Chile · PENGUIN COLONY TOURS
Magdalena Island holds tens of thousands of nesting pairs from October to March, and Seno Otway is the cheaper mainland alternative. The 15 below compare crossing time, how close the path gets and what happens when the strait is too rough.
Walk among Magellanic penguins, watch sea lions, and cruise the Strait of Magellan on a weather-dependent half-day trip from Punta Arenas.
“Everything was as expected. The guide was excellent, knowledgeable and professional. Thank you!”
Sail from Punta Arenas to Cape Froward for humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, glaciers, dolphins, and remote Strait of Magellan scenery.
“This was one of the most memorable excursion of our lives. We had a very good trip we managed to see very close the wildlife including humpback whales, sea lions, penguins and dolphins. we also passed by a number of glaciers where we had stops to take pictures. we were offered bfast and lunch aa well as tea and coffee throughout the day. this excursion is highly recommended we could almost touch the whales!! an incredilble experience.”
Review of Punta Arenas’ 15-hour Tierra del Fuego tour, with King Penguins, ferry crossings, Porvenir, wildlife, costs, and practical tips.
“Had a great time with Christian on the whole tour!”
Review of Punta Arenas’ Magdalena and Marta Islands tour, with penguins, sea lions, boat tips, timing, price, and practical advice.
“Everything was perfect. The check in process was efficient and we were on the road by 6:40 AM. They don't serve a formal meal during the tour, so try to eat before or bring some food. They do serve some coffee/tea and a snack around 9 AM. We were back at around 11:20 AM. The boats were very clean and comfortable. I was worried because I often get seasick, but I had no problems on this boat.”
Walk among 50,000 Magellanic penguins from Punta Arenas, then circle Marta Island for sea lions, seabirds, dolphins, and more.
“Cool experience. Good for all ages. The guide was fun. A little smelly, not bad though. Penguins are adorable!”
See Gentoo and Magellanic penguins, Stanley landmarks, and the Lady Elizabeth shipwreck on a small-group Falklands shore tour.
“Great shorter excursion with a couple treks to see 2 (or 3), different types of penguins in beautiful scenery and tour a bit of Stanley. Make sure to over dress for warmth, it was 50 but felt like 30 with the wind! Loved our guide & driver, and the price was half of going thru the ship! When not going through the ship, we always make sure to pick something that’s going to be back hours before all aboard time. This company also has a backup plan if something unforeseen happens.”
See thousands of Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island, cruise the Strait of Magellan, and spot sea lions on this half-day Punta Arenas tour.
“Good excursion on Magdelena Island. Plenty of time for pics. Marta island is really a bust as you are too far from the island to get an idea of the size of the sea lions. Plus between the boat rocking, and everyone jockeying for position, pics are dismal. Strongly suggest you ask people to stay in their first seat throughout the boat excursion. I don't want to fight for my place to sit everytime on the boat....some people lack basic courtesy.”
Walk among Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island, with a bilingual boat tour from Punta Arenas and chances to spot dolphins and whales.
“The island and the penguins were great but the trip was terrible. First off since it was advertised as shore excursion we assumed that we would have transportation. Nope After having their information translated by a taxi man we found out that we needed to take a taxi to the car ferry port We did get there on time but no one was there to help us. Someone else told us what to do. The car ferry cost $50 the taxi costs $10 and we paid $230 for what????? Don't waste your money.”
Review of Punta Arenas’ 14-hour King Penguin tour, with ferry crossings, Tierra del Fuego scenery, ranch history, costs, and practical tips.
“this tour is a long tour . the king penguins are amazing. you should be prepared to spend a night in island . It happened to us as bad weather caused the ferry to be cancelled . please dont plan any activity the next day”
Cross the Magellan Strait from Punta Arenas to Tierra del Fuego, visit King Penguin Park, Porvenir, Cerro Sombrero, and San Gregorio.
“Look ima be honest, the main activity that is the penguin reserve is 1.5 hour, there’s no need to wander around in a bus all day, just take me to the penguins and that’s it, this tour was unnecessarily long.”
Sail the Strait of Magellan from Punta Arenas to Magdalena Island for close views of thousands of Magellanic penguins.
“bereits im Bus ein paar Informationen zu Land und Leuten wäre sehr interessant gewesen. Auch auf dem Katamaran gab es nur wiederkehrende Verhaltensregeln bei den Pinguinen.”
Review of a Valparaíso day tour with wild penguins, sea lions, a coastal boat ride, Chilean lunch, paragliding views, and sandboarding.
“Great opportunity to see penguins and sea lions in the northern part of the country. Most Chileans don’t even know there is an island protected for penguins so it’s a pretty unique excursion. Finished the tour with delicious empanadas and wine.”
See wild penguins and sea lions, taste Chilean wine and empanadas, paraglide, and sandboard the Concon Dunes on a long day from Santiago.
“I would give a 6 if possible. Jimmy and Simona are amazing hosts and treated my son and me to the best day of our trip to Chile. It's an all-day affair with 4 distinct and fantastic experiences. 1. The boat ride to the penguins. 2. A nice stroll along the beach in Papudo which is a charming back town. 3. Lunch overlooking a scenic view of the ocean where you'll have the option to paraglide if you like. 4. Sandboarding on the huge ConCon dunes. Every stop was epic. To quote my son, "You could cut the trip into half and still be super satisfied." A quick note on…”
See Humboldt penguins from Cachagua, eat Chilean empanadas, and explore Viña del Mar and Valparaiso on a private day trip from Santiago.
“Our guide was terrific. Very knowledgeable and accommodating. Seeing the penguins was amazing but the long drive to see them was a splendid ride and opportunity to see the Andes. Our lunch was good and the captain of the little boat strive to get us a smooth ride and good views. We also really enjoyed our hike along the ocean. Our guide Terry endeavored to please us an$ he succeeded beyond all expectations.”
See Gentoo, Magellanic, and possible king penguins, cross Falkland beaches by 4x4, and explore Stanley with a local guide.
“Very windy, wear appropriate clothing. Very interesting, lots of Penguins. Fairly long walk to see Penguins.”
Pick a desert, a vineyard or a glacier.
