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Harbour
Image of a harbour
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Welcome to the Falkland Islands
A sign greeting cruise ship passengers as they come ashore.
Cruise Ship Excursions
Shore excursions are an excellent way to explore Falkland Islands' wildlife and culture if you're short on time. The excursions listed below take place around Stanley and upper East Falklands. If your tour includes watching wildlife, remember that you are visiting wildlife in a natural environment. Be sure to read the Countryside Code before you leave to make sure you get the most out of your experience, respecting the wildlife by remaining at least 6 metres (20 feet) away.
If you plan to be in the Falklands for several days before or after your cruise, please see our "What to do" section - which has suggestions of things to do and places to visit for those with more time on their hands.
Please note that due to the small size of the Falklands, not every excursion will always be available. To avoid disappointment we recommend you book your preferred tour with your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager as soon as possible. In some instances you can also hire a local independent guide who will collect you in Stanley on your day of arrival. Both options are detailed below where appropriate.
Whichever option you choose, don't forget to bring your camera. Layers of clothing are recommended as the weather can change quickly, along with strong, sensible footwear for excursions away from the town centre.
Battlefield tours
The Falklands Conflict between Britain and Argentina took place between April and June 1982, during which time both sides lost many lives. Whilst many individual battles took place right across the Islands, some of the fiercest fighting was experienced around the hills of Stanley at such famous sites as Mt Tumbledown, Mt Longdon, Mt William, Mt Harriet, the Two Sisters and Wireless Ridge. Memorials and Monuments can be found at most of these sites, and there is still much evidence of the conflict on the ground - including man-made bunkers and fox holes, discarded clothing, used munitions and the occasional cooking stove.
A battlefield tour will incorporate some or all of these sites, depending on the length of time available and weather conditions. In addition, selected tours will also head further afield to view some of the major historic sites located outside Stanley.
At Darwin and Goose Green there are several Memorials and Monuments commemorating Britain's 2 Para - who triumphed over the Argentines to free the inhabitants of Goose Green in the first major battle of the Conflict. This difficult and exposed operation was led by Colonel H Jones - who subsequently fell in battle before victory was sealed - his Memorial can be visited on the hills outside Darwin. The official Argentine cemetery can also be found just outside Darwin, and is open to the general public. Closer to Stanley at Fitzroy and Port Pleasant, there are Memorials for the Welsh Guards, Royal Fleet Auxiliary as well as several personal memorials. Each commemorates the loss of life on the Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram, two British logistics vessels bombed by Argentine Skyhawk aircraft during the transfer of troops, ammunition and equipment on the 8th June.
Length of tour
4+ hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Bluff Cove lagoon tour
Less than an hour from Stanley, this award-winning tour (Seatrade’s “Shore Excursion of the Year 2009”) takes you to the Lagoon at Bluff Cove farm; a privately owned wildlife haven. Visitors can walk around the rookeries, home to 1,000 breeding pairs of Gentoo penguins and a growing colony of King penguins, and can stroll along the white sandy beach, watching out for sea lions and dolphins often seen swimming in the surf. Other frequently seen species include Magellanic penguins, Ruddy headed and Upland geese, Falkland skuas, Southern giant petrels, South American terns, Magellanic oystercatchers, Two-banded plovers, Rufous-chested dotterels, White-rumped sandpipers, Magellanic snipe, Black-throated finches, Dark-faced ground tyrants and various native plant species.
The Lagoon is also home to the legendary Sea Cabbage Café. Situated just metres from the water, the café is open exclusively to cruise ship guests and offers complimentary tea, coffee, hot chocolate and delicious home-baked treats (featuring scones with Diddle-dee jam, butter and cream, all made on the farm). The café is heated by a traditional peat stove, and has restroom facilities. 
New this season is the Bluff Cove Museum by the beach. This fascinating museum depicts life in the Falklands and tells the story of Bluff Cove. Here, you can find out all about the farm, the nearby Sugar Wreck, the 1982 war with Argentina and the fabulous Lagoon wildlife. Visitors have the chance to watch spinning demonstrations with local wool and browse in the small museum gift shop.
Guests are collected from the waterfront in Stanley and transported to the farm entrance by mini-bus. This 20 minute journey is provided by local drivers and includes a brief tour of Stanley and overview of the 1982 battlefields. On arrival at the farm, guests then transfer to 4WD vehicles for the short trip to the penguin rookeries at the Lagoon. Guests are free to wander about the rookeries and take photos or simply sit and observe – knowledgeable rangers are also on-site to answer any questions you may have. Once ready, it is an easy 5 minute walk down to the beach, the Sea Cabbage Café and the Bluff Cove Museum. After an hour the drivers return and transport guests back to Stanley. Visit the Bluff Cove Lagoon website for more information and images www.falklandpenguins.com 
Length of tour
3 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Falklands Nature trek
For the nature enthusiast, this is an exclusive opportunity to view Falkland Islands wildlife and flora. Passengers will be transported from the Jetty Visitors Centre by mini bus to nearby Whalebone Cove, where the walk will begin. This tour entails 3.5 miles of brisk walking over uneven terrain, so passengers must be physically able. This walk is classed as strenuous due to the rough terrain.
The expert guide will distribute an illustrated checklist, give a general background to Falkland wildlife and describe what you might expect to see on this tour. Species often sighted include Dark-faced ground tyrants, Falkland Thrush, Upland Geese, Long-tailed Meadowlark, Falkand Flightless Steamer Duck, Rock Cormorants, Southern Giant Petrels, Sooty Shearwaters, Magellanic Penguins, Black-throated Finch, Various endemic ferns, shrubs and grasses, Diddle-dee, and Pale Maidens (the national flower)
As well as seeing numerous species of flora and fauna, there are also spectacular views of Stanley through the Narrows. The trek finishes at Gypsy Cove where time is made available to view the Magellanic Penguins. Toilet/bathroom facilities are available along with the "Coach Cafe" for drinks and snacks.
Length of tour:
3 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Download the Falklands Conservation brochure about Gypsy Cove:
Gypsy Cove, East Falkland (900kb)
Kelp Point beach tour
Approximately 2.5 hours from Stanley, Kelp Point is one of the most diverse flora and fauna sites in the Falklands, offering access to 30+ bird species, Southern elephant seals, gentoo and Magellanic penguins. Queen of Falklands Fritillary butterfly can be spotted on patches of Falkland Lavender, whilst Vanilla Daisies, Scurvy Grass, Fachine, and Christmas Bush are found right across the region.
Guests are collected at Stanley's waterfront and transferred by 4WD vehicles along Mount Pleasant road. This section of the drive, lasting approximately 40 minutes, will pass through several important battle sites from the 1982 Conflict between Britain and Argentina, as well as the sprawling geological stone runs formed during the last Ice Age. Once past Fitzroy Farm turnoff your guide will turn off-road and head for the coast, crossing vast white grass paddocks. The first distinctive landmark is Island Harbour House - now uninhabited except for the occasional passing shepherd gathering sheep.
Arriving at Kelp Point, guests will immediately spot the southern elephant seals lazing about on the shore and in the shallows. Males arrive on the beach in late September, and females approximately one week later. Pups are born in late September/early October and suckle for 23 days - after which time their mothers mate again and return to sea. Most elephant seals will have left the Islands by late February/early March. There is also opportunity to visit nearby Pleasant Roads beach, where visitors can fossick among whale bones and shells or undertake some serious bird watching with many species present - gentoo penguins can be found just 5 minutes from the beach on-foot.
Length of tour:
6 to 7 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Kidney Island tour
Join the catamaran "Seaquest" and take a trip to the Kidney Island Nature Reserve. Kidney Island has a great diversity of birdlife including rockhopper penguins, rock cormorants and many small species who make their homes in the tall tussac grass. Marine mammals regularly bask along the shoreline and dolphins frequently accompany boat journeys of any sort.
The 14 metre catamaran is an ideal viewing platform for this wildlife. This enjoyable tour returns to Stanley Harbour by way of Yorke Bay, Gypsy Cove and the Lady Elizabeth shipwreck, offering unrivalled, close-up views from the sea-side.
Length of tour:
3 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Long Island Farm tour
Situated 20 miles from Stanley as the crow flies, Long Island farm is a popular destination for cruise passengers and day trippers alike.
6th generation Falkland Islanders Neil and Glenda Watson continue to farm their 22,000 acre property in traditional Falkland style, using locally bred dogs and horses to gather their sheep from as far afield as Mount Longdon near Stanley. Peat is still the preferred fuel for cooking and heating, and the farm produces its own milk, bread, butter and cream.
Guests are escorted from Stanley to Long Island with a professional guide. This journey takes approximately 1 hour by bus, during which time guests will have the opportunity to pass through and learn about several key battlefields from the 1982 Conflict between Britain and Argentina. On arrival at the farm, guests will be treated to several demonstrations of traditional Falklands' farm work, including peat cutting, sheep shearing, sheep herding using sheep dogs, and saddling horses for work using traditional Falklands gear. Tea and snacks are also available to guests in the Watson's home.
Read more about Long Island Farm and this tour ...Length of tour:
4 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Lorenzo penguin and nature tour
Guests are collected from Stanley for this full day tour to the north-east area of East Falkland. The one-and-a-half hour journey, with an experienced guide in a comfortable 4WD vehicle, takes in the rugged beauty of the Falklands landscape, through areas of stone runs and farmland, finishing with a 30 minute off-road experience. This takes visitors to their first destination, a picturesque spot with over 1000 gentoo penguins.
From here, it is a short trip to a stunning white sand beach stretching for around a mile, home to more gentoo and Magellanic penguins. King penguins are frequent visitors to this shore. Opposite the beach is a pond where a variety of other bird species can be observed including dolphin gulls, upland geese, kelp geese, two-banded plovers, speckled teal and the endemic Falklands flightless steamer duck.
Red diddle dee berries - used to make the distincitve diddle-dee jam - grow in abundance alongside other native flora.
A packed lunch is provided for this tour and a cabin with toilet/bathroom facilities and shelter is situated at the beach.
Length of tour:
6 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
North Pond penguin tour
Visitors are invited to join Gus, Paula and their experienced team of local guides for a scenic tour to the north coast of East Falkland.
Guests are collected from Stanley for the one-and-a-half hour trip in a comfortable 4WD vehicle. The route passes through rock formations known as stone runs and remnants from the 1982 conflict with Argentina, including Chinook and Puma helicopters, concluding with a half hour off-road journey to reach North Pond itself.
"Up close and personal" is the description of the penguin experience. Gentoo and Magellanic penguins make their homes here; king penguins often visit. Guests can stroll along the long white sandy beach and watch the penguins waddle between the sea and their nesting grounds. Peale's dolphins regularly play in the surf and many small birds can be seen. The endemic Falkland Flightless Steamer duck and the strange-looking turkey vulture also inhabit these shores.
Time permitting, the return journey to Stanley is made along a more southerly road giving breathtaking panaromic views of the Falklands countryside, over the Verde and Port Sussex mountains and past Goose Green where over a hundred Islanders were held prisoner during the conflict of 1982. This route also passes the British Military base known as Mount Pleasant, opened by Prince Andrew in 1985.
Length of tour:
6 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Rockhopper penguin tour
Located on Murrell Farm and shadowed by Mount Lowe, this tour offers guests the chance to see the rare rockhopper penguin whilst still allowing time to explore Stanley or organise a second tour.
Guests are collected in Stanley by an experienced driver/guide and transported to the rockhopper colony just 60 minutes drive by 4WD. The tour will pass through Moody Brook (the former location of the British Royal Marines, Naval Party 901), before heading over Wireless Ridge and the trout-rich Murrell River. Once off-road you will head across open peat moorland, home to many small bird species which nest in native grasses and shrubs.
On arrival at the colony you will be greeted by approximately 400 rockhoppers in various stages of domestic activity. The male rockhoppers typically return to the Islands in early October, and the females usually one week later. Eggs are laid in early November and hatch in early December, with parents then sharing brood-minding duties for approximately 25 days. Late January is a fine time to visit, with the chicks beginning to form creches (nurseries), which roam about the colony annoying the adult birds and providing entertainment for visitors. By May, most rockhoppers will have returned to sea, heading northwards towards the Patagonian shelf to forage for the winter months. A warden/guide will remain on-site at all times, and refreshments and public amenities are also available.
Length of tour:
3 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Sparrow Cove tour
Sparrow Cove was named after the British ketch HMS Sparrow, which was stationed in the Islands between 1839 and 1843. Part of Murrell Farm, Sparrow Cove features a photogenic beach set against the jagged peaks of Mount Lowe. Visitors are advised to wear wind/waterproof clothing, inclusive of warm hat, gloves, and sturdy walking shoes.
Visitors in Stanley on cruise ships can enjoy Sparrow Cove by taking a short boat trip from their anchored vessel to nearby Kidney Cove. On arrival, visitors are transferred to a 4WD vehicle for a 30 minute overland tour to the first penguin colony. Depending on the season it is possible to see two penguin species (gentoo and king penguins), as well as the enigmatic variable hawk, Falkland skua, upland goose and many other endemic sub-species. The return boat trip provides great photo opportunities of Stanley and your ship at anchor. This tour lasts approximately 2-3 hours and should be booked through your shore excursion manager rather than Kidney Cove Safari Tours.
Length of tour:
3 to 4 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
Stanley History Walk
Described as an intimate look at the real Stanley, this guided walk is an ideal opportunity to understand the pioneering history of the tiny capital of the Falkland Islands and all the fascinating evidence of very British roots.
The tour starts at the Jetty Visitor Centre, from where walkers head east to the Cross of Sacrifice, dedicated to those who died in World War 1 and Stanley cemetery. The tour moves along the seafront and then up through the hilly roads of the town to an excellent vantage points, providing views across the Stanley to the opposite shore. Architectual and other interesting features will be described throughout.
Continuing via Pioneer Row, one of the oldest streets in Stanley, the tour includes a visit to Cartmell Cottage, one of the oldest buildings in the town now owned by the Falkland Islands Museum and National Trust and recreated as a period house.
Tea and cakes, Falklands smoko, are offered in the comfort of a traditional local home before concluding the tour by returning to stroll along the seafront, passing a number of historic buildings, the mast of the SS Great Britain, the Whalebone Arch and Christ Church Cathdral and arriving at Jubille Villas, adjacent to the starting point of the walk.
Length of tour
2.5 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Stanley Town Tours
Stanley is the capital of the Falklands Islands, home to 85% of the country’s population as well as the seat of Government and the majority of economic activity. Established by Governor Moody in 1843, Stanley has developed in to a flourishing town will full public amenities – but has also managed to retain much of its original seaside charm through the preservation of historic buildings and green space.
Walking and vehicle tours can be arranged. Your guide will point out major points of interest like the Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, Whalebone Arch, Jubilee Villas, St Mary’s Catholic Church, Tabernacle Church, Cartmell Cottage, Victory Green, Royal Falkland Islands Police Station, Town Hall, public bank, Government House – as well as the Community School and the 1982 Liberation Memorial. Other points of interest slightly out of the centre of town but still within easy walking distance are the Stanley Cemetery and Memorial Wood to the east, and the Jhelum shipwreck, Falkland Islands Museum and WW1 Battle Memorial to the west.
Length of tour
1 to 2 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Volunteer Point tour
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. 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.
Guests will be collected by an experienced driver/guide in Stanley and transported by 4WD to Johnson's Harbour farm. This section of the drive takes place on an unsealed gravel road and lasts for approximately 1 hour, passing through spectacular stone runs and several key battlefield sites from the 1982 Conflict between Britain and Argentina. You will also pass the turn off to Pt Louis - now a private farm but originally the site of the first settlement in the Islands, established by the French in 1764. Once at Johnson's Harbour Farm the driver will set off towards Volunteer Point, crossing un-marked paddocks across often boggy terrain - many small bird species can be seen at this time. If weather conditions are good and the track is relatively dry, this overland section will take 1.5 hours and affords wonderful views of Mount Brisbane. On arrival at Volunteer Point beach, guests are given ample opportunity to wander about the penguin colonies, all existing within metres of one and other. The site features basic shelter and bathroom facilities for guest use.
Length of tour:
7 hours
How to book the tour:
- Book it through your cruise director/onboard shore excursion manager
- Hire a local guide
Download the Falklands Conservation brochure about Volunteer Point:
Volunteer Point, East Falkland (600kb)
