patrick watts tours falkland islands

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By far the best way to discover the Islands is with a local guide. Falkland Islanders are keen to share stories, describing life from their perspective whilst showing visitors the very best that their home has to offer.

Whether from the Islands’ capital, Stanley , or an accommodation establishment elsewhere, you will find plenty of suggestions to tempt you to travel around with a private guide, as part of small group or as a self-guided activity. Enjoy the excitement of an overland trip in a rugged but comfortable 4x4 vehicle or set your own pace on foot. Opportunities to view wildlife are plentiful and can be tailored to suit your interests. Trips can also be arranged to battlefield sites and memorials, farms, settlements and points of interest.

Cruise visitors to Stanley are able to choose from a variety of shore excursions including town and nature walks, bus tours, farm visits, trips to wildlife destinations and battlefields. Discover the social and natural history of the Islands, learn about life on a Falklands farm or travel to the memorials of the 1982 conflict. Visits to the smaller islands of the archipelago will include spectacular wildlife colonies and often the experience of a Falklands “smoko” with delicious cakes and cookies that just have to be tasted.

If you are here for a longer stay, you will find many opportunities to build a personalised itinerary to explore your surroundings. Accommodation hosts around the Islands offer a range of daytrips and short tours.

Familiarise yourself with what our local operator and guides are doing to keep their trips sustainable which will help preserve the Falklands' pristine environment for future generations.  The Green Seal Scheme is a Sustainability Certification Scheme aimed at supporting tourism businesses in the Falklands to adopt sustainable and responsible business practices. 

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Tour & tour guides, number of results:.

Number of results: 33

, currently showing 1 to 20.

Wayne's Private Tours

I am a well experienced local off road driver, and I have been driving for tourists for many years. I have lived here most of my life and have a great knowledge of History to the Islands. Tours can be personalised to each clients taste. I can take 6…

Falkland Islands Holidays

The longest established tour operator in the Falkland Islands offering bespoke tours that are either general or more specialised in the fields of bird watching, photography, war history and fishing.

Mercado Vehicle Hire

MERCADO is an online market place. This section takes you to their vehicle hire section on the website. They have two 4x4 vehicles which are ideal for a trip around Stanley or camp.

Sulivan Shipping Services Ltd

Join our experienced launch crew on one of our four harbour launches for a boat trip to remember. We have a variety of boat trips to offer, Kidney Island, Whale watching, and Stanley Harbour Tours, or tailor one to meet your needs!

During the…

Kelper Tours

West Falkland

We're owner/operators and lead the tours ourselves, offering a service based on our own experiences. We enjoy meeting new people and telling them about our unique Islands. However, please note that we are based in West Falkland and therefore NO NOT…

Jimmy Curtis Touring

Providing a wide variety of tours ranging from wildlife to battlefield/military history. A very knowledgeable guide with top ratings from customer feedback.

Comfortable and reliable 4x4 vehicles, offering long distance informative tours or short…

Bertha's Beach and City Tours

Bertha's Beach - Gentoo Penguins Stanley Tours including Gypsy Cove and/or Light House

Independent, affordable and reliable driver. Book now!

Stanley Cabs

Providing taxi services and private tours for locals and visitors in the Falkland Islands.

Our drivers are experienced and bilingual Spanish speaking.

For more information and bookings email [email protected]

FIGAS (Falkland Islands Government Air Service)

The Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS) transports Islanders, visitors and freight around the archipelago. The fleet consists of five Britten-Norman BN-2B Islander aircraft. Flights are available seven days a week in summer months, five…

Workboat Services Limited

Workboat Services Ltd operates the MV Concordia, the inter-island ferry service between New Haven in East Falkland and Port Howard in West Falkland. The service operates several times a week.

PK Tours Falklands

Pete offers a variety of bespoke tours including Stanley environs and wildlife trips in his Land Rover Defender. Pete is Falklands-born, a retired civil servant, and was present during 1982. He loves coastline, river and mountain areas and has a…

MAAZ Tours and Travel

MAAZ Tours & Travel is an established agency, providing tours to clients from all over the world.

We can offer our tours in either Spanish or English and taylor made by request. Our company and vehicles are all fully insured. Discover Gentoo, King,…

Moody Enterprises Vehicle Hire

We have an extensive range of 4x4s and pickups in our car hire fleet. We use only best manufacturers such as Toyota and Mitsubishi. You can hire a pickup with a truckman top - this can be specified when making a reservation.

Contact: Roger Spink

Lachlan Neil Ross

I am an experienced local tour guide who offers tours to the following locations; Port Harriet (wildlife), Stanley Area including Cape Pembroke and Gypsy Cove, Argentine Cemetery, Blue Beach San Carlos and Bertha's Beach (wildlife).

Letty Taxis

Letty Taxis offering Pickup and drop-off services and Car Hiring Safe and Reliable Taxi services For any additional information about our services please feel free to contact us

Adventure Falklands

In 2002 Patrick Watts introduced tours to the wild-life locations in the Falkland Islands.

He employs a dedicated team of experienced and knowledgable drivers and accordingly the reputation of his impeccably organized tours has grown ever since. He…

Falklands 4x4

Located a stone’s throw from the Tourist Information Office in Stanley, Falklands4x4 boasts the Islands largest and most modern vehicle rental fleet with over 50 vehicles. All our vehicles are 4 wheel drive and are suited very well to the road…

Lucky Private Tour

Lucky Private Tours takes great pride in their service and professionalism.

We cater for all size groups in English and Spanish. We aim to make sure our customers leave the islands with a big smile.

Our excursions are detailed to our customers…

Derek's Tours

Day visits to Volunteer Point to see king penguins, gentoo penguins and magellanic penguins. I live and work at Volunteer House where my wife and I are the wardens. We were both born in the Falklands and have been doing this work of 10 years.

Port Louis Tours

We offer exclusive day tours to Seal Bay on the North Coast of Port Louis where you can see up to 5 species of penguins.

Our eco friendly tour is the most exclusive on the Islands, our maximum number being 24 people on any one day.

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Take the Patrick Watts Tour--It is... - Volunteer Point

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• East Falkland - Things to Do    
• Volunteer Point

Take the Patrick Watts Tour--It is Fabulous

We were on a Princess cruise to the Falklands in March 2014. We booked the Patrick Watts tour 6 months early and we were so happy we did. What a great cross country adventure to go to Volunteer Point with the King Penguins, the Gentoo and Megellan penguins close up with their babies. What an improvement over the Puerto Madryn penguin visit a few days before. Patrick is half price of Princess cruise bookings to Volunteer point. He had 8 4 wheel drive vehicles going there the day we went. He makes sure everybody gets back to the boat on time. Great driver over some of the most challenging driving conditions I have seen in the world. Be prepared for an hour each way of the bumpiest and slowest driving anywhere in the world to get through the bogs to see the magnificence of Volunteer Point. Hundreds of penguins with the Kings with there new fuzzy babies. So magnificant. Fun seeing the penguins playing in the surf on the beach and waddle back to their nesting areas. Not to be missed when you visit the Falklands.

This tour was great and exceeded my expectations. It is one of few opportunities to see the King, Gentoo and Magellan penguins in the one location at the one time. The trek to Volunteer Point is a tour in itself, quite adventurous. At Volunteer Point, there are some areas (the colonies) that are marked out which humans cannot venture into, but outside of that, you can roam amongst the penguins anywhere else. The best place is on the beach, where a lot of penguins are either entering or exiting the surf. From here, they walk, or waddle, up to their colonies, which can be a couple of hundred metres inland. Although Patrick is the organiser and does not actually take guests, it is a pretty well organised tour. Our driver for the day was Derek, who actually lives at Volunteer Point, it's only inhabitant. He certainly knows his stuff and way around the area. One piece of advice....rug up as it is freezing down here. Even in the middle of summer, it is bitterly cold.

To walk side by side with penguins to the shore. Have Kings looking after their young in front of you, so close you feel like a proud father. watch sea lions on the shoreline looking for prey. strolling through the dunes being watched by wildlife as if you are family, life simply doesn't get any better. This trip I was lucky enough to witness a wedding on the beach with thousands of penguins playing nearby. be prepared for a long and bumpy drive from Stanley to the point but honestly, you won't regret it. wildlife everywhere. lie down, they are as inquisitive as puppies and will surround you. you may even get a friendly peck if you are lucky. DO NOT miss this opportunity. The Warden and his wife who look after the point are the friendliest people and are happy to let you know all about the wildlife as will the many tour operators.

Estancia Tours to Volunteer Point- The use of the term “tour” is a misnomer as this tour company, the renowned Patrick Watts tours or any other Volunteer Point tour company really just provide transportation from the port in Stanley to Volunteer Point in 4-wheel drive vehicles that could comfortably seat 3-passengers but are crammed with four people so take pity on the middle passenger in the back seat. The vehicles are owned, maintained and driven by locals who only have “OJT” training as tour guides and off road driving skills. All have regular “day jobs” that they are taking a personal leave day from to take you to/from Volunteer Point. Your experience will be “luck-of-the-draw”, hopefully getting a driver who has done this for many years who is knowledgeable with a well maintained vehicle. Our driver was very friendly and talked thru the entire journey but has just started doing tours beginning this year and had only 5-prior trips to Volunteer Point in his recently acquired fairly old Toyota 4-wheel drive vehicle. The ride to Volunteer Point takes 2-hours with the first hour of travel over paved and gravel roads which later you will appreciate. When you reach Johnson’s Harbor you will stop for a bathroom break before spending the next hour traveling extreme off-road navigation to Volunteer Point. The driver described a lot of the scenery as we drove and it is interesting to see the massive rock slide areas created from centuries of freezing and thawing. After Johnson’s Harbor it is slow going 4-wheel drive through and around mud holes and ditches with the vehicle constantly moving left & right then up & down as you navigate the difficult track (or lack of). It is a fun and interesting off-road journey for the 1st 5-10 minutes but remember while the vehicle is moving left & right then up & down, so are the passenger so by the time you reach Volunteer Point you feel somewhat beat up and are ready to get out of the vehicle. Our driver was the 1st of our group to get stuck in the mud and we were pulled out by another vehicle which is common. Over their radio we heard of 4-5 other vehicles who got stuck as well. At Volunteer Point All Drivers, regardless of the tour company, point you in the direction of the penguin colonies and you are on your own to explore for 2-hours as the drivers congregate in each others vehicles. No one takes you to the different areas are to explain the types of penguins or anything else about them. In spite of not being guided, the penguin colonies are an incredible sight to see. At Volunteer Point we saw two varieties of penguins which numbered about 1,000.

Wow. That's all I can say. THANK YOU JIMMY! Volunteer Point is an exceptional place for any animal lover, however, I think it is only a part of what visitors to the Falkland Islands should experience. Thanks to Jimmy Curtis and Volunteer Point Tours, our time in Stanley and at Volunteers was exceptional from the moment we stepped off our tender until we returned. Getting to Volunteer Point is not for the fait of heart. The travel there and back is mostly "off-roading" and for the four of us in Jimmy's 4x4, he ensured to make it a memorable experience. While there are a number of ways one can traverse the hills and fields to and from Volunteers, Jimmy promised and delivered a wild ride, which should be a shore excursion in itself! Of course, there are calmer ways to get there, and we had those options, but we asked for some excitement - and he delivered! Upon arriving at Volunteers, we were able to spend nearly two hours walking amongst thousands of King and Magellanic penguins. While you can't, nor don't want to, disturb the penguins, they are nonetheless walking amongst the tourists, living their lives. You can head down to the beach and see them go for a swim, and just follow them everywhere. Unlike other colonies, there are very little restrictions as per what you can do. This place is incredible. But one of the most important things for us, when having limited time at ports-of-call, is really trying to get a taste of the culture and life and I have to say that our day with Jimmy really made our time at the Falklands special. Jimmy has lived on the islands since he was 8 years old. He actually immigrated there only six months before the war with Argentina, and he shared his memories with us as well as really gave us a peek into daily life on the islands. There were a number of tour options available (City tour, battlefield tour, etc.) and I think in just talking with and spending 4 hours in the car with Jimmy, we had everything rolled up into one. Upon returning from Volunteers, Jimmy pointed out some important battlefields and wreckage along the way (satisfying my interest in the war) and gave us a tour of Stanley, allowing us to see all the highlights: government buildings, schools, memorials - and even his mother in law's house! Everything was timed perfectly that we even had some extra time to grab a pint, with, you guessed it, Jimmy (and his wife, Tanya), before heading back to our ship! While it is true that the Volunteer Point excursion, whether booked with the cruise ship or on your own, is not cheap, however, for the penguins alone, it is worth every penny. But when you get to spend your time with someone, it makes the experience definitely one you will never ever forget. We read a bunch of reviews for other guides, but we are so so so happy we found Jimmy. We urge you to send him an e-mail at: [email protected]. If you're heading out there. You'll thank us later!!!

Our final stop during our three weeks on the Falkland Islands was Volonteer Point. Located about 2 hours drive from Stanley, it is close enough for a day trip; however, we were fortunate enough to be able to spend the night with the Warden and his wife, in a tiny house heated by peat fuel, sharing their meals. A 15 minute walk from the house is the King Penguin colony. There are over 600 couples and, at the time we visited, dozens of small chicks, safely ensconced between the legs of a parent, protected from skuas and other birds of prey. This was the only location where we had to share the spot with others -- Land Rovers filled with day visitors. However, once they left, the beach was ours and we were able to spend several hours at sunset and sunrise watching the king penguins, gentoos, and magellanics walking down to the ocean or coming back. We spent hours watching gentoo chicks chasing their parents to get something to eat. It was well worth the off road experience of getting here.

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Patrick Watt's, Penguin Tours - Falklands Style Off Road Tours

• South America    
• Falkland Islands    
• East Falkland    
• Stanley    
• Stanley - Things to Do    
• Falklands Style Off Road Tours

An excellent day with Wayne. He was waiting at the pier for us and dropped us off at the agreed... read more

Wayne met us off the ship and with another couple we toured the Island. We went to places the ships... read more

Patrick Watt's, Penguin Tours

We visited the Falklands on HAL ship Zaandam in March this year. We had done our research on tours here and the Patrick Watts name was a name that came up several times as real value for money tour with excellent communications. Well our experience did not disappoint. The communications with Patrick prior to the tour were excellent and his explanation of what to expect was spot on. We were driven 30 miles out of Port Stanley toward the Mt Pleasant airbase and from there we turned on to 10 mile of true off road driving. Our 4WDs handled this with ease, but be prepared to be bumped around. There are no mud holes, but everything is there. We were heading to Bertha's Beach penguin colony. Berha's Beach named after an old shipwreck, consisted of a pristine pure white sandy beach, and was just full of penguins. We were advised that we would see Gentoo penguins, in fact we also saw, Rock Hoppers, Magelleanic and Emperor penguins. Hard to tell how many, but there were several hundred birds. The trip cost 130USD each and lasted around 5hrs. Tea/Coffee and biscuits are served. But there are no toilets anywhere, there not even any trees to hide behind, so be prepared ladies. I thoroughly recommend this tour for it's value, interest and very friendly and informative drivers.

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Patrick Watts Tours - Falklands Style Off Road Tours

• South America    
• Falkland Islands    
• East Falkland    
• Stanley    
• Stanley - Things to Do    
• Falklands Style Off Road Tours

An excellent day with Wayne. He was waiting at the pier for us and dropped us off at the agreed... read more

Wayne met us off the ship and with another couple we toured the Island. We went to places the ships... read more

Patrick Watts Tours

got off the ship on first tender and found Patrick waiting. our fellow travelling companions for this trip were also off too, we were handed over to our driver Roy who was most informative about life on the islands, once we were in our convoy we set off over the moorland. we were the first to experience the full Falklands experience by being the first vehicle to be pulled out of the mud. we soon reached our destination of volunteer point to see the three species of penguins that have their colonies there. it was worth the bumps over the terrain to see these birds in their natural habitat. lunch and a hot drink were also include. highly recommend this adventure. just wear appropriate clothing walking boots and warm coat as the wind whistles across the beach

So I booked a tour to Bertha’s Beach with Patrick Watts during my cruise on the Zaandam in early January 2017. I was traveling alone and booked for one person. When Patrick confirmed my reservation, he wrote, “It is imperative that we leave as quickly as possible and your cooperation in this respect will be much appreciated. This may mean you queuing quite early in order to get one of the first tenders to the shore. I am aware that the ships give priority disembarkation to those who have booked tours through the ship but quite often it is possible, for those who have booked tours independently, to get on the first or second tender, provided they are there, ready and waiting.” So on the ship I queued before 7am for a tender ticket and was off the ship and at the dock early – about 8am. Patrick rightfully so got the group to Volunteer Point off first since they had a longer day ahead of them. But after that, Patrick filled up 4x4 vehicles to Bertha’s Beach with couples. I remained very obviously waiting. Patrick said that he was hoping to find a walk-off single person to complete a vehicle with four guests (so he could make more money). If that is the case, why didn’t he mention that when I booked, rather than instruct me to get off on the first or second tender knowing that he would have me wait? Finally I started to check the other operators on the dock for options. One company had two spots available for Volunteer Point. I went back to Patrick to say that if he didn’t want to take me soon, I would go to the other vendor and take their tour instead. He was telling me how much cheaper his tour was compared to the cruise ship, blah blah blah. I didn’t book through the cruise ship. I booked with him for a reason and I abided by his request to get off the ship early. Finally about 8.55am he put me into a vehicle. It ended up being the next-to-last vehicle in his group to Bertha’s Beach. When we finally got going it was a great tour and we got to see lots of Gentoo penguins. Later on, I talked with a friend who booked a tour last year with Patrick Watts and she said that he would not even accept a booking for a single traveler unless he had three others booked. Fine if he wants to do that in advance. But don’t take a reservation from a single traveler, act like all is in order, ask me to get off the ship extra early then leave me standing around for close to an hour. Yes, the total length of the tour ended up being the same (which was his contention). But it meant I lost an extra hour exploring town after the tour because I hung around the dock waiting for him to put me on a tour. Sorry, Patrick, that is unacceptable. Next time I will find a more single-friendly tour operator and if you are traveling alone, you might want to as well.

Jimmy Curtis' driver, Daniel, met us at the port where our cruise ship docked for the visit to the Falkland Islands. With the other drivers and their vehicles we traveled about 1.5 hours first over "improved" roads and then back country bog to reach Volunteer Point. Daniel was an excellent host and driver! The sights and scenes of three types of penguins in their natural state at Volunteer Point is not to be missed. Jimmy Curtis' group was very well organized and informative. Lunch at the Point was included. Involved considerable travel over unimproved bogs which was also very exciting.

We loved it!!!! Made our entire trip worth it! The children, teenagers and adults, we all were moved and amazed by what we saw. Great service, really nice people and beautiful penguins.

An hour and half from Stanley takes you to the North Pond and so many penguins, we even saw four kings. It is like northern Scotland on the drive with great rugged country. The tour car drivers are so helpful.

We visited Stanley on March 26/16 on the HAL Zaandam. We had booked with Patrick via e-mail, and he was very thorough and responsive in setting things up, ensuring that we were paired up with another couple we met on Cruise Critic. Unlike other operators, he did not ask for a deposit or up-front payment. He takes all the cancellation risk on himself. We chose the Bertha's Beach location vs Volunteer Point because the somewhat shorter tour would give us our "penguins fix", plus allow us time to shop a bit in the town afterwards. The Volunteer Point tour is longer in duration. As it turned out, the ship was late getting in due to weather, so our tour took enough time that the shopping was out. But that wasn't really a problem. Our driver was excellent. Roy is a plumber by trade who drives for Patrick when he can. Our date was actually Good Friday, so Roy and his wife gave up their holiday to show us around! He knew the island and the wildlife very well, and was a pleasant, friendly fellow. The trip included a bumpy, off-road portion, which we expected. What we didn't expect was NO BATHROOM FACILITIES at the Beach. We must have missed Patrick's warning to 'go before you go' at the pier. Oh well ... The penguins did not disappoint us. In spite of the windy conditions (not unusual for the Falklands), we saw lots of Gentoo penguins, plus some rockhoppers. As Patrick noted to me in a follow-up e-mail, "Bertha's Beach is an isolated, un-spoilt and 'wild' location where no other operators go and where, unlike other locations, you have the freedom to roam as you please and are not bothered by wardens who follow your every foot-step and continually admonish you if you take one step too close to a penguins (this happens everywhere else)." He was absolutely correct. We "had the beach to ourselves" to watch and walk among the penguins (not too close, of course), and to see them emerging from the surf etc. We will remember this for a long time to come. Roy served us tea/coffee and biscuits on-site. Other than the need to find an isolated place to obey Nature's call, we had a delightful time. And Roy took us through Stanley to see the local sights, even cruising by his house. He was happy to stop whenever we asked to take pictures -- a great benefit of such tours. I highly recommend Patrick's tours. I heard from others on the ship that the Volunteer Point tour was a great success as well. And folks who took the HAL Shore Excursions apparently felt 'ripped off' when comparing the price they paid for the ship's tours to Volunteer Point (about double Patrick's). Just be sure you take advantage of the bathroom facilities at the pier. Otherwise it will be a long day ... I cannot recommend Patrick's tours too highly. You will not be disappointed!

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THANK YOU, PATRICK WATTS - Falklands Style Off Road Tours

• South America    
• Falkland Islands    
• East Falkland    
• Stanley    
• Stanley - Things to Do    
• Falklands Style Off Road Tours

An excellent day with Wayne. He was waiting at the pier for us and dropped us off at the agreed... read more

Wayne met us off the ship and with another couple we toured the Island. We went to places the ships... read more

THANK YOU, PATRICK WATTS

On the advice of TripAdvisor, CruiseCritic & YouTube posts, wife and I contracted with Patrick Watts in June 2015 for our trip March 15, 2016. I was so, so very impressed with Patrick, his responsiveness to our questions, his suggestion of this alternative (Bertha's Beach, Gypsy Cove, and Stanley city tours for $130US) versus the nearly twice as expensive Volunteer Point HAL excursion, and information he volunteered, that I posted 3-4 times on our CruiseCritic Roll Call and later on board the Zaandam, that we wound up with 28 people for his trip, in 7 SUVs each driven by a local with his / her own insight into their beloved Stanley. I'll get right to our photos because Hilifta's recent review was perfect in every way with but one misrepresentation. There was no Emperor penguines, but there were Gentoos, Rock Hoppers, three King penguins and later, at Gyspy Cove several remaining Magellanic penguins. Please, please investigate Patrick Watts for your Stanley penguin experience.

We visited the Falklands on HAL ship Zaandam in March this year. We had done our research on tours here and the Patrick Watts name was a name that came up several times as real value for money tour with excellent communications. Well our experience did not disappoint. The communications with Patrick prior to the tour were excellent and his explanation of what to expect was spot on. We were driven 30 miles out of Port Stanley toward the Mt Pleasant airbase and from there we turned on to 10 mile of true off road driving. Our 4WDs handled this with ease, but be prepared to be bumped around. There are no mud holes, but everything is there. We were heading to Bertha's Beach penguin colony. Berha's Beach named after an old shipwreck, consisted of a pristine pure white sandy beach, and was just full of penguins. We were advised that we would see Gentoo penguins, in fact we also saw, Rock Hoppers, Magelleanic and Emperor penguins. Hard to tell how many, but there were several hundred birds. The trip cost 130USD each and lasted around 5hrs. Tea/Coffee and biscuits are served. But there are no toilets anywhere, there not even any trees to hide behind, so be prepared ladies. I thoroughly recommend this tour for it's value, interest and very friendly and informative drivers.

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Patrick Watts Tours - Falkland Islands

By Beachvue , March 25, 2020 in South America

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Recently returned from Viking’s South America and Chilean Fjords Cruise.   Used Patrick Watts in the Falkland Islands.   Highly recommend this tour group.  We took the off the road excursion to Volunteer  Point.  We were with two others in a 4x4 vehicle, which was an experience in of itself.  Our driver Kenton was excellent.  A 6th generation of the Falklands. Learned so much of the history of the Islands from Kenton including the war in which his Aunt and Uncle were prisoners.  Very nice young man.   At the end of the rugged  terrain, we were treated with white-sand beaches and thousands of Magellanic penguins.  Also many gentoo and Magellanic penguins.  Fantastic tour and reasonably priced.

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Budget Queen

On 3/25/2020 at 9:58 AM, Beachvue said: Recently returned from Viking’s South America and Chilean Fjords Cruise.   Used Patrick Watts in the Falkland Islands.   Highly recommend this tour group.  We took the off the road excursion to Volunteer  Point.  We were with two others in a 4x4 vehicle, which was an experience in of itself.  Our driver Kenton was excellent.  A 6th generation of the Falklands. Learned so much of the history of the Islands from Kenton including the war in which his Aunt and Uncle were prisoners.  Very nice young man.   At the end of the rugged  terrain, we were treated with white-sand beaches and thousands of Magellanic penguins.  Also many gentoo and Magellanic penguins.  Fantastic tour and reasonably priced.

The main highlight of Volunteer Point is the 2000+  pairs of King Penguins.    Actually the Magellanic Penguins moved down the coast a few years ago and are mostly in a blocked off area now for reestablishment.   But they are seen,  just not in the numbers they were.   

How long was the drive to Volunteer Point? The "experience" you eluded to.....should I read between the lines that it is not for the faint of heart and/or those prone to motion sickness? 

It was a 2 hr drive each way.  It was very “bouncy” as you are in a 4 wheel drive over rough terrain.  If you have a bad back, this might not be the trip for you.  Otherwise, it was a wonderful experience.  There is a bathroom stop an hour in, both to and from.  The drive itself was a great experience and we had a wonderful guide who was so knowledgeable.  There is so much I loved about this cruise and when I asked what I liked the best, it is hard to answer.  But I do say the Falklands was one my highlights.  Hope this helps.  

Some vehicles may be bigger than others, as we were crammed into a 4 X 4 with one other couple and for me, the ride was uncomfortable.  My husband sat in the front seat on the way to Volunteer Point as he has a leg problem.  The rest of us were squished into the back and I felt every bump and dip in the uneven terrain.  I constantly kept bumping my head and my shoulder into the side of the vehicle and after two hours of this, I had a headache and was sure that my shoulder was bruised.  I took the front seat on the way back because I didn't think I could do another two hours of bumping and smashing.  Our driver was excellent in telling us stories and the history of the Falkland Islands.  Lunch was fun in the open air - sandwiches, chips, candy bar and other non edible surprises.  The penguins were the highlight of the tour and we enjoyed our time at Volunteer Point.  Patrick Watts was very easy to communicate with as we planned and booked our tour and we enjoyed some time in Stanley at the end of the tour.  Would I do the tour again - yes, definitely.  Just be prepared for a lot of jostling around on the uneven ground to get there.

• 1 month later...

arkansastraveler

We’ve done the volunteer point tour twice with Patrick.  Great tours. Highlight of cruise!!

• 8 months later...

Has anyone done the shorter tour that they offer?    Looking for something less stressful on the back but would still like to see the area.

Patrick Watts does offer shorter tours.  Check out his website:  adventure adventurefalklands.com.  We thoroughly enjoyed his tour to Volunteer Point.  

On 2/25/2021 at 2:50 PM, waltd said: Has anyone done the shorter tour that they offer?    Looking for something less stressful on the back but would still like to see the area. Thanks

I've done both.  First time we did Volunteer point, and it was outstanding.  For the second trip we decided to do the shorter tour, since the VP one had a huge waitlist from our roll call.  It was also great.  It was easier for people with back issues, since most of it was on roads.  We went to two different penguin spots, and got a tour of Stanley in between.  Our guide dropped us in town by the grocery store, since that's where our friends in the car with us wanted to go (and I did too).  We also stopped at the wreck of the SS Lady Elizabeth, which we'd seen in a TV show.

Thank you. That's what I wanted to know. 😀

• 3 months later...

Looks like ship calls to the Falklands will be limited.

https://polarjournal.ch/en/2021/06/08/no-large-cruise-ships-for-the-falkland-islands/

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• South America

Recommendation for Patrick Watts Tours, Falkland Islands

By Dr.Dobro , May 6, 2018 in South America

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From our Holland America (Zaandam) cruise, Feb. 2018:

We arranged a trip to Bertha's Beach and Gypsy Cove through Patrick Watts. He was waiting as promised at the dock and as soon as the other couple who shared our driver came off the ship, we were on our way.

Our driver was Dave, a former Royal Marine from Liverpool who was among the 40 or so defenders of the Falklands when the Argentines invaded in 1982. He had lots of great information about the 76-day war.

It was about 45 minutes on asphalt and gravel roads out to Bertha's Beach, where we saw hundreds of Gentoo penguins up close, walking among them on the beach and the adjacent grassland. There were no roped-off areas or other restrictions; we were out among the birds. Then we went to Gypsy Cove, where two large groups of Magellan penguins were down on the beach below a viewing area; we could not go down there because of possible mines left over from the war. We also got a tour of battle sites, monuments and points of interest around Stanley.

Cost was $130 per person. We found this tour preferable to Volunteer Point, which involves two-plus hours each way, much of it off-road over rough terrain (although you do see the larger king penguins at Volunteer, and if that is a must for you, you should do that). But we were very, very happy with our experience and can recommend Patrick highly.

He said he does not contract with the cruise lines at all because he wants to give people a good experience at a more reasonable price, and he said he hires only experienced drivers. We saw first-hand evidence of this when a 10-passenger van got stuck in the sand approaching Bertha's Beach, with clients on an official Holland America tour, We spoke to some of them back on the ship; they were not pleased at the distance they had to walk from the spot they got stuck. The van eventually got winched out by an independent jeep driver (unsure if it was one of Patrick's or maybe Estancia Tours), but the van did not proceed to the beach to get the passengers. It stayed where it was and the passengers had to walk all the way back. Patrick struck us as a tour operator with integrity and we are pleased to recommend his company.

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I can second your recommendation for Patrick and his organization. We did the excursion to Volunteer Point in December 2016. Our driver was very personable and her fascinating stories of life in the Falklands made the trip to and from Volunteer Point go very quickly. The ride was very boggy and each company traveled in their own caravans because there was frequent need for assistance to tow vehicles out of the muck but that was just part of the experience! The Princess excursion gave up half way thru the drive and returned to the ship! All the private excursions made it to and from Volunteer Point.

• 2 weeks later...

I was trying to find this operator as it seemed so limited but do not find any website. How do you contact him

email: [email protected]

We also did Patrick Watts tour - amazing!! We would highly recommend this tour to others. The ride out, AND of course, the penguins was fabulous!!! Enjoy.

From our Holland America (Zaandam) cruise, Feb. 2018:   We arranged a trip to Bertha's Beach and Gypsy Cove through Patrick Watts. He was waiting as promised at the dock and as soon as the other couple who shared our driver came off the ship, we were on our way.   Our driver was Dave, a former Royal Marine from Liverpool who was among the 40 or so defenders of the Falklands when the Argentines invaded in 1982. He had lots of great information about the 76-day war.   It was about 45 minutes on asphalt and gravel roads out to Bertha's Beach, where we saw hundreds of Gentoo penguins up close, walking among them on the beach and the adjacent grassland. There were no roped-off areas or other restrictions; we were out among the birds. Then we went to Gypsy Cove, where two large groups of Magellan penguins were down on the beach below a viewing area; we could not go down there because of possible mines left over from the war. We also got a tour of battle sites, monuments and points of interest around Stanley.   Cost was $130 per person. We found this tour preferable to Volunteer Point, which involves two-plus hours each way, much of it off-road over rough terrain (although you do see the larger king penguins at Volunteer, and if that is a must for you, you should do that). But we were very, very happy with our experience and can recommend Patrick highly.   He said he does not contract with the cruise lines at all because he wants to give people a good experience at a more reasonable price, and he said he hires only experienced drivers. We saw first-hand evidence of this when a 10-passenger van got stuck in the sand approaching Bertha's Beach, with clients on an official Holland America tour, We spoke to some of them back on the ship; they were not pleased at the distance they had to walk from the spot they got stuck. The van eventually got winched out by an independent jeep driver (unsure if it was one of Patrick's or maybe Estancia Tours), but the van did not proceed to the beach to get the passengers. It stayed where it was and the passengers had to walk all the way back. Patrick struck us as a tour operator with integrity and we are pleased to recommend his company.

We did Patrick in 2010 to Volunteer point, and are doing this tour when we're there again in 2019.

A question about your driver - was he the former police chief of Stanley and current (or maybe former) ambulance driver? Also taken prisoner in the war but came back because his girlfriend was there? If so, he was our driver to Volunteer. I hope we can have him for our tour. He was great.

Thanks, interesting reading. We are glad we booked the tour and sounds fantastic.

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We did Patrick in 2010 to Volunteer point, and are doing this tour when we're there again in 2019.   A question about your driver - was he the former police chief of Stanley and current (or maybe former) ambulance driver? Also taken prisoner in the war but came back because his girlfriend was there? If so, he was our driver to Volunteer. I hope we can have him for our tour. He was great.

Yep, same Dave. You should ask Patrick if Dave will be driving next year and maybe he can arrange it.

• 10 months later...

We just completed the Royal Princess 2019 SA cruise and booked Patrick Watts on his Volunteer Point tour. He was HIGHLY recommended and this was an unforgettable excursion...3 species of penguins that included the Gentoo's, Magelleanic & King. Its known to have the worlds largest King population. We booked more that a year in advance and was lucky to be one of the early birds. They say its a 50/50 chance to have your ship get into port for a tender operation...we were one of the lucky ones and had an UNBELIEVABLE experience, especially with the Kings that a comfortable around humans. Patrick's information noted the 4x4 trip over some rough terrain, but it was very manageable without any problems. His 4x4 vehicles caravan together in the event of any problems...there's no worries about an independent tour & getting back to the ship in plenty of time. We had about an extra 1.5 hrs of shopping in the dock area. this is a MUST DO adventure.

I highly recommend Patrick Watt's tour to Volunteer Point. He is extremely organized, very reliable and offers a much better price then the cruise ships do for the same type of tour. I describe the last 1 & 1/4 hour ride like riding a bucking bronco! It was worth it! I cannot imagine anything else like this where you can walk up close to these 3 types of penguins. Make sure you go over by the water, that is where we got some of our best photos. Pete was our guide. After visiting the penguins we enjoyed a sandwich, cookie, chips and water provided by Patrick. We were also given photos taken by the warden of the property. Our tour had us back at the pier by 4pm-Feb.23/19.

We toured with Patrick Watts group to Volunteer Point last month and really enjoyed it.  One thing to know is they will NOT wait for you if your not on the first or 2nd tender.  Unfortunately we had to leave people but they were accommodated on another tour just not Volunteer Point.  All tour groups pretty much go together however P.Watts group of 6 vans have access to a slightly better and less worn out track that the other 50 cars don't so that is nice.  Also make sure to leave some time to eat/drink before the drive back because that would be a challenge in itself  :)

CHEZMARYLOU

We are arranging a tour to Volunteer Point with Patrick for January 2021.  Luckily we will be in a top suite so will have access to the 1st tender.  Hope others on this tour can make it off.  One person said they have no status with Celebrity.

Curious, how did he have access to a different track.  Did they use vans or 4X4's?

3 hours ago, CHEZMARYLOU said: We are arranging a tour to Volunteer Point with Patrick for January 2021.  Luckily we will be in a top suite so will have access to the 1st tender.  Hope others on this tour can make it off.  One person said they have no status with Celebrity.  

I co-ordinated a group on the Eclipse for his shorter tour.  I had 20 people, and 2 had no status.  We had them go with the Elites, and said if asked, the no status wife was with a status husband and vis versa.  It turned out to be no problem, but they all joked about divorces at the pier.

On Princess, it was easy to get on the first 2 tenders. Our group of 22, on the Patrick Watt's Volunteer Point were sitting at the International cafe 30-45 minutes before the line up started to form. You really need the time for the drive out there is 2 & 1/2 hours. We had a convoy of 6 ---4x4 vehicles, no one got stuck. Most of the other groups went the same way. The last hour & 1/4 is  off road. Patrick uses very experienced drivers.

Re: Falkland Islands Tours

I am a great fan of Patrick Watts and his tour to Volunteer Point. Guaranteed fun ride to get there and thousands of King, Magellanic and Gentoo penguins. I am booked for my second visit to Volunteer Point on Feb 28, 2020. Unfortunately, somebody has been writing that Patrick has no spots left for 2019-2020. Patrick just told me that he has lots of openings Just email him at [email protected]. Three photos from our trip in Dec 2014 are attached.

On 4/4/2019 at 1:44 PM, Snidjud said: I am booked for my second visit to Volunteer Point on Feb 28, 2020  .

Snidjud:  We will be on Patrick Watts tour the day after you.  Our neighbours must be on the same ship as you.  (Insignia)  We will be on the Marina and will pass you somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean that night.  I am looking forward to his tour and hoping the weather co-operates.  

I just booked our place on his 12/24/19 tour. Patrick advised of an unprecedented interest for this tour and that he only has a hand full of places available. Anyone interested should consider contacting him right away.

• 3 years later...

GAcruiselover

Patrick Watts Tour to Volunteer Point on Falkland Islands out of Stanley is well worth the trip!   When the cruise ship tours were booked, we found his tour and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Many tour companies want money up front, but getting into Stanley via cruise ship is a 50/50 proposition depending on weather.   Patrick Watts did not require prepayment.   The tour operator met us at the port and got us off and going on our way very quickly. It is a rough, bumpy ride off road to the Point, but our driver did an excellent job making the trip as safe and enjoyable as possible. A stop on the way at the Bake Safe was reflective of the hospitality of the islanders, as well as the packed lunch that was included on the tour.     The sight of hundreds of King Penguins, Gentoo and Magellan penguins is breathtaking.   Photo ops abound.   This was a great location to see so many penguins in one place. A short tour of the town on the way back was also provided.   Many thanks to all the tour guides who made this trip possible.   We highly recommend this tour company.

• 4 weeks later...

We are very interested in this tour for January 2024. Is this company Adventure Faklands?

Looks like Patrick retired and the company is now under Shaun Jaffray. 

I booked with them for January 2024. Was in contact with Patrick and he told me Shaun, who worked with him, was taking over. Not sure of the name.

Thanks for the response. I now feel confident this will be the quality of excursion as before with Patrick.

On 4/23/2023 at 2:40 PM, Rondo said: Thanks for the response. I now feel confident this will be the quality of excursion as before with Patrick.

I was on the Patrick Watts Tour in March 2023 and our guide Kenton told us that Patrick was retiring and had sold the company to Shaun.  Shaun was actually running the day-to-day working of the tours such as scheduling the drivers, assigning the groups to the 4X4s, and collecting the money.  Patrick himself was at the assembly point and I did get to meet him and shake his hand.  Apparently he was quite a hero during the Falklands War and is well respected on the island.

It was a great tour and the 1 1/2 hour drive across the open fields in a 4X4 was quite an experience. We had a caravan of 12 vehicles all bouncing around the "road". They are working on building a gravel road further out to Volunteer Point, but it's a long way from being finished.  We also learned a great deal about being sheep farmer/jack of all trades from Kenton, a 7th generation Kelper.

Shuan must be popular, as I did not get booked with him as he is full for the date I needed. 😐 He did give me two other possibilities, but have not heard back from them. I am afraid I might have to settle for a lesser tour on Viator. Seems like Volunteer Point tours are sold out for Jan. 11.

Just now, Rondo said: Shuan must be popular, as I did not get booked with him as he is full for the date I needed. 😐 He did give me two other possibilities, but have not heard back from them. I am afraid I might have to settle for a lesser tour on Viator. Seems like Volunteer Point tours are sold out for Jan. 11.

A friend of mine did the helicopter tour to Volunteer Point and she said it was great.  A 10 minute flight vs. a 90 minute drive.

2 hours ago, DCThunder said: A friend of mine did the helicopter tour to Volunteer Point and she said it was great.  A 10 minute flight vs. a 90 minute drive.

Do you know what company she used?

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1. Volunteer Point

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Patrick Watts, Adventure Falklands. - Adventure Falklands

• South America    
• Falkland Islands    
• East Falkland    
• Stanley    
• Stanley - Things to Do    
• Adventure Falklands

The ride from Port Stanley to Volunteer Point took around 2 and a half hour but that was half the... read more

Penguins, penguins, penguins!!! Amazing, and for us a once- in-a-lifetime experience! There's no... read more

Patrick Watts, Adventure Falklands.

We were so impressed with our tour to Volunteer Point with Patrick Watts, Adventure Falklands, earlier in the year that we have decided to rebook when we revisit the Falkland’s on P&O Aurora on the 26th January 2018. Volunteer Point is the premier penguin location in the Falklands offering 3 species of penguins. It has around 4,000 majestic King penguins plus many thousands of Gentoo & Magellanic penguins - all in their natural and undisturbed habitat. You are virtually surrounded by penguins the moment you step out of the vehicle and you can visit the near-by beach and watch them dive away into the Atlantic Ocean. The photographic opportunities are immense and the location is regularly called a penguin paradise The route is a mixture of gravel road and grass track terrain so only 4 x 4 vehicles with experienced drivers can make the journey. The drivers are polite, extremely informative and knowledgeable and will answer all questions on route. The off-road section is an adventure in itself and many people enjoyed this part of the tour as much as seeing the penguins! On route to Volunteer Point you pass the Battle Mountains of the Falklands War of 1982, the unique rivers of stone (large boulder formations) and several small sheep farms. It takes around 2.5 hours to drive across, with around 1.5 hours at the location, returning to Stanley by 4:00pm. As Aurora will not be leaving until 7:00 pm (duration of 12 hours) there will be plenty of time to make the 6-7 hours Volunteer Point tour and then have ample time to look around the town after returning to Stanley. The location has several good mobile toilets but it is advisable to make use of the excellent bathroom facilities at the Visitors Centre in Stanley before departing for the location. Stout shoes and warm clothing are advised, as it can sometimes be a little windy at the location, and the terrain is uneven. The cost in 2018 will be $195 US per person or $185 if you book early. You may pay in $, £’s or Euros, whichever is more convenient. We are going to pay the equivalent in £’s – hoping the exchange rate will be better by then. Payment is in cash only as the tour company is unable to accept credit cards and there is only one ATM on the Island There is no deposit so no refunds are necessary should the ship be unable to make port. The cost includes a light packed lunch of sandwiches, biscuits, crisps, juice, tea/coffee and a complimentary CD containing hundreds of excellent wild-life pictures - plus a free tour of the town after we return to Stanley. Generally the cruise ships charge approx.$400 per person. If you wish to book or would like more information then you can email Patrick Watts at [email protected] Patrick Watts has been offering this tour for the past 16 years and has a great team of experienced and informative driver/guides. We were extremely impressed and hence has already mentioned, we have booked again. For those of you that remember the Falkland’s War, Patrick was working at the Radio Station at the time of the invasion and was forced by an armed Argentinian Officer to make a broadcast to the Islanders that the Falklands had been invaded.

Had a fab tour in Stanley, all around the island, the museum shows a great film showing how the invasion affected the children at the time. Well recommended!

When planning a cruise around the horn, someone gave me the name of Patrick Watts to go to Volunteer Point for Penguins. He responded promptly and we booked. A lot cheaper than the ship's offering. We were there late December, and they had been having a lot of rain. Almost 2 hours of the 21/2 hour trip from the pier was offroad; it was 4 wheeling bogging. Some fairly rough terrain, but a blast! Locals all join with Patrick as drivers of their own 4 wheel drive vehicles and caravan. They provide a lot of local lore, knowledge and history. Get a sense of living at this very isolated area. This is a blast. Some drivers got "bogged" (stuck) and all had tow ropes and worked together. At Volunteer Point, the number of Penguins is amazing. There are 3 species there all in separate nesting areas, but also intermingling as they walk outside of the restricted areas or head to the ocean. The time there, about 1 1/2 hours goes by fast, but it enough. Even thought this is there summer, layer your clothing and have a wind/rain proof cover- it is quite windy. If you are adventurous, this is for you- if you want cushy comfort, save your time and money. PS. It was reported four drivers from the ship's provider got stuck so many times they lost so much time they ended up turning back, never making it to Volunteer Point. If you are going to the Falklands and want to see penguins, contact Patrick...

We have been dealing with Peter Watts from Adventure Falklands. He is always prompt to respond to any questions and is truly concerned that everyone has a good experience in this area. He talked to us about all the penguins and where to best view them. He just is the most sincere man who is a wealth of information,

We were on a cruise with only a 7hr stop in Stanley, Falkland Islands. I had always wanted to visit the Falklands, and now I want to go back! I did a lot of research prior to our trip, wanting to maximize our short time in Stanley (7 hrs). This led me to Adventure Falklands and Patrick Watts. I emailed Patrick, and he recommended a general tour of the island. Bertha's Beach/Gypsy Cove This tour is a combination of penguins and general interest and runs for 4-5 hours in total. Bertha's Beach lies on the southern coast of East Falklands and is about one hour and 15 minutes drive from Stanley. The initial section of the route is over a tarmac/gravel road which passes close to the International Airport and Military Base, before turning off and picking up an interesting off-road route for a 15-20 minutes drive over grass track terrain. Bertha's Beach is named after the Norwegian ship 'Bertha' an iron barque of 500 tons, which was wrecked there in 1892. It's cargo of cedar wood was washed ashore and some of the logs can still be seen today lying on the beach and greens. It is the home of a large colony of Gentoo penguins (absolutely beautiful creatures!) who have the freedom of a beautiful long white sand beach. The odd King penguin is known to visit as well, but this is not guaranteed (we did not see any, but people that went to Volunteer Point saw many). We did see 3 rockhopper penguins. Such is the isolation of this extraordinary location, that it is possible to follow the penguins from their colonies as they head into the ocean, and then photograph them as they return. The photographic opportunities are immense. We then drove back towards Stanley, stopping to view the unique 'rivers of stone' (large boulder formations) before heading 4 miles east of the town to see Gypsy Cove. A pathway provides an easy walking route around the beautiful little Cove. There are still land mines present from the Argentinian invasion, as signs are posted warning you of these dangers. A World War 2 gun remains intact and sits just above the Cove. The 'Lady Elizabeth' (built in Sunderland in the north of England in 1879) sits on a sand bank close to the shore and is easily photographed. We passed Stanley Airport where the Argentines landed 12,000 troops during the Falklands War of 1982 and then headed into town, passing 'new' Stanley on the way. We saw 2 Battle Memorials (1914 + 1982), Government House, the amazing Whalebone Archway (4 jawbones of the blue whale) and much more. Our guide Dick was very knowledgeable of Stanley and the current politics of the Falklands, Argentina and UK (and the US!). We had an amazing time, walking among the Gentoo and rockhopper penguins. We stopped at the Victory pub to enjoy a locally brewed beer and fish and chips. Everything was wonderfully planned. I would highly recommend Patrick Watts and his tours. He made our trip to Stanley one to remember.

We booked a Walking Tour of Stanley through Princess Cruise Line, PSY-380. We were met at the pier and our small group strolled the Stanley Port, Christ Church Cathederal, the Liberation Monument, the Government House, dockyard and Stanley Museum. The tour guide (don't recall the tour company name) provided excellent information about the 1982 and 1941 Falkland Wars. The Falkland Museum was small but packed with information. The docents were excellent and provided a first hand account of the invasion by Argentina in 1982. The guided tour lasted two hours and we had plenty time to search the museum and shop near by. Restaurants and coffee shops dot the harbor area.