photography tour

Falkland Islands promotional poster with penguins, albatross, elephant seals

Falkland Islands Wildlife Photography Trip February 2018 (Fully Booked)

Falkland Islands penguins elephant seals albatross collage

Falkland Islands Wildlife Photography Trip – February 2018 (7 or 14 days)

The Falkland Islands located in the South Atlantic Ocean off South America are the perfect destination to experience the wonders of nature and wildlife; an unpolluted environment with fantastically clear blue skies, seamless horizons, vast open spaces and stunning white sand beaches. Wildlife is free to roam and many species have chosen the Islands as their home including gentoo and magellanic penguins, southern sea lions, Commerson’s and Peale’s dolphins and over 200 species of birds.

Join me on this exclusive trip for a maximum of 5 guests for the most wildlife encounters you will have in one amazing place. See penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, a multitude of bird life and so much more as we explore 5-6 Islands over a 2 week period. The highlight of this trip will be a visit to these islands:
 
Saunders (Rock hoppers, nesting albatross, birds of prey)
Bleaker island (Magellenic penguins, rock hoppers, cormorants)
Carcass Island (Elephant seals, gentoo penguins, magellenic penguins, rock hoppers, sea lions, birds of prey)
Sea Lion Island (Elephant seals, gentoo penguins, magellenic penguins, rock hoppers, sea lions, birds of prey, cormorants)
Volunteer Point (King penguins, gentoo penguins, magellenic penguins)
Falkland islands Map
This trip is designed to maximise your time with the wildlife and experience a small group intimate experience. Join multi-award winning photographers on the ultimate wildlife opportunities to see sub-antarctic species in one of the most accessible places on the planet.

Expedition Highlights

  • Boutique tour group – Maximum 5 people.
  • Unique up close and personal wildlife viewing including visits to penguin and seal colonies, bird watching opportunities and experiencing the natural beauty of the Islands.
  • Expert photographic advice from award-winning wildlife and nature photographers.

Dates: 10 February to 24 February 2018

Duration: 7 or 14 days

Start: Santiago or Punta Arenas, Chile

Finish: Santiago or Punta Arenas, Chile

Included: Internal flights (Falklands), accommodation (14 days), all meals, expert award winning wildlife and nature photographers as guides/hosts.

Excluded: Overnight Accommodation Santiago prior to tour, Excess baggage costs on local flights

Note: Excess baggage on internal flights if you choose to bring more than the domestic luggage allowance which is 20kgs
(Excess luggage is charged at gbp1.40 per kilo per flight sector on the domestic flights.)
The International luggage allowance would be 2 pieces at 23 kgs each (46 kg total) per person when you book with the group.
Costs:
7 day Tour visiting Saunders, Bleaker and Carcus Islands – £2,650
14 Day Tour Visiting Saunders, Bleaker, Carcus, Sea Lion Island, Volunteer Pt, Stanley – £4,900
 
This is an exclusive private tour with 4 people maximum
If you want to find out more contact me for these 2018 dates, 
Most of the excursions are by 4WD or the walk is less than 500 meters from where we stay, so we can comfortably get around and see all the amazing wildlife up close and personal with minimal travel.

Your Hosts

Scott Portelli is a Sydney based photographer who has traveled the world extensively photographing in some of the most remote destinations, including The Arctic, Antarctica, Falklands, Galapagos, Azores, Africa and the South Pacific.

Scott is an award winning wildlife, nature, aerial and underwater photographer. A member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography (AIPP) he is regarded as a leading professional in his field.

In 2016 he was announced National winner of the Sony World Photography awards and in the same year awarded at the prestigious wildlife photographer of the year. He was recently awarded at the National Geographic Nature Photographer of the year, receiving an honorable mention.

With his experience in the Sub-Antarctic and Antarctic regions, he brings a wealth of knowledge to every expedition and ensures that each trip optimizes photographers chances to capture the best that the wildlife in the region has to offer. He teams up with one of the most accomplished wildlife and nature photographers in Australia, David Stowe, to bring you an intimate experience in this amazing destination.

Scott Portelli up close to a huge Elephant Seal

David Stowe is a Sydney based professional photographer with over 20 years experience photographing people and wildlife.

He has a deep passion for the environment and the wildlife within it, especially birds. There’s not many corners of Australia that he hasn’t gone to in search of rare and beautiful species and he wouldn’t be offended if you called him a bird nerd!
In 2015 he was awarded the Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year, and has also been awarded by the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) as a Master of Photography, and two time winner of the NSW “Science Wildlife and Wild Places Photographer of the Year”.
His bird images have been featured in many books and magazines, as well as the Pizzey & Knight Field Guide to Australian Birds App.
A friendly guy who loves helping people learn more about photographing nature and by doing so hopefully inspiring people to look after our precious planet.
David Stowe Biography

Itinerary

Day 1 – Saunders Island

Day 2 – Saunders Island

Day 3 – Saunders Island

Saunders Islands was the site of the first British settlement in the Falkland archipelago. The island is now one large farm of about 30,000 acres and is well known for its sizeable colony of Black browed albatross in addition to being home to elephant seals, king penguin and rock hoppers. The North of the Island is made up of two large peaks and it is the thin strip of land between these peaks known as ‘the Neck’ which is home to large colonies of Magellanic and Gentoo penguins.

Day 4 – Bleaker Island

Bleaker Island is home to 3 species of penguin, a large imperial cormorant colony, southern giant petrels, many smaller birds, a variety of waterfowl on the ponds and is one of the few places where the rare flying steamer duck can be observed. Marine mammals such as southern sea lions and dolphins are often seen in the area. The settlement is situated in the middle of the island and still operates as a cattle and sheep farm.

Day 5 – Bleaker Island

Day 6 – Carcass Island

Carcass Island is a haven for small bird species including Cobb’s wren, striated caracaras (known locally as “Johnny Rooks”), white bridled finches and short-eared owls. Elephant seals bask on the northern beaches, magellanic penguins reside close to the settlement, gentoo penguins and other marine mammals inhabit the southern end of the island. The scenery is varied with beautiful white sandy beaches, tussac paddocks, rocky hills and clifftops.

Day 7 – Carcass Island

Day 8 – Carcass Island

Day 9 – Sea Lion Island

Sea Lion Island is home to elephant seals, gentoo penguins, magellenic penguins, rock hoppers, sea lions, birds of prey and cormorants. Beautiful tussac plantations cover one fifth of the island and provide a perfect habitat and protection for much of the island’s varied fauna. Opportunities for photography and wildlife watching are limitless and start literally steps away from the purpose-built Lodge. Besides the tussac, there are sand beaches, cliffs, freshwater ponds and heathland, all with their own wildlife. Pods of killer whales may be seen between November and January circling the island in pursuit of the elephant seals and sea lions that breed there. Leopard seals and larger whales are also seen from time to time. A memorial to the HMS Sheffield, sunk in nearby waters, is also situated on the island.

Day 10 – Sea Lion Island

Day 11 – Sea Lion Island

Day 12 – Volunteer Point

Volunteer Point is one of the most popular and important tourist destinations in the Falklands. There is an abundance of bird activity in the area and is home to the largest king penguin colony in the Islands, as well as gentoo and magellanic penguins, waterfowl and other birds. Volunteer Beach itself is a beautiful white sandy beach, approximately 2km long, and is where many of the penguins can be seen entering and leaving the ocean.

Day 13 – Volunteer Point

Day 14 – Stanley (transfer to airport back to Punta Arenas)
Tonga 2013

Tonga Whale Swim 2013 Season: Amazing Surprise Wildlife Encounters

We had an amazing 2013 Season in Tonga this year filled with a multitude of mothers and calves and encounters with a number of creatures that were an unexpected surprise. We were swimming with and photographing Whales, Manta Rays, Blue Marlin, Leopard sharks and even a 15 metre long creature from the deep.

You can see all the photos from the 2013 season at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottyportelli

We are already looking forward to next season!

Tonga 2013