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Saturday: Mount Pleasant -
Darwin House
On arrival at Mount Pleasant Airport,
you will be transferred to
Darwin House, where you will
spend your first night on the Falkland
Islands. Darwin House offers
comfortable surroundings and
excellent cuisine using local produce.
Prettily located at the northern
end of the Darwin harbor and
with excellent views of Mount
Usborne, it was named after
Charles Darwin, the British naturalist
and father of evolutionary
theory who once camped there. In
the 19th century it was the principal
centre of farming activity in the
Islands and still retains traces of
those times.(D)
Sunday to Tuesday: Pebble
Island
After a hearty breakfast at Darwin
House, transfer to Goose Green,
just 10 minutes away, one of several
grass landing strips on the
Islands. Board one of the Falkland
Islands small aircrafts for a short
(25 minute) flight to Pebble Island
a 24 miles / 38 km long Island,
the fourth largest island in the Falklands.
Its diverse terrain offers vast
white sandy beaches, moor lands
and rocky peaks, an extensive
area of ponds and wetlands, and
dramatic coastal cliffs. All of these
provide vital breeding habitats for
numerous birds. Thousands of
Gentoo, Rockhopper and Magellan
penguins breed on Pebble
Island each summer. Each year
the island seems to act as a magnet
for many rare avian visitors
from mainland South America
and beyond. Marine mammal
enthusiasts can observe congregations
of Southern sea lions at their
haul out rocks. The lodge originally
served as the farm manager's
house on the estate. Now the
managers welcome visitors from
around the world to the traditional
Falkland farm house. From here,
you can explore the island and
experience a Falkland farm working
with some 10,000 sheep
while enjoying the highest standards
of hospitality and customer
service on the lodge. Overnight
stay at Pebble Island.( B,L,D)
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Tuesday to Thursday:
Sea Lion Island
After a short flight with the Falkland
Island Air Service you will
arrive at Sea Lion Island. Welcome
and transfer by Land Rover
to the nearby lodge. After lunch an
orientation drive is scheduled to
observe the premier wildlife destination
of the Falklands. The Island
is home to 49 species of visiting or
nesting birds, at times up to 5
species of penguins. The beaches
host the major Elephant Seal
breeding population of the Falklands:
South American Sea Lions
bread beneath the cliffs. Here
Leopard Seals and Fur Seals can
also occasionally be observed. A
pod of Orcas patrol the beaches
during the Elephant Seal breeding
season September - November. It
is easy to explore the island,
which is 5 miles / 8 km long and
just over a mile at its widest point.
Beautiful tussac plantations cover
one fifth of the island and provide
a perfect habitat and protection
for much of the islands' varied fauna.
You will visit the major places
to spot wildlife and have an interesting
briefing on the wildlife and
island's history. Return to the Sea
Lion Lodge, built in 1986, where
all rooms have en suite bathrooms
and excellent food and wine are
served in attractive surroundings.
On Sea Lion Island many small
birds including the endemic cobbs
wren can be observed. After an
exciting day exploring feel free to
relax in the lounge bar which provides
reference books, magazines
and some favorite board games.
Overnight stay at Sea Lion Lodge.
(B, L, D)
Thursday: Port Stanley
After breakfast you will fly back to
Port Stanley. Upon arrival a transfer
will take you to the Guest
house. The afternoon is at leisure.
Stanley has several attractions to
offer which can be discovered
easily on your own. The capital of
the Falkland Islands is a bright picturesque
town overlooking the harbor.
With approx. 1.600 residents,
it offers all the facilities you
find in a small English town - post
office, bank, some small shops,
swimming pool and well
equipped leisure centre, pubs and
guest houses. There is an excellent
museum dedicated to the heritage
of the islands and a self-guided
maritime history trail. Stanley harbor
is probably the largest graveyard
of 19th century shipping in
the world and the trail signposts
explain the rich maritime history of
this once busy harbor. Overnight
stay at the Malvina House. (B)
Friday: Full day excursion
to Volunteer Point
After breakfast you will start a full
day Land Rover excursion to Volunteers
Point; one of the very few
places to spot King Penguin
colonies outside the Antarctic. You
will enjoy this amazing wildlife
experience. Overnight stay at Darwin
House. (B,BL)
Saturday: Departure
In due time transfer in regular
coach to Mount Pleasant International
Airport for LAN Chile
flight to Punta Arenas, Puerto
Montt or Santiago (B).
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