Saunders Island, Falkland Islands

Saunders Island is the Falkland Islands at their most quintessentially wild — a windswept, treeless expanse of tussock grass, white-sand beaches, and rocky headlands that hosts one of the most diverse seabird colonies in the South Atlantic. Located off the northern coast of West Falkland, the island is home to a single farming family who have raised sheep here for generations, sharing their land with four species of penguins, black-browed albatrosses, giant petrels, and fur seals in a coexistence that is uniquely Falklandian. The island also holds the ruins of the earliest known British settlement in the Falklands, established in 1766.

The wildlife experience at Saunders Island is extraordinary for its variety and accessibility. The Neck, a narrow isthmus connecting two parts of the island, is the focal point: gentoo, Magellanic, and rockhopper penguins nest in large colonies on the sandy slopes, their comings and goings providing an endlessly entertaining spectacle. King penguins, the Falklands' most photogenic species, maintain a small but growing colony on a nearby beach, their golden-orange chest patches glowing against the green tussock grass. Most remarkably, black-browed albatrosses nest on the cliff edges at the island's western end, their elegant forms launching into the persistent Falkland winds with a grace that makes flight look effortless.

The human history of Saunders Island adds depth to the wildlife experience. Port Egmont, established on the island's northern shore by Captain John McBride in 1766, was Britain's first settlement in the Falklands and briefly sparked an international crisis when Spain forcibly evicted the garrison in 1770 — an incident that nearly led to war. The ruins of the settlement, including foundations and a garden wall, are still visible, and interpretive information explains the geopolitical significance of this remote outpost. The farming family that manages the island today welcomes visitors with tea and scones in their farmhouse, offering a glimpse into the remarkably self-sufficient lifestyle of Falkland Islands sheep farming.

The landscape of Saunders Island shifts dramatically from the soft, sandy beaches of the Neck to the dramatic cliff faces of the western coast. The tussock grass — tall, dense clumps that once covered much of the Falklands but have been lost to grazing on most islands — creates a habitat that shelters Magellanic penguins in their burrows and provides nesting material for countless birds. Offshore, dolphins and sea lions patrol the kelp beds, while southern giant petrels soar on the wind with wingspans exceeding two meters. The light in the Falklands is extraordinary — clear, intense, and constantly shifting as weather systems race across the South Atlantic.

HX Expeditions includes Saunders Island on its Falkland Islands and South Atlantic itineraries. Zodiac landings on the island's beaches provide access to the penguin colonies, albatross nesting sites, and the historic ruins of Port Egmont. The visiting season runs from October through March, the Southern Hemisphere's spring and summer, with November and December offering the peak of breeding activity — when penguin chicks are hatching, albatrosses are courting, and the island pulses with the energy of new life.