Magdalena Island Penguin Tour By Boat From Punta Arenas

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Tour Information

Key Details

  • Mobile Voucher Accepted
  • Hotel pickup Available
  • Free Cancellation
  • Instant Confirmation
  • Lowest Price Guaranteed
  • Duration: 4 Hrs 30 Mins
  • Language:
    English
  • Departure Time :
    6:30 AM
  • Return Details :
    Note: Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants. You can call or email Gray Line Chile at +562 2244 4141 or reservas@graylinechile.com to provide.. read more
  • Cancellation Policy :
    • If you cancel at least 3 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.
    • If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.
    • Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Overview

Experience your own March of the Penguins on Magdalena Island during a morning tour by boat from Punta Arenas. After cruising across the Strait of Magellan, land on this protected nature reserve and marvel at the thousands of Magellanic penguins milling about on the pebbly terrain that serves as their breeding grounds. Follow your guide along a cordoned-off path leading up to a lighthouse, where you'll learn about the islands ecosystem. Weather permitting, cruise by Isla Marta to observe sea lions and elephant seals.

Know More about this tour


Dress warmly and get ready to join this tour which will start at a meeting point inPunta Arenasand then travel with the rest of the group to the pier. Remember that you have to be at 06:30am at the meeting point located in Jos Nogueira #1255, Punta Arenas.Climb aboard a large powerboat and head north for about 40 minutes on the Strait of Magellan. If youre lucky, you may glimpse panda dolphins leaping out of the choppy grey waters.
Arrive at the small and rocky Magdalena Island, also called Los Pinguinos Natural Monument, a protected nature reserve and park since 1982, and a breeding site for Magellanic penguins. Even before the boat docks, youll see thousands of penguins crowding the shores and hear their squawking. During the summer, approximately 120,000 penguins occupy the island. Disembark and spend about an hour here with your guide, keeping to the designated trail roped off for visitors. These curious birds, about 2 feet (61 cm) tall, will cross your path and may approach you, but you'll be instructed not to touch or feed them. On either side of the trail, see hundreds of burrows in the ground, about a foot (30 cm) in diameter, each populated by a pair of penguins. Watch penguins pop in and out of the holes, where eggs are laid, and others excavate new burrows by flinging aside heaps of dirt with their webbed feet. Your guide may point out cormorants and Andean seagulls on the island as well. Reach the highest point on the island and enter a lighthouse, which houses exhibits explaining the penguins habitat and breeding cycles, the history of the strait and the rich ecosystems of nearby islands.
Then warm up with coffee and snack on biscuits (provided) before leaving the island. On your way back, if the weather permits, your captain may pass by Isla Marta, where you can snap shots of sea lions and elephant seals lounging on the rocky outcrop.
After a marvelous morning with penguins, your tour will end in Punta Arenas atthe same meeting point in the morning (Jos Nogueira #1255, Punta Arenas).

Itinerary:


Dress warmly and get ready to join this tour which will start at a meeting point in Punta Arenas and then travel with the rest of the group to the pier. Remember that you have to be at 06:30am at the meeting point located in José Nogueira #1255, Punta Arenas. Climb aboard a large powerboat and head north for about 40 minutes on the Strait of Magellan. If you’re lucky, you may glimpse panda dolphins leaping out of the choppy grey waters.
Arrive at the small and rocky Magdalena Island, also called Los Pinguinos Natural Monument, a protected nature reserve and park since 1982, and a breeding site for Magellanic penguins. Even before the boat docks, you’ll see thousands of penguins crowding the shores and hear their squawking. During the summer, approximately 120,000 penguins occupy the island. Disembark and spend about an hour here with your guide, keeping to the designated trail roped off for visitors. These curious birds, about 2 feet (61 cm) tall, will cross your path and may approach you, but you'll be instructed not to touch or feed them. On either side of the trail, see hundreds of burrows in the ground, about a foot (30 cm) in diameter, each populated by a pair of penguins. Watch penguins pop in and out of the holes, where eggs are laid, and others excavate new burrows by flinging aside heaps of dirt with their webbed feet. Your guide may point out cormorants and Andean seagulls on the island as well. Reach the highest point on the island and enter a lighthouse, which houses exhibits explaining the penguins’ habitat and breeding cycles, the history of the strait and the rich ecosystems of nearby islands.
Then warm up with coffee and snack on biscuits (provided) before leaving the island. On your way back, if the weather permits, your captain may pass by Isla Marta, where you can snap shots of sea lions and elephant seals lounging on the rocky outcrop.
After a marvelous morning with penguins, your tour will end in Punta Arenas at the same meeting point in the morning (José Nogueira #1255, Punta Arenas).

Inclusions

  • Professional guide
  • Snacks
  • Transfer from the meeting point to the pier
  • Boat tour
  • Transport by air-conditioned minivan

Exclusions

  • Gratuities
  • Food and drinks, unless specified
  • Airport pickup and drop-off
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adults lap

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

It is recommended that you wear comfortable, warm clothes and trekking shoes or boots

Please bring a jacket or sweater, a scarf, hat, sunglasses and water

Important: Passport name, number, expiry and country is required at time of booking for all participants

Seasonal product operating October to March

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: On peak season (Christmas, Holidays, Cruise dates, November to March) the departure time of your tour may vary depending on availability, there are three possible departure times, which are 6:30/10:00/15:00hrs, the regular one is 6:30am BUT we will be letting you know if we have to reschedule your departure time due availability.

Traveler Reviews

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  • 03-Mar-2020

    Tour itself was great. Our guide Sebastian and driver Placido were knowledgeable and helpful. Tourboat crew were also excellent. We saw sea lions, cormorants at Isla Marta and lots of Magellanic penguins on Isla Magdalena.
    Our problems were prior to beginning the tour. We were on a cruise ship that arrived in port at 6:15 am. No taxis, Ubers or other vehicles were available to get us from the ship to the tour office and starting point (8 kms) away. We managed to flag down a nice person who drove us in. We tried to phone all the telephone numbers that were provided by both Viator and the local company but there was no answer at either number. This is very poor customer service and problematic. We could have easily missed the entire tour. Proper contact information should be provided and possibly more information if customers are arriving on a cruise ship.

  • 26-Feb-2020

    Fantastic! The boat ride was excellent and being among the Magellana Penguins was GREAT! The excursion was as described.

  • 23-Jan-2020

    If you want to see penguins, go on this trip. It’s a simple boat ride to the island and hike around, with penguins everywhere! Glad I did it. They cross your path, waddle up to you, pose for selfies, etc. and i was back by 1pm. Lovely morning.

  • 03-Jan-2020

    It was amazing to see the penguins up close and to be able to photograph them! We got to spend 1 hour with penguins! It was amazing experience. Guide/driver were very nice. This was about 5 hrs total time and worth every penny!

  • 21-Nov-2019

    Instructed to arrive @10am, on bus @11:30 and weren’t on boat until 12:30, was 6.5hrs (not 4)... lots of wasted time, but host was cool... wish we could have went for a hike in the wasted time. Island was awesome! Didn’t get to see the sea lions, I get the impression that nobody gets to see them, the water is “always too rough”... if you are easily sea sick, do not take this tour! Was very average

  • 18-Mar-2019

    OK let's be fair. The Island, people and tour guide was a 4 star. BUT! Be prepared for a slow long tour that lasted well over hours and should have been no more than 3 hours. A waste of several precious hours that would have been better spent. First, they drove the boat at 10 khr to save fuel rather than get us there early to spend more time with Penguins. Second, it Took more than an hour to get off the boat. They had to ferry us back to pier. Third, they drove back at. 5 khr with people sitting on top of the boat looking for whales??? Needless to say no whales. Forth, passengers were late for return flights as the tour said it would be four hours not 5 1/2. Look into another tour maybe they will be better. At $160 is was at best a 2 star tour.

  • 26-Mar-2018

    Great experience, tour guides were professional and friendly, on time, would recommend to anyone.

  • 16-Jan-2018

    Really well organised tour. Crew were great. The penguins were amazing - able to be really close. Would have liked a bit more info on the penguins- do they stay as couples throughout season? How many eggs laid etc. Had a hot drink back on board which was very welcome but was unannounced so did not know reason why there was queue to get back on.

  • 12-Jan-2018

    This is a must do, bucket list type of experience if you are in the area. The trip on the boat to and from the island was exciting and the penguins were very fascinating. The tour company was excellent and they took very good care of us in a rather taxing weather area. We highly recommend.

  • 31-Dec-2017

    Great experience and well organized

See all reviews