Visiting the Falkland Islands: Money, Permits, Wildlife Rules and the Day Ashore

You land at the jetty in Stanley, and from there the day is yours to spend. Most of what you came for is free to look at; some of it is on private farms that charge; and all of it runs on your ship's clock. Here is the practical detail, and where the Falkland Islands day tours sit against it.

What costs money in the Falklands, and what is free

The penguin beaches nearest Stanley cost nothing. The ones further out are on working farms, and the farms set their own access charges. You do not need to know the figures to book: every tour we list that goes to a farm beach has the charge in its fare.

The landowners publish no charge, so no page here prints one. Ask the operator if you want the figure; the tour fare already covers it.

Money: Falkland pounds and sterling

The local currency is the Falkland Islands pound, and sterling is legal tender alongside it. Your tour fare is paid when you book, so you only need money for the shops, cafés and the museum shop in Stanley. Carry some sterling for small purchases, and ask before you assume a card will be taken.

Landing: a permit if you fly, a tender if you cruise

If you fly in, you receive a visitor permit on arrival, valid for up to a month. The Falkland Islands Government asks to see an onward ticket or the funds to buy one, pre-booked accommodation, enough money for your stay, and medical insurance covering air evacuation to at least USD 2,000,000. Getting there has the flights and the permit in full.

If you cruise in, your ship anchors and you come ashore by tender or zodiac, or at Stanley's floating dock with a short courtesy bus ride. Tenders land at pontoons in front of the Jetty Visitor Centre, which is where every tour we list starts.

How long a day ashore really is

The question that decides everything is your all-aboard time. Take the time you land, subtract an hour for safety at the end, and pick a tour that fits inside what is left.

A late tender eats into all of these. Give your operator your ship's name and times when you book, and they can plan around the queue.

What is open on a cruise day

The Historic Dockyard Museum on Ross Road is a short walk from the jetty, and it opens longer on cruise-ship days, Mondays included.

Christ Church Cathedral, the Whalebone Arch and the Liberation Memorial all stand on or just off the waterfront. You can see all three on foot in half an hour, and things to do sets out the walk.

The wildlife rules: 6 metres, the white stones, the burrows

Keep 6 metres, or 20 feet, from any animal, however close it comes to you. At Volunteer Point a ring of white stones marks the viewing distance around the king colony. At Gypsy Cove, stay on the paths, because the Magellanic penguins nest in burrows that collapse under a foot.

What to carry

• A windproof, waterproof jacket. Summer highs in Stanley are around 12–13°C, and the wind makes an open beach feel far colder.
• Shoes you can walk on sand in. Several tours cross dunes or a rocky track.
• A warm hat and gloves, even in January.
• Binoculars and a cover for your camera, for spray and rain.
• Your ship's timings, written down, for the operator.
• Sterling or local pounds for Stanley's shops.

Booking ahead on a busy cruise day

The Falkland Islands Tourist Board is plain about it: some destinations are only available by pre-booked tour, and advance booking is essential to guarantee an excursion on a busy day. Some guides do wait at the Jetty Visitor Centre, but the farm beaches and Volunteer Point fill first. Book once you know your ship and your date, and choose free cancellation where you can.