Marta & Magdalena Islands

Overview

The penguin colony on Magdalena Island is one of the two penguin colonies near Punta Arenas.

Los Pingüinos Natural Monument is located about 20 miles Northeast of Punta Arenas, right in the middle of the world-known Strait of Magellan and protects the islands Marta & Magdalena.

Magdalena Island is home to some 120,000 Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), being the larges penguin colony in Chilean Patagonia. Marta Island protects about 1,000 South American Sea Lion (Otaria flavescens).

Where as the sea lions live there year-round, the penguins are migrating birds that come to Patagonia every year from mid September to mid April.

Book this half-day tour to the Islands Marta & Magdalena now!

Detailed Itinerary

7:00 a.m.: departure and a short shuttle transfer from the center of Punta Arenas about 15 miles North to Laredo Bay. From here we go by rigid-hulled inflatable Zodiac-type boat (RHIB/ RIB). It's about 40min to Isla Magdalena, where we have about 1 hour (the limit set by the park rangers) to walk amongst thousands of penguins. The path leads on a slight slope up to Magdalena Island Lighthouse. Back on board of our boat, we continue another 15min North to Marta Island to observe the sea lions. We won't go on land here, but cruise back and forth on the coast a few times to observe these marine mammals.  Usually some of the sea lions come very close to the boat to check us out, as they are quite curious. It's always the question who's observing whom?! An hour boat ride later, we're back on the Patagonian mainland and hop on the shuttle transfer to the center of Punta Arenas, where we arrive around 11:00-ish a.m.

Book this half-day tour to the Islands Marta & Magdalena now!

What's included?

Tour Includes

• Transfer from down town Punta Arenas to the pier and back
• Entrance fee to Los Pingüinos Natural Monument
• English speaking tour guide on board (not during the transfer from town to the pier and back)
  

Additional Costs

• Optional tips to your tour guide, the boatmen and/ or your driver
  

Book this half-day tour to the Islands Marta & Magdalena now!

Departures & Prices

Regular Departures

Our half-day tour to the islands Marta & Magdalena departs every day from October 15, 2011 through April 10, 2012 at 7:00 a.m.

Price for Regular Departures

CLP 39,000 per person (about USD 78.- pp*)

* USD value is merely a reference that is based on the exchange rate on January 19, 2012, USD 1,00 = CLP 497.05.

Special Departures

Besides our daily tours at 7:00 a.m., we may also offer special departures at other times of the day, for example for cruise ship passengers who are visiting Punta Arenas.

Please contact us for further details.

Important

Please keep in mind that this excursion depends on the weather conditions. This basically means, if it's too windy, we won't go - safety first!

For a weather independent option to see penguins, please take a look at our tour to the Penguin Colony at Seno Otway.

Book this half-day tour to the Islands Marta & Magdalena now!

Wildlife Options

Although the focus of this half-day tour is on observing Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) and South American Sea Lions (Otaria flavescens), other animals that you may see on this tour inculde:

• Cormorant (Phalacrocorax magallanicus)

• Chilean Skua (Stercorarius chilensis)

• Southern Giant Petrel (Macronectes giganteus)

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

... and if you're somewhat lucky:

• Chilean Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia), also called Black Dolphin, only found off the coast of Chile

• Commerson's Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)

Book this half-day tour to the Islands Marta & Magdalena now!