Nov. 2nd – 16th, 2024
Join renowned wildlife photographer, Vicki Santello on this one of a kind Falkland Islands photographic experience. Vicki will be taking a small group (only four) into the habitat of Penguins and sharing her photography expertise and extensive knowledge of the Falkland Islands and the species that live there.
As a group you will travel to three locations starting with Volunteer Point where you will find over a thousand breeding pairs of King Penguins, the largest colony in the Falklands. Also on the species list are hundreds of Magellanics and Gentoo. Over forty bird species have been recorded at Volunteer Point, including, Falkland Steamer Ducks, Upland and Ruddy Headed Geese, Dolphin and Kelp Gulls, Blackish Oystercatchers, South American Pipit, Long-Tailed Meadowlark, Austral Thrush, Correndera Pipit.
Marine life is also abundant and Volunteer Point is one of the few places you will see Sea Lions predate on Penguins on both land and sea. Keeping gear light is suggested in order to stay nimble enough to capture these moments. Ideal focal length is 400-500 mm.
Your accommodations at Volunteer Point will be Volunteer House, a quaint cottage with two shared bedrooms.
Next the group will move on to Bleaker Island for a few days. Penguins on Bleaker include Magellanic, Southern Rockhopper and Gentoo with occasional King and Macaroni. Forty seven species of birds have been recorded on Bleaker, including Southern and Striated Caracaras, Brown Skuas, Southern Giant Petrels, Tussac Bird, Showy Sheathbills, Falkland Steamer Ducks, Kelp Geese, Magellanic and Blackish Oystercatchers, and Two Banded Plovers. Bleaker is also home to a large Rock Shag Colony, the largest colony of breeding Imperial Cormorants, and eight hundred pairs of breeding Southern Rockhoppers.
Your accommodations at Bleaker Island will be at Cassard House, each participant will have their own room with private shower room.
Sea Lion will be the next stop for three days. Penguins you can expect to see and photograph here; Gentoos, Southern Rockhopper, and Magellanic. A large colony of Southern Elephant Seals, the largest in the Falkland Islands also lives here. October and November is pupping season, this means there will be some adorable photo opportunities! Killer Whale pods are regularly observed close to the eastern beaches with the possibility of seeing Elephant Seal pup predation. Tussac grass on Sea Lion attracts endemic tussac birds and Cobb’s Wren.
Gentoo’s egg laying season begins mid October so there is also the possibility of seeing chicks hatch!
Your accommodations at Sea Lion will be at Sea Lion Lodge, participants will share double rooms. The lodge has spectacular views of the South Atlantic and a nearby Gentoo Penguin colony.
Between destinations your group will be staying in Stanley for one or two days at time. Possible day trips while in Stanley…
Kidney Cove
- (Penguins) Kings, Southern Rockhopper, Gentoo and Magellanic
- Falkland Steamer Ducks, Crested Ducks, Upland Geese, Brown-Hooded Gulls, Blackish Oystercatchers
Gypsy Cove
- (Penguins) Magellanic and Gentoo
- Falkland Steamer Ducks, Crested Ducks, Upland Geese, Dolphin and Kelp Gulls, Blackish Oystercatchers, Rock Shags
- (Marine Mammals) Commerson’s Dolphins, Sea Lion
- Sight of interest: Naval Gun from WWII
Bertha’s Cove
- (Penguins) Gentoo
- South American Terns, Hudsonian Godwits, Sanderlings, Ruddy-Headed Geese, Silver Teal, Chiloe Wigeon, Black Necked Swans,
- (Marine Mammals) Commerson’s Dolphins, Peale’s Dolphin
$8,495 based on double and single occupancy
About your leader….
Vicki Santello is a US based photographer who retired from a career in finance to devote herself full time to photography. Vicki enjoyed the excitement of living in New York City and working on Wall Street for 10 years in the early part of her career. Living in a big city, however, deprived her of being in Nature and enjoying outdoor sports. She moved to North Central Florida, a mecca for birds and a unique area for rivers and first magnitude springs. Here she was able to balance her love of the outdoors and her corporate career for 30 years. Vicki has kayaked, hiked, and biked extensively in Florida in her desire to experience its unique natural beauty. Her passion for photography is now her lifestyle. Vicki now travels worldwide to diversify her photography portfolio. She typically stays one to two months in each location to fully immerse herself in the environment and maximize photography opportunities of animal behavior. Most recently she has spent the past few months intermittently in Antarctica and the Falklands. Vicki started traveling to Africa in 1981 and has visited 19 different times to various countries in Southern Africa including South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Kenya. In the USA, her favorite locations for photography are the wild places and national parks in Alaska, Wyoming, New Mexico, Louisiana, up and down the East Coast including her home state of Florida. Her work has been exhibited in museums, galleries and won several international awards including Nature’s Best Africa 2018 – Category Winner, Wild Cats Behavioral, WildArt Photography of the Year 2022 – Category Winner, Wet and numerous Top 100 and Top 250 and semi-finalist recognitions. You can see more of her work on her website vsantellophotography.com or Vicki Santello Photography on FB or vsantello on IG.
Nov. 2nd – 16th, 2024
Day 1 (Nov. 2nd)
Fly to Mount Pleasant. Transport to Stanley and check in to hotel (Malvina House).
Dinner in Stanley with the group.
*Please note – you will need to arrive in Santiago (SCL) no later than Nov. 1st (Vicki will be arriving Oct. 31st) and meet the group at the Holiday Inn at the airport. You will spend the night at the Holiday Inn (not included) and together you will fly to Mount Pleasant via Punta Arenas (not included) on Nov 2nd. You will be advised on which flight to book with Latam Airlines.
Day 2 (Nov. 3rd)
Breakfast at hotel. Set out for a day trip, possibilities include; Kidney Cove, Gypsy Cove, Bertha’s Beach (see details page).
Lunch on your own (not included) either in Stanley or at day trip destination.
Dinner with group in Stanley
Day 3 (Nov. 4th)
Breakfast at hotel. Drive to Volunteer Point check into lodge (Volunteer House)
Bag lunch and afternoon photography session
Dinner with group at lodge.
Day 4 (Nov. 5th)
Breakfast at lodge. Head out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field.
Dinner at lodge.
Day 5 (Nov. 6th)
Breakfast at lodge. Head out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field.
Dinner at lodge.
Day 5 (Nov. 7th)
Breakfast at lodge. Drive back to Stanley then fly to Bleaker Island. Check into lodge (Bleaker Island).
Bag lunch. Possible afternoon photography session depending on arrival time
Dinner at lodge.
Day 6 (Nov. 8th)
Breakfast at lodge. Set out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field. Dinner at lodge.
Day 7 (Nov. 9th)
Breakfast at lodge. Set out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field. Dinner at lodge.
Day 8 (Nov. 10th)
Breakfast at lodge. Fly back to Stanley.
Lunch on your own in Stanley (not included).
Down time in Stanley and/or image review time with Vicki depending on what the group prefers.
Dinner with group in Stanley.
Day 9 (Nov. 11th)
Breakfast at hotel. Fly to Sea Lion.
Bag lunch and afternoon photography session.
Dinner at lodge.
Day 10 (Nov. 12th)
Breakfast at lodge. Set out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field
Dinner at lodge.
Day 11 (Nov. 13th)
Breakfast at lodge. Set out for a day of photography.
Bag lunch in the field
Dinner at lodge.
Day 12 (Nov. 14th)
Breakfast at lodge. Fly back to Stanley.
Down time in Stanley and/or image review with Vicki depending on what the group prefers.
Lunch on your own in Stanley (not included)
Dinner with group in Stanley.
Day 13 (Nov. 15th)
Breakfast at hotel. Set out for a day trip, possibilities include; Kidney Cove, Gypsy Cove, Bertha’s Beach (see details page).
Lunch on your own (not included) either in Stanley or at day trip destination.
Last dinner with group in Stanley.
Day 14 (Nov. 16th)
Breakfast at hotel. Transfer to Mount Pleasant for flights out to Santiago.
End of tour.
Nov. 2nd – 16th, 2024
All payments are non-refundable unless a tour is cancelled due to under-enrollment, in which case you will receive a full refund of your initial deposit, or you may transfer your deposit to a future tour.
There will be no refunds if you need to cancel your trip for any reason.
In the event we need to cancel a tour due to natural disaster, pandemic, labor strikes, or any other situation that is beyond our control, there will be no refunds.
We strongly recommend purchasing trip insurance as soon as you book your trip, in most cases this will be your only recourse for a refund. Trip insurance that includes medical evacuation is required for all international tours.
- Accommodations day 1 – day 15
- All ground transportation from arrival in Mount Pleasant on day 1 – end of tour day 15
- Flights to Bleaker Island, back to Stanley and to Sea Lion, back to Stanley
- Meals except breakfast day 1 and lunch day 1, 2, 8, 12, 13
- Expert guide and photography support
- All international flights
- Accommodations in Santiago the day before the tour begins
- Round trip flights from Santiago to Mount Pleasant
- Breakfast day 1 and lunch day 1, 2, 8, 12, 13
- Gratuities for drivers
- Travel insurance
Moderate. Most locations require walking two miles or more each day.