Sea Lion Island is the most southerly inhabited island of the Falklands group; it is quite small, just five miles long and over a mile wide at its widest point, which makes it just the right size for exploring on foot or by Land Rover. Beautiful stands of spectacular tussock grass cover at least one fifth of the island and provide the perfect habitat and protection for much of the islands' varied wildlife, including Elephant Seal (the largest population on the Islands, with up to 1,800 seals) and Southern Sea Lion.

Besides tussock grasslands, there are dazzling white sand beaches, dramatic cliffs and fresh water ponds. The different bird species which can be seen on the island include four species of penguin and birds of prey such as Striated Caracara, one of the rarest raptors in the world.

At certain times of the year (October / November), pods of Orca patrol around the island in pursuit of Elephant Seal pups which can be found in the crystal clear nursery pools only a few minutes walk from the lodge's front door! Sea Lion, a remarkable wildlife reserve where nature can really be experienced, to later share experiences and memories in the cosiness of the comfortable lodge.

We have most of the morning to continue enjoying the immense wildlife-watching opportunities at this magic island. We are free to walk along the path or the shoreline, exploring the grasslands and rugged coastline of one of the most southerly islands of the Falklands archipelago.

We will catch another FIGAS flight, this time heading north of West Falkland, towards Pebble Island. The island is huge, nearly 25 miles long and just one family lives here; we will use their lovely and cozy lodge for two nights. One of the first explorations will be to check the numerous lagoons and vast coast for aquatic birds and waders such as the endemic race of White-tufted Grebe, Falkland Steamer-Duck and Two-banded Plover. The old buildings of the settlement as well as its historic jetty is a great location to photograph and enjoy the colorful sunset.

We will have the whole day to explore this vast island by using one of the available 4×4 vehicles, provided by the lodge manager. We will traverse the many habitats of the island, comprising dramatic coastal cliffs, white sandy beaches, rolling hills, moorlands and fresh-water lagoons.

The beach of Green Rincon offers an extraordinary concentration of penguins and other seabirds; there is a small breeding colony of Southern Giant Petrel, which can be seen at a distance, as this is quite a shy breeder. Pebble Island has a key role during the 1982 conflict; there is a lot of history here and we will have the chance to respectfully visit and learn about the combat plane crash sites and memorials located here.

The West End of Pebble is just superb and we will have commanding views of the coastal cliffs and the vast Southern Ocean spreading northwards. We will be looking for whale blows from this location and usually we can see Peregrine Falcon, while it soars along this coastline looking for birds such as waterfowl and small petrels.

We have part of the morning to keep exploring Pebble; on this occasion we will be heading eastwards, visiting the dramatic sea cliffs of Cape Tamar. We will visit the Rockhopper penguin colony, where sometimes Macaroni Penguins are seen. A variety of coastal birds include Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers, Crested Ducks, Kelp Goose and delicate Dolphin Gulls; those will be great subjects for our wildlife photography.

We will leave Pebble Island with many great memories and take our flight to Port Stanley. You will have part of the afternoon to visit the very interesting local museum and some free time to make your own independent explorations.

Today we will head to Volunteer Point in 4×4 vehicles, with an experienced driver, in a journey which usually takes up to 2.5 hours. Named after the ship ‘Volunteer’ which called into the islands in 1815, the point is part of the Johnsons Harbour farm, one of the largest privately-owned settlements.

Volunteer Beach comprises approximately 2 miles of stunning white sand, edged by grassy banks, leading into large greens. This wonderful area provides the perfect habitat for three breeding species of penguin: Gentoo, Magellanic and the regal King Penguin. There are over 1,000 adult King Penguins here, which successfully rear over 200 chicks every year, being the largest breeding population of the species within the islands.

The King penguin breeding cycle takes over a year, meaning that any pair rears two chicks in a three year period. The single egg is incubated on its feet. This is a critical stage in the parenting and visitors need to be vigilant and must not disturb the colony.

You will have a leisurely morning. After breakfast, you will have some time to explore the surroundings of the settlement and watch the common wildlife. In the late morning, we will be transferred to the airport to take our flight back to Santiago, where our trip will conclude.

End of expedition. We hope this journey to the Falkland Islands has provided unforgettable wildlife encounters and spectacular photographic opportunities in one of the most remote and fascinating archipelagos on Earth.