Testimonials
Tony is without doubt the best four wheel vehicle driver I have ever encountered. I say this after 34 years in the Royal Marines being driven by some very professional drivers, and then going on numerous safaris in Africa, again seeing some pretty good practitioners in the art of driving a four wheel vehicle over demanding terrain, including croc-infested rivers. But Tony is better than them all.
His knowledge of the Falklands battlefields is second to none, and anyone who wants to know what really went on should ask for Tony to drive them. On one occasion, when I was involved in making a documentary directed by Max Hastings, General Nick Vaux and I were driven up Mount Harriet by Tony. I remember Nick saying, ‘he’ll never make it’, he had led the attack on Mt Harriet in 1982. I said, ‘wait and see’. Tony made it.
My first trip with Tony was with my wife Jane to Volunteer Bay, on one of our visits to the Islands. We had a wonderful day, which I still remember as the highlight of that visit.
Major General Julian Thompson
Commander - 3 Commando Brigade - 1982
I have been lucky enough to visit nearly 100 different countries while filming for the BBC, in that time I have met many different wonderful guides and fixers. Tony Smith is the best.
He knows the Falkland Islands like no one else. His knowledge of the battlefields is forensic. He has met all of the key players from the conflict. He knows every inch of the battlefields. But he is just as knowledgeable about the wider Falklands history and natural history.
You are never bored a minute in his company and you will never have a better or more fascinating guide. I look forward to my next trip to the islands and my next adventure with Tony.
Dan Snow
Historian, broadcaster and presenter
Tony Smith is the doyen of guides – battlefield or wildlife. His knowledge of the events of 1982 is based on deep research and a gathering of oral testimonies from veterans of both sides, which he relates in an assured non-judgemental manner.
His passion for the flora and fauna of the islands makes him equally accessible around the Falklands and he is a fantastic off-road driver for those less accessible areas.
Major General Chip Chapman CB
Lt. - 2 PARA - 1982
I have met Tony Smith on several occasions since the Falklands Conflict in 1982. Each time I have been thoroughly impressed with his extensive knowledge of the islands history, culture and environment. As a guide to the battlefields he displays a unique understanding of the tactics and actions, which he describes vividly but clearly to his clients. I confidently recommend him to Falklands visitors.
Major General Nick Vaux
Royal Marines Commanding Officer - 42 Commando Rm - 1982
We spent 5 enjoyable days at the excellent The Pale Maiden B&B in Stanley in late November 2018, during which time we went out for several full and half day wildlife and landscape expeditions with Tony Smith of Discovery Falklands. We are keen photographers and nature lovers and we were delighted with our tours with Tony.
He is an absolutely excellent, knowledgeable and patient guide and provided a wealth of fascinating information and stories, not only about the Islands history, people and way of life but also about the wildlife, geology and topography. We have travelled extensively and he provided what we look for when visiting other countries, a deep insight in to the way of life of the local people and , in this instance, the unique environment of the wildlife of these islands .
His driving and navigational skills in his comfortable modern 4WD vehicle are remarkable and we felt totally confident in his calm ability to drive over all manner of very rough, trackless terrain, which to us looked quite impassable for vehicles!!
We have no hesitation recommending Tony Smith from Discovery Falklands as a very enthusiastic, knowledge, reliable courteous and safe guide and superb driver, very experienced in guiding photographers as wildlife and landscape enthusiasts.
Dr John and Mrs Rosamund Macfarlane
Cumbria, UK
A tour with Tony Smith is to witness and be in the presence of a true storyteller. Combining his unique personal experience with an expert level of detail and understanding, Tony takes you as close to the events, and the people, as one could possibly hope to get.
Rather than weighing you down with a list of leaden facts, Tony builds a world, introduces characters and develops scenes in a gradual and natural way that draws you in to a very extraordinary moment in history, without losing an inch of clarity or accuracy.
Brad Birch
Playwright
I had arranged three tours with Tony for my trip to the Falkland Islands in late November to early December, 2018.
I found Tony to be a very helpful, knowledgeable and reliable guide and host. He was on time every day, had prepared and planned each day and checked the details with me in advance to ensure that I was happy with the proposed itinerary.
His 4×4 car was very capable and extremely comfortable and Tony provided his own battlefield map. What was great was that he has personally provided tours for many veterans returning to the islands and can therefore include personal experiences of individuals in his commentary, which added a great deal of authenticity to the experience.
For my tours, we generally walked through the battle actions from the original start line and he gave a full and detailed account of how the battle progressed, including the challenges and casualties, along the way. His knowledge of the battle locations, regiments involved and actions was excellent and the pace of the tours was spot on for me.
One recommendation is to let Tony know your fitness level. I consider myself very fit and the pace was great for me, but would need adjusting, especially on hillsides, if you are not!
Tony was recommended via The Pale Maiden B&B, where I stayed.
My knowledge of the conflict was OK beforehand and based largely on news events and reporting at the time (I was 16) and books I had read. Tony helped to fill in the many gaps though and made it interesting and enjoyable. Those with less or even greater knowledge would be absolutely fine too as Tony seems to tailor his commentary and tours to your level of knowledge.
Additionally, as a Falkland Islander who has grown up and always lived on the islands, his general knowledge on the way of life on the islands, the landscape, wildlife, government, attractions, etc. is first rate. I had many questions on all aspects of Falkland life, as I am very inquisitive by nature, and Tony helped me to gain a deeper understanding of island life.
I would thoroughly recommend Tony for a guided tour and wish him well.
Jameson Robinson
Fleet, UK
I can’t speak more highly of Tony’s tours. He doesn’t just bring the perspective of a Falkland Islander who lived through the invasion and subsequent war but he has spent considerable amounts of time with the men who fought in all the major battles, from Goose Green to Wireless Ridge. As such he knows every bit of ground each battlefield tour covers, what happened where and who did it.
For me it was an absolutely fascinating experience and the realisation of a long standing ambition. And not only is Tony a great tour guide, he’s also great company. I booked two days with him and enjoyed my time so much that I purchased a third. It’s a long trip to the Falklands but I can’t recommend enough and if I can. I will go back and see more of this special place with Tony.
The website looks great and the guest house even better! The rooms look great and the view looking out over Stanley is fantastic.
Wishing you every success with it!
Phil Duval
UK
The Falklands are full of stories and experiences but on the other side they are remote and wide spread, so in order to get to the right places and learn all about the numerous wildlife we were so pleased with Tony. Because of our personal interest in the Falklands we knew a lot but Tony added so much valuable extra wildlife information making our trip perfect.
Rob and Lennard
Amsterdam, NL
We have been carrying out scientific field work in hard-to-access, high-elevation areas of the Falkland Islands over the past five years. Tony Smith has been absolutely key for our success.
Our study locations are well off the typical routes. These less-travelled routes require keen insight into local conditions, both where cross the bogs and how the weather impacts those routes. Tony has been able to get us to our key locations and back safely time and time again. He also has developed innovative solutions for our particular logistical needs.
We have worked around the world in many remote, harsh environments. Tony Smith is one of the best in ensuring that logistics in support of science run smoothly.