New Island

New Island lies at the western edge of the Falklands and is run as a nature reserve, with cliffs on its western side holding a large mixed colony of black-browed albatross, rockhopper penguins and imperial shags nesting on the same slope. Thin-billed prions breed in burrows across the island in huge numbers. The remains of a nineteenth-century whaling and sealing station stand at the settlement.

What you actually see

• The mixed cliff colony - albatross, rockhoppers and shags nesting on one slope.
• The prion burrows - thin-billed prions breeding across the island in vast numbers.
• The whaling remains - the nineteenth-century station at the settlement.
• The western cliffs - the steep coast the colonies occupy.

When to go

October to March is the breeding season. Prions return to burrows at night through the summer. Winter access is minimal.

Honest expectations

Access is controlled as a reserve and must be arranged; independent visits are not straightforward. Most arrivals are by cruise ship and those days are crowded. Accommodation is very limited.

Nearby

Weddell is southeast, and West Point is northeast.