Which penguin tour should you choose from Punta Arenas?

Seeing penguins is often a highlight of visiting Punta Arenas. Before choosing, picture how you would like to spend the day: sailing across the Strait, walking on an island or travelling through the open landscapes of Tierra del Fuego. Each trip offers something different.

How to recognise the two species

Magellanic penguins

Magellanic penguins are the smaller species, with black-and-white feathers and dark bands across the chest. They nest in burrows. You can watch them on Magdalena Island and at Cabo Vírgenes, following the marked paths and giving the birds space.

King penguins

King penguins are taller and have distinctive orange markings around the neck. At King Penguin Park in Tierra del Fuego, you watch from designated areas at a distance from the colony. Binoculars or a zoom lens help you see the details.

What if you only have one day?

You can choose one of these tours. Two days are only needed if you want to combine two trips, such as Magdalena Island and Tierra del Fuego.

Magdalena Island suits travellers who want to walk through a colony and watch penguins moving between their nests and the sea. Check the return time before planning another activity or a flight that day.

The King Penguin Park tour takes approximately 15 hours, including the drive, ferry and visit. Choose it if you want to see that species and explore Tierra del Fuego too. Ask us before booking it on a flight day: weather can delay the ferry.

Magdalena by catamaran or Magdalena and Marta by small boat?

Both trips include a visit to Magdalena Island. The main differences are the route and the vessel.

The catamaran focuses on Magdalena. The Magdalena and Marta boat trip adds sea lion watching at Marta Island from the water, without landing there. If you are prone to seasickness, let us know before choosing. No vessel removes the movement of the sea entirely.

Cabo Vírgenes: reaching a colony by road

The Cabo Vírgenes tour leaves Punta Arenas and crosses into Santa Cruz, Argentina. It is an alternative for travellers who prefer a road trip. We need to check every passenger’s travel documents and confirm access before departure.

When can you visit?

Our catalogue lists Magdalena sailings and Cabo Vírgenes from October to March, and the King Penguin Park tour from October to May. These are tour operating seasons, not exact arrival and departure dates for every bird.

Visits depend on the site being open and, for sailings and ferry crossings, sea conditions. Planning these trips early in your stay leaves room for a possible change of date.

Seeing both species on the same holiday

Plan Magdalena and Tierra del Fuego on different days. On one trip you walk around an island colony of Magellanic penguins; on the other you cross the Strait and visit king penguins. Tell us your dates and we can help fit both into your stay.