland Islands. It is located on the island of East Falkland, on a north-facing slope in one of the wettest parts of the islands.

By the waterfront, a whalebone arch stands near the entrance of Christ Church Cathedral, which was built in the late 1800s in the  Falkland Islands.

The Falkland Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom, but they are also claimed by Argentina, which calls them Las Malvinas. 

Volunteer Point is located on a privately owned farm in the Northeast of East Falkland, Falkland Islands. There are no roads to reach the point, just uneven, soft, and often sodden soil. A four-wheel-drive vehicle is a must, and hiring a local driver is highly recommended to see the  king penguins.

As the breeding cycle of the King penguins takes over a year, there are always penguins at Volunteer Point in the Falkland Islands. But over the winter months, chicks are largely left to themselves with their parents only returning sporadically to feed them. Chicks start hatching late January and don’t go to sea until they have their adult feathers – around 10-11 months later.

It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life getting up close to the penguins of the Falkland Islands, and I know it will be for you too!

Whether you’re a wildlife fanatic, a keen birder, or an avid photographer – the Falkland Islands Penguins are well worth journeying to this remote and wild land for. The Falkland Islands are truly the best place to see penguins in their natural habitat.

There are five species of penguins in the Falkland Islands. Rockhopper penguins have the highest numbers, followed by Gentoo and Magellanic, and then King penguins. Macaroni penguins are more elusive – you’ll have to work harder to see one of these Rockhopper lookalikes mingling discreetly among their yellow-feathered buddies.

The King penguin population of the Falkland Islands is concentrated at Volunteer Point, although there have been sightings on other islands. At just over 2 hour’s drive from Stanley, it’s the world’s most accessible King penguin colony. But it’s not a drive for the faint-hearted!

The capital city of the Falkland Islands.

Stanley, in the Falkland Islands, is the main shopping centre on the islands and the hub of East Falkland's road network.

'Welcome to Stanley' sign, with Stanley in the background.

Some of their housing along the way in the Falkland Islands.

Getting ready for the infamous Drake Passage, named after the famous English explorer, Sir Frances Drake, separates the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula from the southernmost city of South America. It is unpredictable—often rough and turbulent, but sometimes as calm as a lake—so be prepared!

Unlike typical tundra climates, however, the winters are very mild, and vegetation grows there that normally could not in a climate this close to a polar climate in the southernmost city of the Antarctic Peninsula.

Leaving to...

Sail towards the White Continent of Antarctica as we leave the lights of Port Stanley behind, look out for Magellanic penguins, rock cormorants and black-browed albatross from the deck.