Falkland Islands
Overview
I have recently returned from an incredible Visionary Wild photography tour to Falklands with the most amazing leader and photographer – Chris Linder. I was very impressed with the organisation of the whole trip before, during and after by both Visonary Wild and Chris Linder. I will definitely do another tour with Chris and hoping to go back to The Falklands to do it all again… such an amazing place to spend 16 days! Thank you so much Chris Linder and Visionary Wild for one of my best photographic tours. – Margaret W.
The Falkland Islands are one of the greatest wildlife meccas on Earth. Situated in the South Atlantic Ocean 300 miles east of the tip of South America, this archipelago of nearly 800 islands is home to four species of penguins (southern rockhopper, gentoo, Magellanic, and king), plus elegant black-browed albatrosses, imperial and rock cormorants, southern elephant seals and southern sea lions. If you have ever visited the Falklands by ship, you’ll know that a few hours at a couple of landing sites is not enough time to get the best shots. This seventeen-day photographic itinerary, led by renowned polar photographer Chris Linder, puts you right in the heart of the Falklands’ most remarkable locations, with ample time in each spot to ensure you get the best opportunities to capture your subjects in the perfect light. Best of all, because of the limited accommodations in the Falklands, you won’t be elbow-to-elbow with other photographers. During Chris’s travels to the Falkland Islands, he has frequently found himself the only human present to photograph penguins at sunrise and sunset, when the light was surreal. It is no hyperbole to say that the Falklands is an immersive wildlife experience like no other.
This workshop has been deliberately capped at four photographer participants, providing a more private and comfortable experience. The itinerary has been carefully crafted to maximize our time at the prime wildlife locations. We will spend multiple days at Sea Lion Island, Bleaker Island, Saunders Island, and Volunteer Point. The trip has been scheduled to coincide with egg hatching time for penguins and albatross. We will be on the lookout for chicks emerging from their eggs, parents feeding the tiny chicks, and increased activity at the beach as the parents take turns foraging for their growing youngsters.
The focus of this expedition is photography in the field. Chris will provide generous hands-on mentorship, sharing his expertise and professional insights on developing creativity and personal vision, composition, working with various qualities of light and changing weather, and working landscape scenarios to best effect. Chris has spent months in the field photographing penguins and other seabirds, resulting in numerous accolades, including winning three categories of the Nature’s Best Photography Windland Smith Rice International awards: Conservation Story (2019), Birds (2015), and Indigenous Cultures (2009). His knowledge of bird behavior and enthusiastic teaching style will help you to get the best possible shots of these charismatic seabirds.
Constructive critiques will be included in the schedule to help participants identify where they are succeeding and how they might focus their energies to advance their vision and skills. During critiques, emphasis is first placed on identifying what participants are doing right with regard to chosen subject and composition, followed by discussion of ways to improve the execution of the image in light of the emotional response, concepts, and aesthetics that led the photographer to make the image in the first place.
Itinerary
December 5: ARRIVAL DAY
Arrive in Punta Arenas (PUQ), Chile. You will be met at the airport by a driver who will transfer you to Hotel Cabo de Hornos. You are free to rest or explore Punta Arenas during the day. In the early evening there will be a group introductory and orientation dinner at our current favorite restaurant in Punta Arenas.
Overnight Hotel Cabo de Hornos (D)
December 6 – 9: SEA LION ISLAND
After a leisurely breakfast, we will be picked up to transfer to the airport, to board the LATAM flight to Mount Pleasant airport in the Falkland Islands. Upon arrival and clearing customs, we will immediately board a Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) BN2B Islander for our short flight to Sea Lion Island. After unpacking and a quick orientation of the island, we will eat dinner and begin our tour with a sunset photo shoot at South Beach, where surfing gentoo penguins will be coming ashore.
Sea Lion Island is a National Nature Reserve; livestock were removed here in 2009, allowing native plant and animal species to flourish. The photographic subjects and landscapes here are extremely varied. Gentoo and Magellanic penguin colonies are within sight of the lodge. Southern sea lion and southern elephant seals haul out on the nearby beaches. At the far end of the island, southern rockhopper penguins and imperial cormorants nest on the top of an impressive 80-foot vertical cliff. Sea Lion Island is also home to small native birds, since predators like rats, mice, and cats have never been introduced here.
Overnight Sea Lion Lodge (B,L,D)
December 9 – 14: SAUNDERS ISLAND
No Falklands itinerary would be complete without a visit to Saunders Island. We will take a short FIGAS flight from Stanley to Saunders Island, where we will stay at two different sites to get the full Saunders experience. The first, The Rookery cabin, is located north of the settlement on the slopes of Mount Richards and is an excellent base of operations for exploring the nearby sea cliffs. The cabin is a short walk from a sprawling black-browed albatross colony and a 20-minute walk from two large southern rockhopper penguin colonies. The rockhopper colony is famous for its “penguin shower”, a tiny waterfall where the rockhoppers bathe after returning from the sea. Magellanic and gentoo penguins are also found in the nearby valley, and a broad sandy beach is only a 10-minute walk from the cabin.
We will spend the next three nights at The Neck (named for the broad sandy beach lying between Mount Harston and Mount Richards). This location boasts a diverse array of seabird species and spectacular landscapes. Gentoo and king penguins nest on the beach in between the mountains. Extensive Magellanic penguin burrows and predatory caracaras can be found on the grassy hillsides. There are also southern rockhopper penguin and black-browed albatross rookeries within walking distance from the cabin. December sunsets are particularly spectacular, as the setting sun’s rays bathe the gentoo colonies on the beach with warm golden hour light. Our three days here will pass quickly!
Overnight The Rookery Cottage, and The Neck Cottage (B,L,D)
December 14 – 17: BLEAKER ISLAND
We will take a FIGAS flight from Saunders Island to Bleaker Island, where we will spend the next three nights. On Bleaker we will photograph gentoo, Magellanic, and southern rockhopper penguins, as well as a huge colony of 8,000 pairs of imperial cormorants. Bleaker is a fantastic place to photograph penguins surfing the waves at Sandy Bay. In addition, at Long Gulch we will be able to photograph rockhoppers making their daring and comical landings and rock cormorants nesting on a sheer cliff.
Overnight Cassard House (B,L,D)
December 17-20: STANLEY AND VOLUNTEER POINT
Our next destination is the large (2000+) king penguin colony at Volunteer Point. After a short FIGAS flight from Bleaker Island to Stanley’s regional airport, we will transfer by 4WD vehicles for the 2.5-hour drive to Volunteer Point. Volunteer Point is a broad, roughly 1-mile long sandy beach with a king penguin colony, as well as nesting gentoo and Magellanic penguins. The area is usually visited as a day trip on most photo tours. However, because of our small group size, we will have the opportunity to spend three nights at the Warden’s House with hosts Derek and Trudi. Both sunrise and sunset are incredible at Volunteer Point, with thousands of penguins heading out to sea to feed in the morning and returning to their nests at dusk.
Overnight Warden’s House (B,L,D)
December 20: RETURN TO PUNTA ARENAS
After a leisurely breakfast, we will be transferred from Volunteer Point to the airport at Mount Pleasant, and board our afternoon LATAM flight back to Punta Arenas. After arriving and settling into our hotel, we will enjoy a final celebratory dinner together in Punta Arenas.
Overnight Hotel Cabo de Hornos (B,L,D)
December 21: DEPARTURE DAY
After breakfast we will say our good-byes, and you will be transferred to the airport for your return flight home, or spend the day exploring Punta Arenas if you have a later flight. (B)
Instructors
Chris Linder
- Chris Linder is an award-winning professional photographer, filmmaker, workshop leader, and lecturer. Chris earned a master’s degree in oceanography from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Woods ...
Gallery
Pricing
PRICING AND OCCUPANCY
- Single occupancy: $16,595
- Double occupancy: $15,495 per person
Please note that at Saunders Island and Volunteer Point, there will be two guests per room. Guests booking single occupancy will have their own room in Punta Arenas and at Sea Lion and Bleaker Islands.
PAYMENT SCHEDULE AND TERMS
- Final payment will be due on 5 April, 2025
- The unique nature of this expedition and the limited flights to the Falkland Islands make it difficult to fill spaces that are vacated due to a cancellation. Therefore, no refunds will be provided for cancellations after 5 April, 2025, unless we are able to fill the vacancy.
- All other terms and conditions apply
INCLUDED
- Attentive and personalized photographic instruction throughout by renowned photographer Chris Linder
- Two nights in Punta Arenas; 14 nights in the Falkland Islands
- Six flights included: R/T flights from Punta Arenas to Mount Pleasant Airport in the Falkland Islands; four private charter FIGAS flights in the Falklands.
- Additional baggage allowance on FIGAS flights (up to 40kgs/88lbs)
- Ground transfers between Stanley and Volunteer Point.
- All meals from dinner on December 5 to breakfast on December 21 (including wine/beer with dinners where available)
- Airport transfers in Punta Arenas and all transportation on the Falkland Islands
- Falkland Islands embarkation tax
- Gratuities at lodges
NOT INCLUDED
- Airfare to and from our point of origin in Punta Arenas, Chile
- Additional hotel nights, meals, or other costs for arrivals prior to the start date or departures after the end date
- Cost of passports, any necessary entry visas or reciprocity fees, vaccinations, or other personal travel expenses
- Travel insurance, emergency medical insurance and evacuation insurance/coverage. Emergency medical and evacuation coverage (minimum US$250,000) are required for this expedition.
- Snacks and beverages other than those offered at dinner
- Telephone or internet charges
- Personal purchases, laundry, souvenirs, additional activities, and anything else not listed as included
Highlights
- A unique opportunity to travel with award-winning photographer, Chris Linder
- Abundant wildlife, particularly five species of penguins (southern rockhopper, gentoo, Magellanic, macaroni, and king), black-browed albatross, black-necked swans, imperial and rock cormorants, southern elephant seals, and southern sea lions
- Timed during egg hatching for penguin and albatross bird colonies, providing opportunities to see and photograph chicks emerging from their eggs, and interactions between penguin parents and their tiny chicks
- Coastal regions of four islands: Sea Lion Island, Bleaker Island, Saunders Island, and East Falkland Island
- Volunteer Point, home of a 2,000+ king penguin colony
- Dramatic seascapes, including cliffs, beaches, and islands
- Small group of four participants
- Inclusive of all lodging and dining
- Excellent lodging selected for logistical ease of itinerary and superior hospitality
- First-rate local guides and logistical support from owners and managers of our accommodations
- Top-notch instruction throughout
Accommodations
The expedition package is inclusive of stays at six different accommodations, starting and ending in Punta Arenas. Accommodations on the Falkland Islands will be at guest houses or self-catering cottages that have been chosen for their proximity to bird colonies, brilliant sunrises/sunsets that are unparalleled, and proprietors who are hospitable and informative. Please note that there will be two people per room at Saunders Island and Volunteer Point and the bathroom is shared. At all other lodges, guests booking single occupancy will have their own room with en-suite bathroom.
Accommodations include:
- Hotel Cabo de Hornos (2 nights, Dec 5 & 20)
- Sea Lion Lodge, Sea Lion Island (3 nights, Dec 6, 7, & 8)
- The Rookery, Saunders Island (2 nights, Dec 9 & 10)
- The Neck, Saunders Island (3 nights, Dec 11, 12, & 13)
- Cassard House, Bleaker Island (3 nights, Dec 14, 15, & 16)
- Warden’s House, Volunteer Point (3 nights, Dec 17, 18, 19)
Travel
Expectations
TRAVELING IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
The Falkland Islands is a photographer’s paradise, with its rich diversity in wildlife and its incredible sunrises and sunsets, but it is important to be aware of the conditions of this expedition and ensure that it is suitable for you. We will be traveling to remote destinations and will be a flight away from medical facilities. Although participating in this expedition does not require a high level of physical fitness, you should be able to be without medical assistance for up to two weeks, and walk a mile on uneven and slightly hilly terrain with your camera gear at a steady pace without getting exhausted.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND MEALS
We will be staying in a variety of accommodations, from well-appointed lodges to a more rustic dormitory-type cottage (as it is the only available option at a very compelling location). The locations and accommodations have been chosen for their location and the unparalleled photographic opportunities they provide, but in one location – The Neck – we will be sharing sleeping rooms with bunk-style beds and meals will be self-catered, meaning that we will be preparing meals with supplies flown to our location from Stanley – the food will be plentiful and quite good!
INSURANCE
Emergency medical treatment and evacuation coverage (minimum US$250,000) is required for this expedition. Many traditional health care plans provide minimal or no coverage when traveling overseas, so you may need to purchase supplemental coverage. We strongly recommend the purchase of a comprehensive travel insurance policy, that includes emergency medical treatment and evacuation coverage, as well as coverage for trip cancellation, trip interruptions, and travel delays for reasons covered by the policy. Please note that some coverage options may only be available if the insurance is purchased within 14 days of making the initial deposit.
BOOKING TRAVEL
There is only one flight per week between Punta Arenas and Mt. Pleasant, and it will not be possible to catch up with the group once the flight lifts off on December 6. Our scheduled initial meeting in Punta Arenas is December 5, but you may wish to arrive in Punta Arenas an extra day early to allow some additional time in case of flight or baggage delays. We can assist in arranging an additional night at Hotel Cabo de Hornos if you wish to arrive early (please note this is subject to availability and is not included in the trip package).
You may want to consider booking your flight through a professional travel agent. A travel agent can advise on itinerary and routing options and will be available to assist you throughout your travels, should you experience any travel delays en route to Punta Arenas or if weather impacts our return flight. If you do not already work with a travel agent, contact us for a recommendation.
