Arriving on New Island's sandy beach, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were off the coast of Scotland. Yet a short walk over the crest of a hill reveals a colony of rockhopper penguins and black-browed albatross perched on a cliff. A small hut, originally built by stranded sailors, is now a museum dedicated to the history of the island.

West Point Island is located in the northwest of the Falklands archipelago, and is also known as Albatross Island thanks to the many black-browed albatross that nest on the spectacular cliffs. The island is also a working sheep farm, and is home to a large colony of rockhopper penguins.

Saunders Island is graced with some of the most dramatic scenery in the Falklands, including the sandy isthmus known as The Neck. The island also supports an incredible bird population, with species including black-browed albatross, black-necked swans and four different types of penguin.

The rugged and windswept Falkland Islands make for a fascinating stop on the way to or from Antarctica. Over 80% of the population lives in the capital, Stanley, though humans are far outnumbered by other creatures, including penguins, sea lions and albatrosses.

Grytviken is a former whaling station and home of the fascinating South Georgia Museum. The great Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton is buried here, and this was also where Argentinian soldiers disguised as scrap metal merchants seized control of South Georgia during the opening stages of the Falklands War.

Coming ashore at St Andrews Bay is surely one of the most overwhelming and unforgettable wildlife experiences on the planet. A seething, smelly, noisy mass of some 300,000 king penguins stretches along the beach, the biggest colony in South Georgia. It’s also a key site for elephant seals, with up to 6,000 females on the beach at the height of the breeding season.

The Antarctic Sound is a 37-mile channel that separates the Joinville Island group from the Antarctic Peninsula. Prepare to be amazed as you sail among vast icebergs that have broken free from the Larsen Ice Shelf, and look out for wildlife including Gentoo penguins and whales.

Icy and remote, the South Shetland Islands are situated about 100 miles north of the Antarctic peninsula. The archipelago is home to a scattering of research stations, along with thousands of penguins, seals and sea lions, and you can still see the remains of Ernest Shackleton’s ship the ‘Endurance’ on the south west shore of Elephant Island.

Icy and remote, the South Shetland Islands are situated about 100 miles north of the Antarctic peninsula. The archipelago is home to a scattering of research stations, along with thousands of penguins, seals and sea lions, and you can still see the remains of Ernest Shackleton’s ship the ‘Endurance’ on the south west shore of Elephant Island.

Puerto Williams has the feel of a true frontier town, situated on windswept Navarino Island facing out across the Beagle Channel. The surrounding mountains offer a spectacular backdrop for hiking and kayaking, while to the south lies the infamous Drake Passage and, beyond that, the frozen continent of Antarctica.