Falkland Islands - A hidden gem

Fresh Start to the Day at 07:30, we were sitting in the Zodiac, ready to land on West Point Island, a small privately-owned island in the Falkland Islands. The only residents are the caretakers, Kicki and Thies. Kicki is Swedish but was raised in Austria, while Thies is half German and half Danish. Kicki joined Thies on his little wooden sailing boat 35 years ago, but at that time, Thies had already spent nine years sailing around the world’s oceans—what an impressive story and life!

Now, they take care of the island, its sheep, and the bird enthusiasts who visit this remote paradise. We arrived early to mark the hiking route and ensure everything was safe for our guests. Thies kindly offered us a shortcut in their Land Rover, so we began the day crossing a small British island in the Southern Ocean in an iconic old Land Rover Defender 110—what a start!

I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the albatross breeding colony on the island completely blew my mind. It was breathtaking to see these majestic birds so close, caring for their chicks. Albatrosses mate for life and return to the very place where they were hatched—a beautiful cycle of life.

The steep cliffs where the albatrosses nest are also home to their friends, the Southern Rockhopper penguins—SOOO CUTE! The rockhoppers, though scruffier than the albatrosses, were adorable. Impressively, the adult penguins leave their chicks in the colony when they go out for food. They can do this because birds of prey avoid the sharp beaks of the albatrosses—a perfect partnership between two species.

On our return, we were greeted with a British tea and Swedish cake buffet, lovingly prepared by Kicki and Thies. It was delicious and much needed! Life on the island is simple and old-fashioned, so we pitched in to help with the dishes afterward—190 guests generate quite a few dishes!

After a quick lunch and repositioning aboard the vessel, we arrived at Carcass Island. Our afternoon hike here revealed an incredible variety of birds, including Brown Skua, Kelp Goose, Striated Caracara (a bird of prey), Magellanic Oystercatcher (similar to the Danish Strandskade), Austral Thrush, Steamer Duck, Long-tailed Meadowlark, Magellanic Penguins, Gentoo Penguins, Upland Goose, Turkey Vultures, and many more. The 4.5-kilometer walk was relaxed and stunningly beautiful.

Along the coast, elephant seals kept an eye on us and the Zodiacs, pretending not to be curious—but they clearly were!

It was a perfect day. My only issue? I have far more pictures than I can upload here! Let me know if you’d like to see more.

Sorry for geeking out about birds, but it’s impossible not to in this magical world.Les mer