The Malvinas Islands (Falklands) host a unique ecosystem shaped by their cold, windy climate and isolation. The fauna is dominated by marine mammals and seabirds, while the flora consists mainly of grasses, shrubs, and peat bog vegetation, with no native trees.

Flora of the Malvinas Islands

• Grasslands and Shrubs: The islands are largely covered by tussac grass (Festuca flabellata), which can grow up to 2 meters tall and provides shelter for birds and sea lions.

• Peat Bogs: Extensive peatlands support mosses and small herbaceous plants.

• Heathlands: Areas with dwarf shrubs and hardy plants adapted to poor soils and strong winds.

• Endemic Plants: Species such as Malvinas Daisy (Perezia recurvata) and Malvinas Violet (Viola maculata) are unique to the islands.

• Absence of Native Trees: No native arboreal vegetation exists today, though fossil records show ancient cypress and araucaria forests.

Fauna of the Malvinas Islands

Marine Mammals

• Seals and Sea Lions: Southern sea lions, elephant seals, and fur seals are common along the coasts.

• Cetaceans: Orcas, dolphins, and several whale species migrate through surrounding waters.

Birds

• Penguins: Five species breed here: King, Gentoo, Rockhopper, Macaroni, and Magellanic penguins.

• Seabirds: Albatrosses, petrels, cormorants, and skuas thrive in the nutrient-rich waters.

• Land Birds: The Falkland steamer duck (flightless), upland goose, and the endemic Cobb’s wren are notable.

Invertebrates

• Endemic Beetles: Several species of ground beetles and weevils are unique to the islands, such as Malvinius compressiventris.

Conservation Notes

• Fragile Ecosystem: The harsh climate limits biodiversity, making species highly specialized and vulnerable.

• Threats: Introduced species (rats, cats) have impacted native bird populations.

• Protection Efforts: Conservation programs focus on seabird colonies and restoring tussac grass habitats.

Quick Comparison Table

Category
Key Species/Features
Notes

Flora
Tussac grass, peat bog mosses, endemic daisies
No native trees; vegetation adapted to wind/cold

Marine Mammals
Sea lions, elephant seals, dolphins, whales
Coastal and migratory presence

Birds
Penguins (5 species), albatrosses, Cobb’s wren
Major global seabird colonies

Invertebrates
Endemic beetles, weevils
High endemism despite low diversity

In short: the Malvinas Islands are a haven for seabirds and marine mammals, with vegetation dominated by tussac grass and peat bogs. Their isolation has fostered unique endemic species, but conservation is crucial to protect this fragile ecosystem.

As we headed further and further north on the map, my excitement grew. The whole area was already starting to be uncharted territory for me, so I was very curious to see what things were like in that part of my country. We were already very close to achieving our improvised goal of reaching Bolivia, but along the way we were also seeing some very curious places. One obligatory stop was La Quiaca, the northernmost city in Argentina in the province of Jujuy, where we took two nights to rest and also to sort out our paperwork before crossing the border .

After driving more than 180 km in the small Suzuki 4x4, we left Iruya in the province of Salta to head to La Quiaca, in the province of Jujuy. That would be our last stop in Argentina before heading to the neighboring country. It was impossible to go any further, because we were literally about to cross to the other side. However, despite being so close, we needed some time to be able to go to the ATM to withdraw cash so we could get a good exchange rate in Bolivia, try to get the yellow fever vaccine and be able to fill up with gas before crossing. For this we stayed two nights in a small hostel for which we paid $25 per night for two people

As for money, we were able to get a good amount from ATMs and this was the most convenient thing, since due to the high taxes Argentina imposes on using debit and credit cards abroad, the best option was to pay for everything with cash. Regarding the yellow fever vaccine, we had read that it was necessary but I went to the hospital and couldn't get it because it wasn't the day they were doing the vaccination campaign. I risked going to Bolivia anyway, hoping not to get sick from anything (spoiler: I didn't get sick from anything). Third, we were able to fill a jerry can with extra gasoline, which was what we wanted, since we were afraid of not getting it easily in Bolivia, since there was a rumor that they didn't sell it to foreigners .

All of these things took up the time we decided to stay in La Quiaca. As for the city, like any border city, it is not as touristy or elegant, but it is still full of signs that highlight what distinguishes it: being the northernmost city in Argentina. There are signs everywhere for photos, and many stickers of people who wanted to leave their mark on this place. In addition, everything was quite cheap here, just like what we saw in our previous days in other northern cities .

The city of La Quiaca in Jujuy represents the northern end of the famous journey that crosses my country from end to end along Route 40, parallel to the Andes Mountains and ending in the city of Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego province. This route covers 5,194 km and visits 11 of the 23 provinces we have in Argentina. This trip is one of the most desired by nomadic travelers, who choose to do it in different vehicles, from cars, trucks, motorcycles and motorhomes to bicycles. Being at either end of this route, whether in La Quiaca or Ushuaia, is exciting, and that is how I felt after finally getting to know this city, because I already knew Ushuaia .

I think that throughout this whole traveling phase of my life, which began almost a year and a half ago, I did a lot of great things and being in the northernmost and southernmost extremes of my country was one of them. When I decided that I wanted to travel a bit around the north of Argentina, I didn't think that I would literally get to La Quiaca, the furthest north we have. I really enjoyed getting to know this place, which despite being simple has a very special value for travelers and for all of us who love Argentina and love Route 40. Once again, I was able to get to know a new corner of the many we have here .

❤️ Hope you liked this post! Thanks for reading. ❤️

source

Since I understood how Couchsurfing worked for casual rides, I used it until my last day in Ushuaia. So far, I had always organised trips with up to three people from the app, but then I saw that there is a section to organise outings further in advance. There, people suggest different types of activities to do as a group, such as going for walks around the city or going out at night. But on one occasion, I saw that someone had suggested a trek to a lagoon that I hadn't visited, and it seemed like a good opportunity to go and see it with someone else .

This trek was about the one to Laguna Celeste. This hike was indicated as being of medium difficulty, with an estimated duration of 8 hours and 12 km round trip. In this part of the application you can confirm your attendance to a walk, and for this weekend outing, there were 11 people confirmed. We had agreed to meet at noon in the city to go in different cars of the participants and luckily, almost everyone was on time.

We split up between the different vehicles and drove to the start of the trail, about 25 km from the city of Ushuaia. We were relaxed about the timetable because there was plenty of daylight in the summer in Ushuaia, so we started the hike at a leisurely but safe pace so that the whole group would be united. We were a very diverse group with different levels of mountain training, but we wanted everyone to make it to the end.

The trek to Laguna Celeste has wonderful views because all the time it passes through incredible corners of the mountains. It also passes through different panoramic points where you can see the whole valley and also the effects of the beaver forests in the landscape of Ushuaia. As soon as the hike started, the trail had quite a steep positive slope, but as there was no snow at that time of the year, the difficulty was not so high.

Of course, the idea of keeping the group together didn't last that long. As the walk progressed, some fell further behind us, while others quickly overtook us. I decided to form a group with two other girls and it was with them that I walked the whole way. One of the girls even walked only a kilometre and decided to turn back when she saw that the climb was so steep. Those are the risks of big groups, but it was still fun.

This trail has several interesting things to see: the Celeste Lagoon where we were going, the Alvear Glacier, above the Celeste Lagoon, and on the other side, the Alvear Lagoon. The trail to Laguna Alvear is a detour from the road to Laguna Celeste, which if I had been alone or with less people, I would have taken the trouble to go and see, taking advantage of the fact that I was there. But as this outing was more for Couchsurfing recreation and not so much for the mountaineering ego, we only went as far as the lagoon we agreed on.

After a little more than three hours of walking, we finally reached the Celeste Lagoon. My small subgroup of three was in the middle of the group and once there, we expected to see four other girls who had gone ahead of us, but they were not there. There were other people who had arrived before us, but no one we knew. This seemed strange to us, but we knew they would show up sooner or later.

About half an hour must have passed, when these four girls appeared behind us. It turned out that they had got lost, because they hadn't correctly followed the small stone turrets on the road. Luckily, they realised that they had taken the wrong path before they went too far. About fifteen minutes after them, the missing group of three appeared. Finally, we all arrived safely at the lagoon.

Once we were all together, we took the opportunity to have our lunch and rest for a while. This lagoon was very beautiful, with a very contrasting light blue colour to the surrounding mountains. It was also accompanied by the glacier behind it, which added a little more charm. In addition, you could see a lot of small waterfalls coming down the mountain, and even a perfectly cubic shaped rock. That was very rare.

As all the snow had melted and the pass was clear, it was possible to walk around the lagoon without any problems. We were able to get up to a high point, where we had a good view of the whole lagoon. We also saw another small lagoon on the side, which is probably part of the main lagoon. I always like to find a high point to get a better view of the landscape, and this place was perfect for that.

After that crowded Couchsurfing trip, several of us continued to see each other on subsequent trips. In fact, we all already knew each other but separately, as we had used the app before. Of all these people, there were some travellers and some locals, so we were able to exchange with them their experiences of what it's like to live in Ushuaia on a permanent basis. I loved this outing and the trekking experience as a whole, and above all, I'm glad that we all (or almost all), managed to complete it ❤️.

source