Getting to the Falkland Islands: Flights, the Permit and the Cruise Tender

You reach the Falklands one of two ways: on a cruise ship that lands you by tender in Stanley, or on a flight into Mount Pleasant Airport. Here is how each route works, what the visitor permit asks of you, and where the Falkland Islands shore excursions pick you up.

By air: LATAM on Saturdays, via Punta Arenas

LATAM flies to the islands every Saturday from Santiago, in Chile. The flight stops at Punta Arenas on the way and flies back the same day. Once a month it also calls at Río Gallegos. That gives you one flight in each direction a week, so your whole stay is built around Saturdays.

Plan your nights before you book the seat. The permit you receive on landing asks for accommodation booked in advance, so arrange where you will stay first and bring the confirmation with you.

By air from the UK: the Airbridge from Brize Norton

The UK Ministry of Defence runs the Airbridge from RAF Brize Norton twice a week. It stops to refuel at Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. Outbound flights leave on Sundays and Wednesdays, and the return flights leave the islands on Tuesdays and Fridays.

You do not book it like an airline seat. Reservations go through the Falkland Islands Government Office in London, so contact them early if you want to fly from England.

Whichever you choose, you land at the same place, and you meet the same permit desk.

Mount Pleasant Airport to Stanley

Every flight lands at Mount Pleasant Airport, code MPN, on East Falkland. It sits about 52 km, or 33 miles, southwest of Stanley. Buses carry arriving passengers into town, and the road takes roughly an hour.

The airport is also the key to the farm beaches. Bertha's Beach lies about 8 km southeast of it, on Fitzroy Farm, and Kelp Point is on the same farm. From the Stanley jetty, you drive most of that road to reach either one. That is why a day at a farm beach runs four hours or more.

The visitor permit: four conditions

If you fly in, you receive a visitor permit on arrival. It is valid for up to one month. Apply in advance and it can run for up to six months. Nobody may stay longer than nine months in any twelve.

The Falkland Islands Government sets four conditions, and you need to meet all four when you land.

Read your insurance policy before you fly. You are looking for two things: the words aero-medical evacuation, and a sum of at least USD 2,000,000. If either is missing, fix it before you travel.

By cruise ship: tenders, zodiacs and the floating dock

Ships calling at Stanley range from ten passengers to three thousand. Your ship lands you in one of three ways: by tender, by zodiac, or at Stanley's floating dock. The tenders tie up at pontoons directly in front of the Jetty Visitor Centre. From the floating dock, a short courtesy bus ride brings you into town.

Book your tour before you sail. The tourist board advises booking excursions in advance, and says some destinations are only available by pre-booked tour. When you book, give the operator your ship's name and its times, so your guide can wait for your tender rather than a clock.

The Volunteer Point day builds this in: its fare includes one hour's waiting time after your ship arrives. On the shorter tours, ask how long they will hold a seat for a late tender.

The Jetty Visitor Centre: where the tours start

Almost every tour from Stanley meets you at the jetty, where the tenders land. You do not have to find an office or a bus stop. Your guide is waiting as you step off the pontoon, and each operator makes itself easy to spot.

• The Volunteer Point guides wear yellow jackets and carry yellow signs.
• One Kelp Point team waits in red jackets at the tender terminal.
• Several private guides hold a sign with your name on it.
• Some shared tours keep a table or a desk just outside the terminal.

The meeting point for every tour, one by one, is on the map and distances page. If your tender lands late, walk straight to your operator's sign before you do anything else.

When a ship cannot land

Wind decides whether the tenders can run. Every weather source calls Stanley extremely windy, and when the wind stops the tenders there is no landing and no tour. Several operators also keep the right to cancel for weather themselves.

If your call is short or the forecast looks rough, pick a shorter tour near town. A trip to Gypsy Cove and Yorke Bay has you back at the jetty in under three hours, which leaves you room if the ship recalls its passengers early.

Clocks and money when you step ashore

The islands keep UTC−3 all year and have not changed their clocks since 5 September 2010. Your ship may keep its own time. Check which clock your tour time is in before you set an alarm, and ask at the gangway if you are unsure.

The currency is the Falkland Islands pound, and sterling is legal tender too. Your tour fare is paid when you book, so you only need money for Stanley's shops and cafés. It is a small place: the 2021 census counted 3,662 people, and 2,964 of them live in Stanley.

Arriving in the Falklands: questions answered

Official sources:

• Getting here
• Visitor permit