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Are you looking for the best penguin tours from Punta Arenas, Chile? Look no further – we have them right here!
Seeing penguins is one of the best things to do in Punta Arenas. While we were here, we actually went on two tours so we could see the small Magellanic Penguins and the iconic King Penguins!
To be honest, it’s quite difficult to get to the penguin-spotting areas without a tour – so we rounded up the top three options. Once you book your preferred tour, they take care of all the logistics for you. That way, you can simply enjoy seeing penguins in Chile – a true bucket list experience!
Quick Pick: Our Favorite Tour
Don’t have time to read the full article?
Our personal FAVORITE tour is this Isla Magdalena excursion to see Magellanic Penguins! You’ll get to hike around the island with your guide, spotting thousands of penguins and learning all bout them. Check out all the positive reviews and book this tour here!
Tip: This tour is popular – book your spot here and get FREE cancellation 24 hours before you go.
Best Penguin Tours from Punta Arenas
1. Magellanic Penguins on Isla Magdalena
This has to be first on my list of things to do in Punta Arenas because it is what Punta Arenas is most famous for – penguins! Isla Magdalena is a small island 35 kilometers (22 miles) off the coast of Punta Arenas. This island is said to be home to over 150,000 Small Magellan Penguins!
In such a small space with so many penguins, it is almost impossible not to see any penguins – which makes visiting Isla Magdalena such a popular activity for tourists!
There are a few ways to reach Isla Magdalena, but taking this organized tour is by far the easiest! If you go on your own, the public ferry is slow and very expensive, so I’d recommend taking this tour.
We loved our experience on this tour because our guides were a fountain of information! They knew exactly where to go to find the penguins, and we learned about their behaviors and all the quirks that make these penguins so cute! Our guide led us around for about an hour and we saw hundreds of penguins during that time.
An organized tour is not much more expensive, and to me, it is worth it. Tour company boats will get you to the island faster and they give you much more time to explore. Not only did we see penguins, but also sea lions, cormorants, and more southern gulls than I could count!
This tour takes off early in the morning so you can see the penguins when they are most active. It is around $130 USD per person and lasts for about half a day, so you can add other activities to your schedule too.
Check availability and book this tour in advance to get FREE cancellation!
2. King Penguins in Parque Pinguino Rey
Magellan Penguins aren’t the only type of waddling birds you can see from Punta Arenas. You can actually find King Penguins on a day trip. This is actually the only place you can see a colony of king penguins in the wild, outside of Antarctica! They are the second-largest penguin species in the world (behind the emperor penguins), and we loved our experience seeing them.
I highly recommend booking an organized tour, such as this full-day tour. Otherwise, it’s a long day and rather difficult to do on your own!
To reach the penguin colony, we had to take a ferry from Punta Arenas to the island of Tierra del Fuego. Then we drove 1.5 hours to reach the Parque Pinguino Rey, where we could spot the penguins. So obviously, the organized tour made this journey way easier!
Once we reached the park, we had about an hour to sit and watch the penguins, and we saw dozens! They have a neat little enclosure for us to watch from a safe distance (about 20 meters/65 feet), and binoculars really enhanced the experience. We had so much fun watching these magnificent creatures waddle around, and we even saw a fluffy brown chick!
This tour also stops at the small village of Cerro Sombrero and the Porvenir Museum. The tour is available from November through May, and overall, it’s a fun day and truly the best way to see king penguins!
Dates are limited – reserve this tour in advance here before it sells out!
Related Read: Let us help you plan your entire trip and check out our 2-week Patagonia itinerary for our top travel tips, recommendations, and other favorite activities!
3. Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas
This half-day excursion is another top tour to Isla Magdalena. We also got to visit Isla Marta and saw tons of wildlife on this tour, like dolphins, sea lions, cormorants, and Magellen penguins – of course!
This tour follows a similar format to the other tours to Isla Magdalena. You’ll depart Punta Arenas in the morning and take a speedboat over to the island. Once you arrive, you will spend about two hours walking amongst the adorable penguins and learning all about the creatures from your guide.
The trail is roped off, but the penguins often waddle through, so you can get quite close to them! But it’s still a respectable distance away from their burrows, so you can rest assured the penguins are being taken care of. The trail leads to a lighthouse, which is the highest point on the island and gives great views. It is also full of information about the birds, the Magellan Strait, and the ecosystem of the islands in the area – pretty neat!
If the weather is good, you’ll cruise around Isla Marta to spot some wildlife on your way back to Punta Arenas. This tour has great availability and runs from November through March, but it is very popular, so make sure you reserve your spot in advance!
This tour is likely to sell out – book it here for flexible payment and cancellation options!
Why We Book Tours with Viator
Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:
- Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
- Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
- Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
- Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
- Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.
Check out the Viator website here! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here.
Where to Stay in Punta Arena, Chile
There are tons of different places to stay in Punta Arenas! Here are a few of the best hotels for every budget based on customer service, location, and value for money!
Luxury – $$$
Hotel Jose Nogueira – One of the most beautiful hotels Punta Arenas inside of a historical old building from 1895 that is within walking distance to many shops and restaurants. Rooms are huge and cozy. The onsite bar and restaurant is the perfect place to relax and enjoy during the evenings and there’s even a comfortable sunroom too. Really, it’s one of the more memorable stays in Punta Arenas if you ask me!
Rooms are about $190 USD per night and can be reserved on Booking.com.
Mid-range $$
Almasur Punta Arenas – This is the hotel for you if you like amenities and being just a couple minutes from the main square! The rooms are modern, comfortable, and very clean. The hotel has a gym and a hot tub to relax in. They provide a buffet breakfast and for dinner a spread of Chilean dishes and wine. All this for just around $140 USD a night!
Check availability and reserve your room on Booking.com.
Budget – $
Haiken Hostel – Haiken Hostek offers private rooms with private external bathrooms which all include a delicious breakfast! There is also a spacious shared kitchen so you can save money on your other meals by cooking here. The hostel is super clean and the 24/7 front desk does everything in their power to help guests whenever possible.
Private rooms start around $55 USD and can be booked on Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Planning your Trip to Patagonia
Accommodation in Patagonia
Booking accommodation is one of the biggest aspects of your trip, and we should know as we stay in a new hotel up to 40 times per year! Funny enough, we make 99% of these bookings on one website and that’s Booking.com – and there are a few reasons why we use this site!
Number one is the website is easy to use and sorts accommodation options. That takes the stress out of planning which honestly still affects us and we do it more than not.
Second, is the price guarantee. We have literally booked a hotel months before and then 1 week out found it cheaper (we always do a quick search), and they’ll match that price from anyone’s website including the hotels!
And third, is the Genius loyalty program. If you make a certain amount of bookings per year you get a Genius discount. We are level-two geniuses because we make more than 5 a year. At participating hotels, we get things like free breakfast included, early check-in, and up to 15% off.
You can check out all their accommodation options throughout Patagonia!
Renting a car in Patagonia
We enjoyed a rental car for our second trip to Patagonia – and wow, what a way to travel! But the best part was that we only paid $40 USD per day for a 5-person sedan!
But how? Well if you’re renting a car the cheapest company is Discover Cars. We often get questions from readers asking us if the website is fake because it seems too cheap! The truth is, they are a great company that we actually used for our own rental car.
If you do want to compare prices (and you should) do a quick search on Airport Car Rentals too. They’re another big competitor and each company often has its own deals to offer!
Tours in Patagonia
We love booking our tours on the website Viator! Not only does it make it super easy because you can compare tours all in one place, but it is safe and you can pay in your home currency (so you’ll save on currency conversion fees from your bank!) On top of that, you can check reviews from other travelers so that you know exactly what you are getting.
Most tours on Viator also offer free cancellation up to 24 hours before the tour starts, which we love! Being flexible when we travel is super important to us.
You can browse Viator easily online here.
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Thanks for reading!
Seeing penguins while in Punta Arenas is easily the top thing to do, and any of these tours will give you a great experience. Whether you choose to see Magellanic Penguins or King Penguins, you will be wowed! Maybe you’ll even have time to see both!
If you found this blog helpful, be sure to check out our other Patagonia blogs. And if you’re continuing your travels, read some of our South America blogs too. We’ve traveled all over this continent and have tons of resources to help you plan an epic vacation! Here are a few to get you started.
7 FUN & EXCITING Things to do in Punta Arenas, Chile
How to Spend One Day in Santiago, Chile: An Ideal 1-Day Itinerary