Would you like to visit the Falklands? Keep reading to find out everything you need to plan your trip to the Falkland Islands – including how to get there and how to move around, when to visit and how much you’ll spend. UPDATED MARCH 2025
Penguin colonies, little communities with their own personality and dynamics. Elephant seals laying on the beach, just getting up every so often to flop around and play-fight. Birds I had never seen before, soaring towards the Southern sapphire-blue sky.
And there’s more. Weather changing every 5 minutes. A capital city that looks like a country village, where everyone that cross paths with you says hi. Shipwrecks in the ocean, a constant reminder that we’re on the edge of the world – and nature is not to be messed with.
If you ask me what stayed with me after spending one week in the Falkland Islands, I’ll say peace. The kind of peace you can only experience in a place with very little Internet, allowing you to forget your devices for a few days, and truly live the here and now. The peace you can only experience in a place where nature dictates what you can do and when, and the crazy schedules of our daily lives become – quite frankly – useless.
Yes, the Falkland Islands are a travel destination like no other, and planning a trip there is not simply a matter of getting your flights, booking a bunch of hotels and day trips, or maybe not even booking anything and planning to go with the flow.
I’ve put this post together to help you visit the Falklands, including information on when and how to book your trip, plus other important things to know.
How to Get to the Falkland Islands
Unless you are planning to visit the Falkland Islands as part of a cruise also heading to South Georgia and the Antarctic, flying is the only way to reach the islands.
There are currently two ways to fly into Mount Pleasant (MPN), the military airport located approximately 1 hour from Stanley, the capital and largest city where more than likely you’ll spend your first night.
The most convenient way to get to the Falkland Islands are the weekly LATAM flights from Santiago del Chile (SCL). These flights depart on Saturday morning from the domestic terminal, stop at Punta Arenas (PUQ) where passengers disembark and proceed through immigration, before getting back on the same plane and continuing to Mount Pleasant.
Here are the flight numbers and times:
- LA 895: SCL 5:46 – MPN 12:59
- LA 894: MPN – 13:59 – SCL 20:37
Please note that on the way back to Santiago, you’re also required to collect your luggage from the carousel and check it back in during your stop in Punta Arenas. This was unclear during my trip, and some people missed their connection to Santiago as a result.
Travellers from the UK may also opt for the RAF Airbridge, connecting the Brize Norton base in Oxfordshire with Mount Pleasant with a refueling stop on Ascension Island. Flights depart every Wednesday and Sunday, and take approx 18/20 hours to reach the Falklands.
RAF Airbridge flights cost approx £2000, but being military-run they are frequently delayed. Getting to Brize Norton from Heathrow or other London airports takes several hours by train and bus, making the Airbridge a convenient option only if you’re UK based.
Falkland Islands Visa Requirements
Good news! Visitors from the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Argentina and Brazil do not require a visa for their Falkland trip, for stays up to 1 month.
You’ll be issued a visitor permit valid for the duration of your stay when you arrive at Mount Pleasant airport, and get a cute passport stamp with a penguin!
Best Time to Visit the Falkland Islands
The best time to visit the Falklands is spring/summer, from October to April. During this time, temperatures are at their mildest – usually about 10-15°C during the day, dropping slightly at night.
During summer, you’ll also find less wind and rain, as well as longer daylight hours making it great for wildlife-watching. I mean, remember the Falklands are an archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic, so the weather will be very changeable – I was lucky over the course of a week in late January to have only one rainy day.
For wildlife, the best times to visit the Falklands for sei and minke whales are March/April; killer whales are often spotted in November/December, Gentoo and King penguins are present year round while Magellanic and Rockhopper penguins only visit the archipelago between October and April.
What about winter in the Falklands? Well, I asked locals and the overwhelming response was “don’t come”. The weather between May and September is cold, wet and foggy, meaning getting around becomes difficult. Most locals also leave for a month or two, island lodges are closed and the place is generally miserable.
How Long to Spend in the Falkland Islands
Since LATAM flies to Mount Pleasant only once weekly, most people stay in the Falklands one or two weeks.
One week is enough to get a feel for the place – due to internal flight schedules, you’ll have to spend your first and last two nights in Stanley, which leave you with four nights to spend around the archipelago.
I spent a week in the Falklands, and to be honest, I would have loved more time. If you can afford it, I would wholeheartedly recommend spending two weeks. This will allow you to spend at least two or three nights on smaller islands, plus some buffer time in case of cancellations.
Best Islands to Visit
There are 778 islands in the Falkland archipelago – the two largest are East Falkland, where you’ll find Mount Pleasant airport and Stanley, and West Falkland, home to smaller settlements and lots of sheep farms. The two islands are divided by a strait, the Falkland Sound.
Only a few dozen of the remaining 776 islands are inhabited and can be visited. Full-time residents are usually sheep or cattle farmers, who also run tourist lodges – these tend to be small in size, sleeping between 4 and 20 people.
Spending time on smaller islands is a quintessential Falklands experience – you’ll find penguin colonies, stunning landscapes and that peaceful feeling I mentioned at the start of the article.
So, which are the best Falkland Islands to visit? I spent time on three different islands and liked all of them. Here they are!
- Carcass Island: worth visiting for the Gentoo and Magellanic penguin colony on Leopard Beach, for the elephant seals, hilly landscapes and the family hospitality at the lodge.
- Bleaker Island: my favourite island! The lodge was the best, walking distance from a Rockhopper penguin colony and a huge cormorant colony. Gentoo and King penguins are a longer walk/short drive from the lodge, on a scenic white-sand beach.
- Sea Lion Island: the only island dedicated to conservation and run as a nature reserve. Worth visiting for penguins (all 5 species can be seen), sea lions, elephant seals and sometimes even killer whales, plus many more bird species.
There are many more islands to visit – here are some that came recommended by fellow travellers!
- Saunders Island: to see an albatross colony and the “penguin shower”, a small waterfall under which penguins like to rinse off when returning from fishing.
- Pebble Island: worth visiting for its rugged coastline and Rockhopper colony.
- Hill Cove and Fox Bay on West Falkland: two settlements with great accommodation and penguin colonies nearby.
How to Get Around the Falkland Islands
To move around East Falkland and other islands, you’ll need a 4×4. There are only a few asphalt road, including the one connecting Stanley to Mount Pleasant. Once you get off road, you’ll soon understand why most locals drive 4×4.
To get between islands, you’ll fly on 8-seater Islander planes operated by FIGAS, the Falkland Islands Government Air Services. Their operational base is Stanley Airport, about 5 km from the town, not to be confused with Mount Pleasant, about 50 km away.
Flying FIGAS is absolutely amazing, and one of my Falkland highlights. The Islander planes fly quite low, so basically each trips becomes a scenic flight! If you are lucky to be sitting at the front next to the pilot you’ll also get a headset that allows you to chat with them. If you’re very lucky, you might even see whales from above!
If you are a nervous flier, don’t worry. Despite their small size, the planes are very stable and pilots are incredibly skilled. It’s also fun to land on airstrips in the middle of fields – most islands have more than one, and pilots choose the most suitable one depending on wind direction to minimise turbulence.
However, there’s a catch. There’s no set schedule for FIGAS flights, as it’s not an actual airline but rather operates as a “flying taxi service”. Flight times are published every afternoon on the FIGAS Facebook page, alongside itineraries and passenger lists. Lodge managers will be in touch to let you know your flight times, and will take care of your transfer between the airstrip and lodge.
Islander planes are also hard to fly in bad weather or poor visibility. It’s not unheard of flights to be cancelled or delayed several hours because of fog or low clouds. Trust me, it’s better to have flexible plans!
Last but not least, don’t expect your FIGAS flight to be direct! More often than not they’ll stop once or twice to pick up and drop off other passengers, cargo and mail. It’s all part of the island experience though!
Please find more info about FIGAS and how to book your internal flights here!
How and When to Book Your Trip
There have two options – contacting a travel agent, or booking the trip yourself. In any case, it’s recommended to book your Falkland trip at least a year in advance, as accommodation on the smaller islands is very limited.
The two main travel agents in the islands are Falkland Islands Holidays and International Tours & Travel. They offer tailor-made itineraries and can also assist with rescheduling in case flights are delayed, but it will cost a little extra.
I am normally a DIY kind of traveller, but I would recommend planning your Falkland trip with an agency – it’s really invaluable to have a ‘contact person’ once you’re on the islands, also considering Internet is quite limited.
Alternatively, you can plan your Falkland itinerary independently, email all the lodges and hotels you are planning to stay at, all the tours you wish to do, and book your internal flights directly with FIGAS. Trust me, it will be a lot of work, considering not all lodges have direct booking pages and you’ll be emailing people back and forth like in the early 2000s.
Internet in the Falkland Islands
Internet connectivity in the Falklands is limited, and quite expensive. Forget tourist SIM cards at the airport and free Wi-Fi in hotels – you can only get connectivity at limited ‘hotspots’ around the island.
Sure is the only telecommunication operator in the islands, so to get online you’ll have to buy one of their data cards. They cost either £5 or £10, giving you enough data for about 45 minutes and 1 hour 30 online. You’ll don’t have to use all your data at once, so remember to log in and out each time you want to get online.
The connection is also quite slow – I couldn’t use Instagram outside Stanley, and obviously forget about streaming. There are talks to make Starlink available in the Falklands which of course will make Internet connectivity easier and more affordable, but to be honest I didn’t mind the detox.
Accommodation in the Falkland Islands
Here we need to make a distinction between Stanley and “Camp”, the name that Falklanders gave to the countryside (from the Spanish “campo”).
In Stanley, you’ll find hotels, guesthouses, and apartment rentals, just like in any other town. It’s a small town, so there isn’t a huge range of options. Here are some of the properties listed on Booking:
- Malvina House Hotel – the largest hotel, with comfortable rooms, a pub and restaurant, and also a cinema!
- The Waterfront Hotel – very nice rooms and an excellent restaurant, but be sure to book ahead!
- The Lodges – a more budget-friendly option.
- Tu Guesthouse – welcoming guesthouse with great breakfastst
Outside Stanley and on smaller islands, visitors stay in lodges on a full-board basis. These lodges typically have only 2/4 rooms, a common room with tea/coffee, books and a honesty bar, and a table where breakfast and dinner are served.
These lodges are adjacent to sheep/cattle farms and owned/run by the same people – you’ll get a warm welcome, but don’t expect the owners/managers to have loads of time to show you around. You can check out lodges on the Falkland Islands Tourist Board website.
Some lodges also have self-catering cottages, but given you’ll have to take all food from Stanley, it’s not really convenient. Plus, sharing meals with fellow travellers is really fun – remember Internet is limited so people won’t be buried in their phones!
Food in the Falkland Islands
The Falkland Islands are very remote and very little grows there in terms of fruit and vegetables. Food arrives once every three weeks by cargo ship, so don’t expect a huge variety.
In Stanley, you’ll find a bunch of restaurants and cafés. During my stay I tried two different places, the restaurant at Malvina House Hotel, and the one at The Waterfront. The Malvina had an ample menu reminiscent of a British pub – think burgers, steaks, curries, stir-fries and some veggie options. The Waterfront had fewer dishes but more creative, and in my opinion the quality was higher.
In lodges you’ll usually start your day with an English breakfast around 8/8.30 AM. Then you’ll be provided with a packed lunch including a sandwich, piece of fruit and maybe a cookie or chocolate bar, to take with you while you explore the island. Dinner is at 6.30/7 PM and includes two or three courses of hearty, home-cooked food.
Dietary requirements are catered for, but make sure you communicate them when you book as there are no shops on the smaller islands – all the food comes on the same plane that you flew on!
Falkland Islands Trip Cost
The Falkland Islands are not really a budget destination, and there’s really no way to visit on a shoestring. However, they’re not as bad as you may expect! Here’s a quick breakdown of costs – prices are quoted in GBP, the currency used on the islands.
- LATAM Flight from Europe to Mount Pleasant via Santiago: approx £1800
- Accommodation in Stanley: £150 per night with breakfast
- Lodges with full-board accommodation: £200/250 per night
- FIGAS flights: £70/100 each
- Tours from Stanley: £250
The total cost for a week-long stay comes up to £3500/4000 – I was travelling solo, for two sharing it will probably come up to approx £3000 per person. Yes, not cheap, but 1000% worth it!
I was a guest of the Falkland Islands Tourism Board during my week in the archipelago. I would like to thank Sasha for her help and support, and Japa from Blogilicious for having me! I had a wonderful time and would return in a heartbeat.