Penguin Colony at Seno Otway

Overview

The penguin colony at Seno Otway is one of the two penguin colonies near Punta Arenas.

Every year during the Patagonian summer months (this is from mid September to the beginning of April) there are more than 10,000 Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) breeding at this colony at Seno Otway. The colony spreads out over a fairly large area along the shore of Otway Sound. In the part of the colony that is open to visitors, you can usually see a few hundred penguins in total. The other parts are closed to the public and protected for conservation. The penguins usually gather in small groups that are loosely spread out all over the place, including the beach. (Note this difference to the much larger number of penguins at the penguin colony on Magdalena Island, where you can literately can see thousands of penguins.) Most of the time, at Seno Otway, you can get as close as within a few feet to the penguins.

Book this half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway now!

Detailed Itinerary

Every day at 3:00 p.m., we pick up all participants from their hotels or our down town office in Punta Arenas. The drive through the Patagonian landscape takes just over an hour. We spend about two hours at the penguin colony. There is an about 1km-long path, partly gravel, partly boardwalk to avoid erosion to the soil. We visit a hide out at the beach and observe the surroundings from one of the small watch towers. Return to Punta Arenas at about 7:00 p.m.

Book this half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway now!

What's included?

Tour Includes

• Transfer from/ to your hotel or our down town office in Punta Arenas

• English speaking tour guide

Additional Costs

• Entrance fee to the park (CLP 5,500 per person, about USD 11.- pp*)

• Fee for the private access road (CLP 1,500 per person, about USD 3.- pp*)

• Optional tips to your tour guide and/ or your driver

* USD values of the entrance fees are merely references that are based on the exchange rate on April 03, 2012, USD 1.00 = CLP 485.76.

Book this half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway now!

Departures & Prices

In terms of penguins at Seno Otway, the season 2011-12 has come to an end. The penguins at Seno Otway have migrated up North, as they do every year.

There are still plenty of penguins at Magdalena Island and tours keep on running daily until April 15, 2012.

 

If you are looking for tours to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway for next season, 2012-13, then here you go:

Regular Departures

Our half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway departs every day from October 15, 2012 through March 31, 2013 at 3:00 p.m.

Weather independent departures

Seno Otway can be reached by land and our tours are therefore independent of weather conditions. Unfortunately, this doesn't mean that we can give you a sunshine guarantee. To the total contrary, you might still have quite "Patagonian weather". It might rain and/ or it most likely is going to be very windy, but we guarantying daily departures, no matter how the weather might be. (Note the difference to the weather depending departures of the boat trip to Isla Magdalena.)

Price for Regular Departures

CLP 12,000 per person (about USD 25.- pp*)

* USD value is merely a reference that is based on the exchange rate on April 03, 2012, USD 1.00 = CLP 485.76.

Special Departures

Besides our daily tours at 3:00 p.m., we may also offer private, guided tours at other times of the day, for example for cruise ship passengers who are visiting Punta Arenas.

Please contact us for further details.

Book this half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway now!

Wildlife Options

Of course, the main goal of this half-day excursion is to observe Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), but there's much more to see...

Other species you may observe during this trip include

• Ñandu (Pterocnemia pennata); a large flightless bird similar to the ostrich, also called Darwin's Rhea or Lesser Rhea; fairly common in the Patagonian steppe

• South American Gray Fox (Lycalopex griseus); a species of the "false" foxes, which is actually closer related to wild dogs than to foxes, also called Patagonian Fox

• Patagonian Hog-nosed Skunk (Conepatus humboldtii), also known as Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk

• Southern Crested Caracara (Caracara plancus); a bird of prey often seen perched on trees and fence poles; very common

• Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus), also called Dominican Gull; very common

Book this half-day tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway now!