Penguin Tours from Punta Arenas: The 9 Best Crossings

1.Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 611 reviews · 5 hours · from $150Our pick

From Punta Arenas, travel by bus and boat to Magdalena Island for a guided one-hour walk among wild Magellanic penguins. If sea conditions allow, continue to Marta Island to watch Patagonian sea lions. Guides such as Sebastian and Rafael add clear wildlife commentary, while coffee and hot drinks help on the windy ride home.

“We loved our experience! Sebastian was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable :) Getting to watch the sunrise from the top of the boat and see the sea lions on Isla Marta was very cool. Seeing the penguins up close was AMAZING and being able to have a hot drink after the walk was much appreciated. The transport worked smoothly and everyone knew what they were doing. It’s expensive but so is the public ferry to the island. It’s definitely worth doing the tour and we’d recommend it to others!”

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2.Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 325 reviews · 14 hours · from $365Top rated

Leave Punta Arenas before dawn, ride south to the pier, then spend about 12 hours aboard a comfortable vessel in Francisco Coloane Marine Park. You will search for humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, dolphins, sea lions, seabirds, waterfalls, and glaciers, with bilingual guides, meals, and hot drinks included.

“no complaints whatsoever. was very organized and fun. worth every cent.”

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3.Full Day Tierra del Fuego & King Penguins

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 179 reviews · 15 hours · from $110Best value

Spend about 15 hours crossing the Strait of Magellan, visiting Porvenir, and watching King Penguins at a protected reserve. Guides such as Christian, Alvaro, Katherine, and Irma add useful history and wildlife insight. Expect long drives, wind, basic meals, and a full day built around one rare animal encounter.

“The guide was EXCELLENT ! He gave highly professional explanation in english and spanish ! We really enjoyed ! The minivan could be better (some dust was entering the vehicle)”

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4.Navigation Magdalena Island and Marta

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 164 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $140

You’ll leave Punta Arenas at 6:30 a.m., ride by transfer to Laredo Bay, and cross the Strait of Magellan to Isla Magdalena and Isla Marta. Walk for about an hour among Magellanic penguins, then watch sea lions and seabirds from the boat. Guides such as Sebastian and Rafael have led informative trips.

“We really enjoyed the experience in every way! From the planning and prep to the flexible and convenient payment process it was flawless. And the trip itself was wonderful and we enjoyed it immensely. The hosts made it entertaining and informative and could not have asked for a better time. The boat ride to Isla Magdalena and Marta were peaceful and fun and we were de appreciative! Thank you making this trip a special time.”

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5.Walk alongside Penguins on Magdalene Island and navigate Marta Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 116 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $140

Leave Punta Arenas early for a boat trip to Isla Magdalena, where you walk for an hour among Magellanic penguins in their nesting season. Then circle Isla Marta for sea lions, cormorants, petrels, and possible dolphins or whales. Guides such as Sebastian and Rafael add useful wildlife insight, while hot drinks help after the windy ride.

“Beautiful morning with penguins! I still think it's a bit expensive though for a 1:30 bus ride and a 1:30 boat ride.”

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6.Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 107 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $160

Start at 6:30 a.m. in Punta Arenas, ride to the pier, and cruise to Magdalena Island with a professional guide such as Rodrigo or Sebastian. Walk a marked trail among wild Magellanic penguins, visit the lighthouse, and look for dolphins, sea lions, elephant seals, and seabirds. Coffee and biscuits are provided.

“The walk to the office brings you to an expeditions office. No announcements were made, no check in procedure. We followed each other to get on a coach, no one knew what was happening the coach went at snails pace, no guide or explanation. When we reached the boat we sat in the coach for a further 20 mins. No one to tell us anything. However once on the boat Rodrigo was very good full of knowledge and led us to the penguin trail. We also sat on top of the boat roof to take pics of sealions. A wonderful trip but what the agency did regarding information was zero.”

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7.Magdalena Island Navigation & Penguin Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 73 reviews · 5 hours · from $209

From Punta Arenas, you take a boat to Magdalena Island and spend about an hour walking near Magellanic penguins in the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument. A bilingual guide explains the island’s birds and wildlife. Check your departure time carefully: 7 AM and 1:30 PM leave from Muelle Prat, while the 10 AM trip uses Terminal Tres Puentes.

“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.”

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8.King Penguin Nature Reserve – Tierra del Fuego Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 73 reviews · 14 hours (approx.) · from $148

Travel from Punta Arenas across the Magellan Strait to Tierra del Fuego, stopping at Estancia San Gregorio and Cerro Sombrero before an hour at King Penguin Nature Reserve. A bilingual guide such as Atma, Alberto, José, or Gabriel leads the day. Expect a very long drive, wind, a reserve fee, and a memorable penguin encounter.

“Wonderful trek to see the Pinguino Rey Reserve on the Isla Tierra del Fuego! Our guide was terrific in explaining so much of the region’s history, and he even shared his personal history on our in Cerros Sombrero. The guide at the Reserve was a biologist who did an excellent job of describing the behavior of the King Penguins. It was, obvious, of his passion for working to protect these special penguins! Long day but worth the trip!”

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9.King Penguin Park and Tierra del Fuego Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 67 reviews · 14 hours · from $180

Join a small bilingual group from Punta Arenas for a long but memorable day in Tierra del Fuego. You will cross the Magellan Strait, visit Porvenir, stop at Cerro Sombrero and San Gregorio Estancia, and spend about 1 to 1.5 hours watching king penguins at Parque Pingüino Rey. Guides may include Atma and Hernandez.

“Honestly, the reviews of this trip do not do it justice. Of course this is a long day, penguins live in the wilderness, and therefore it takes time to get to their natural habit - it's a privilege to visit and there is a reason why we're seeing them here and not in a zoo! Atma and Hernandez were amazing with communicating the realities of the landscape and wind on Tierra del Fuego and how that might impact the timings of our trip, however everything went very smoothly. The ferry on the way there is two hours but it's comfortable and you can buy snacks and coffee, and the mini-bus…”

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