Highlights - Falkland Islands
Located 400 km off the coast of Tierra del Fuego and 1,200 km from the far north of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands remain the perfect transition between Ushuaia, the starting point for Antarctic cruises, and the White Continent. Here are three highlights of this incredible archipelago.
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Explore Falkland Islands
Highlights - Falkland Islands
Located 400 km off the coast of Tierra del Fuego and 1,200 km from the far north of the Antarctic Peninsula, the Falkland Islands remain the perfect transition between Ushuaia, the starting point for Antarctic cruises, and the White Continent. Here are three highlights of this incredible archipelago.
Enjoy a variety of panoramas
Embarking on a cruise in Antarctica via the Falkland Islands is all about gradually immersing yourself in the atmosphere of the wild south. Although inhabited, the archipelago is still well-preserved. Sheep farming is the main activity of the approximately 3,200 inhabitants. These free-range animals roam freely on the green moors.
With 750 islands, the archipelago is home to a multitude of varied landscapes. Rugged terrain, plains, beaches and sheer cliffs make up this tapestry of flowering moorland that stands out against the blue backdrop of the Atlantic.
Seabird watching
Ocean, land, sky... The show is all around you. This enchanted setting is home to many bird species. The black-browed albatrosses take flight from the cliffs and twirl through dizzying drops before grazing the crest of a wave. Facing threats, these birds found a refuge in the cliffs of the Falkland Islands where they could reproduce in summer.
The 100,000 couples of Magellanic penguins, gentoos, rockhoppers and imperial shags also make their nests there. Each species marks its own territory.
New Island is a small piece of land to the west of the archipelago where you can observe a colony of rockhopper penguins, albatrosses and imperial shags. The Falkland Current is a cold marine current located west of the islands, which provides all these species with the prey they need to survive.
Meet the marine mammals
The nature reserves have also become optimal habitats for certain marine mammals. The small Commerson's dolphin is identifiable by its black and white colouring, and it roams the shores alongside the Peale's dolphin, killer whales, sea lions and fur seals.
In the heart of these protected waters, they sometimes come to welcome visitors on their arrival, resulting in an unforgettable experience and making the Falklands an unmissable port of call on an Antarctic cruise.
