Magdalena Island Penguin Tours

A low, treeless island in the Strait of Magellan holds one of the largest Magellanic penguin colonies in South America, and from Punta Arenas a boat gets you there in under two hours. You walk a roped trail up to an old lighthouse while penguins stand at the mouths of their burrows beside you. We compared the boats that make the crossing, plus two longer days people weigh against them, each with its price set against its catch.

  • Boats sail roughly October to MarchThat is when the penguins are ashore to nest; the rest of the year the island stands empty and no tours go out
  • Keep a spare dayA strong westerly can keep the boats in port, so book the crossing early in your stay and leave room to try again

In a hurry? We would book Solo Expediciones' speedboat to Magdalena and Marta: ~$160 a person, about five hours door to door, an hour on the trail and the sea lions of Marta Island on the way home.

Book on GetYourGuide Book on Viator

Compare all 5 tours

The one-minute answer

Which Magdalena Island tour should you book?

Picture a friend landing in Punta Arenas tomorrow and asking us which boat to take to the penguins. We would answer in three sentences, then point them to the details.

Book Solo Expediciones' speedboat to Magdalena and Marta, from ~$160. It has the shortest crossing of the three Magdalena boats, by far the most reviews, and it swings past Marta Island's sea lions before heading home.

Rather start from the pier in town, or sleep in? Caminos Tours' catamaran costs ~$170 and sails at 6:00 am or 12:30 pm. The Viator-only tour at ~$193 lets you choose whether to add Marta. If you have seen Magellanics before, compare the king-penguin day in Tierra del Fuego at ~$119 or Solo's whale cruise at ~$365.

The strait decides whether any boat sails. Read what each trip costs with the extras and when the colony is fullest, look at how the hours are spent, and go through the small print before you pay.

Our pick

The Magdalena crossing we would book: Solo Expediciones

Less time on the water than the catamaran, a second island thrown in, and 700+ reviews behind it. The price of all that is a bus at each end and a boat that carries up to 60.

Magellanic penguins on the grass in front of the red-and-white Magdalena Island lighthouse Our pick

Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island, Solo Expediciones

★★★★★ 4.6 from 700+ reviews on GetYourGuide · free cancellation up to 24 hours before

The day begins at the Solo Expediciones office on José Nogueira, a couple of blocks from the Plaza de Armas, with a 6:30 am start on the Viator listing. A bus then needs about half an hour to reach the boat at Laredo Bay.

The speedboat is across in about 45–50 minutes. Once ashore, a guide who speaks English and Spanish walks you along the trail for about an hour, with burrows dug into the slope on either side and penguins coming and going between them.

Heading home, the boat spends about half an hour off Marta Island. The listing counts more than 1,000 sea lions on its rocks, along with cormorants and skuas. About five hours after check-in you step off the bus near the main square.

Duration
About 5 hours
On Magdalena
About 1 hour on the trail
Group
Up to 60 people
Route
Laredo Bay, Magdalena, Marta
Check-in
José Nogueira 1255, 6:30 am per Viator
On board
Coffee service included
Limits
Not suited to wheelchairs, heart conditions or limited mobility
Cancellation
Free up to 24 hours; reserve now, pay later
Price per person from ~$160 Speedboat · Magdalena + Marta
GetYourGuide Viator

Live availability and prices on GetYourGuide

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The morning in order

This follows the listing. A rough strait can add time to the crossings, and on a calm day the boat may linger longer at Marta.

From the city center

  • Check in at the Solo Expediciones office, José Nogueira 1255
  • About 30 minutes by bus to the boat at Laredo Bay
  • Speedboat over the strait, about 45–50 minutes

Across the strait

  • About an hour on the trail through the Magdalena colony
  • A slow loop past the Marta Island sea lion rocks, about 30 minutes
  • Boat and bus back to the main square

What your ticket pays for

The fare covers the boat, the island entry and a guide. Getting to the office and lunch afterwards are on you.

Included
  • The speedboat to Magdalena and past Marta Island
  • Coffee on board
  • A guide in English and Spanish
  • Entry to Magdalena Island
Not included
  • Pickup or drop-off at your hotel
  • Lunch
  • Tips
  • A calm sea

A quiet word before you book

The listing turns away wheelchair users and anyone with heart problems or limited mobility, since the trail is dirt and climbs a windy hill. With up to 60 aboard, expect company on the path rather than solitude.

You finish at the main square, so plan how you get back to your room. Pack layers you can add on the boat; our packing list for the island goes through them.

Why we prefer it to the catamaran

About 45–50 minutes on the water each way, where Caminos' catamaran takes about an hour and a half. The Marta Island loop comes on top, and 700+ reviews on GetYourGuide against 73 make the track record clearer. The two boats side by side.

In return you lose the start from the pier in town and the afternoon departure. Solo begins and ends with a bus ride.

Who should book something else

Travelers the listing excludes for mobility or heart reasons. Anyone who cannot face an early start, who will be happier on Caminos' 12:30 pm sailing. And people who came south for the taller penguins, for whom the Tierra del Fuego king-penguin day makes more sense.

Book it if

You want the penguins and the sea lions in one efficient morning, with the shortest time on a possibly bumpy strait. It works for couples and for families whose kids can walk a dirt trail in the wind.

Skip it if

Ready for the crossing?

Solo's trip sells on GetYourGuide (4.6 from 700+ reviews) and on Viator (4.5 from 100+), and the prices on the two can differ by date. Both cancel for free up to 24 hours ahead, so you can wait for the wind forecast.

GetYourGuide Viator

Hour by hour

How a Magdalena Island tour works

The three Magdalena boats differ mainly in where they leave from and how long they spend on the water. The two longer days are a different trade altogether, more hours for a different animal.

Style · half a day on the strait

A boat to Magdalena Island

Solo Expediciones, Caminos Tours, the Viator-only tour

4–6 ha crossing each way, about an hour on the trail

Within two hours of leaving town you are walking among tens of thousands of Magellanic penguins, many of them a few steps from the rope. The wind sets the terms. A rough strait means spray and queasy stomachs, and sometimes no sailing.

Style · a full day instead

Kings or whales, further away

Go Patagonia, Solo whale cruise

12–15 hearly start, long transfers, a few hours with the animals

The king-penguin day crosses on a big car ferry and costs less than any Magdalena boat, but most of it is road. The whale cruise is the priciest trip here and puts humpbacks first, with penguins only a maybe.

Punta Arenas weather and the Magdalena penguin year

  • Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island
  1. Jan14°C high57 °F

    Fluffy chicks at the burrows, the fullest colony

  2. Feb14°C high57 °F

    Chicks growing fast, parents fishing in shifts

  3. Mar12°C high54 °F

    Molting adults, the last sailings

  4. Apr9°C high48 °F

    The colony heads out to sea

  5. May6°C high43 °F

    No penguin boats

  6. Jun4°C high39 °F

    Short, cold days in town

  7. Jul3°C high37 °F

    Midwinter, the burrows empty

  8. Aug5°C high41 °F

    Still winter on the strait

  9. Sep7°C high45 °F

    Windy spring, the birds not yet back

  10. Oct10°C high50 °F

    First arrivals clear out their burrows

  11. Nov12°C high54 °F

    Eggs laid, pairs swapping nest duty

  12. Dec13°C high55 °F

    Hatching time, daylight until late evening

Daytime highs in town are approximate, and the wind on deck and on the hill takes several degrees off them. The bars show roughly how busy the colony is; the boats run from about October to March. We would aim for the highlighted months. When the penguins are home.

Where the hours go

  • Getting there and back
  • With the wildlife
  • May run longer

Hours run from the start and come from the listings. How they split between travel and wildlife is our estimate, as is where the hour at the king penguin reserve falls. Go Patagonia's day runs to about 15 hours, slightly beyond the scale.

  1. Choose your boatA short speedboat ride with a bus at each end, or a longer catamaran from the pier in town. Speedboat or catamaran.
  2. Pick your weeksBoats sail from about October to March, and chicks usually appear from around December. The season.
  3. Leave a spare dayIf the westerly keeps the boats in port, you can rebook without losing the trip. When the strait closes.
  4. Pack for windA shell that blocks wind and rain, a warm layer under it and a hat that ties on. What to pack.

Bringing a camera? Our photo tips for the colony cover lenses, light and how to shoot burrows without leaning over the rope.

How to choose

Six things that decide your Magdalena boat

All three Magdalena tours land you on the same trail among the same birds. What separates them is the boat and where it leaves from, plus the extras and how many travelers have reviewed it.

Time on the water

About 45–50 minutes each way by speedboat, about an hour and a half by catamaran. The crossings compared.

Sea lions

Solo circles Marta Island on every trip, the Viator-only tour makes it an option, and Caminos skips it. What Marta adds.

Start point

Solo starts at its office with a bus to Laredo Bay; Caminos leaves Muelle Prat on the waterfront; the Viator-only tour's meeting point depends on the option you book.

Budget

~$160 for Solo, ~$170 for Caminos and ~$193 for the Viator-only tour, before tips and transfers. Every price in one table.

Track record

700+ reviews for Solo on GetYourGuide, 73 for Caminos, 10 for the Viator-only tour. More reviews means fewer surprises.

On the island

About an hour on an 800 m (half-mile) trail up to the lighthouse, whichever boat you take. The trail, step by step.

More things to do around Punta Arenas

The 5 tours

Three boats to Magdalena and two other days, side by side

We went through the Magdalena listings on GetYourGuide and Viator and left out the resellers of the same boats and the trips with poor scores. Every card names the operator and the catch next to the price and the length. A button for each site that sells it sits underneath.

Magellanic penguins on the beach slope of Magdalena Island with visitors on the trail behind them Our pick

Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island, Solo Expediciones

Our choice for a first visit to the colony.

Check in downtown, take a short bus to Laredo Bay and cross by speedboat in under an hour. You get about an hour on the Magdalena trail, then half an hour off Marta Island with the sea lions. Coffee and the island entry come with the fare.

  • Rating4.6 from 700+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 5 hours, from 6:30 am
  • Tour companySolo Expediciones
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before, pay later
  • StrengthsShortest crossing; Marta Island included; most reviews
  • Ideal forFirst-timers of any age who can walk a dirt trail

Good to know: Up to 60 people and no hotel pickup on the listing. Not suitable for wheelchair users or anyone with heart problems or limited mobility. The trail you will walk.

~$160per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Visitors walking the fenced trail on Magdalena Island with Magellanic penguins standing beside it From the town pier

Boat Trip to Magdalena Island and Walk with Penguins, Caminos Tours

The one you can walk to from a waterfront hotel.

A modern catamaran leaves Muelle Prat at 6:00 am or 12:30 pm and takes about 1 hour 30 minutes to cross. On the island you have about an hour on the 800 m (half-mile) trail to the lighthouse built in 1902, then the same crossing back.

  • Rating4.7 from 73 reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 5–6 hours, 6:00 am or 12:30 pm
  • Tour companyCaminos Tours
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsNo bus; an afternoon departure; a bilingual guide
  • Ideal forLate risers and travelers staying by the water

Good to know: Roughly three hours on the water in total, and the listing warns people prone to seasickness. There is no Marta Island and no food, and the hotel transfer costs extra. If the wind cancels.

~$170per person
GetYourGuide Viator
Magellanic penguins outside the white lighthouse building on Magdalena Island under a blue sky Sea lions your call

Magdalena Island Penguin Tour with Optional Marta Island Visit

For those who want to decide about the sea lions.

An early start and four to five hours in all. When you book you pick Magdalena alone or Magdalena plus Marta Island, and the meeting point depends on that choice. Island entry and taxes are in the price; the listing mentions sei whales and dolphins as possible on the strait.

  • Rating4.8 from 10 reviews on Viator
  • DurationAbout 4–5 hours
  • Tour companyNot named on the listing
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsMarta as your choice; entry fees included; a high score
  • Ideal forTravelers who booked their trip through Viator

Good to know: Sold on Viator only. The highest price of the three Magdalena boats, only 10 reviews so far, and neither the operator nor the boat is named, so check the meeting point twice. Is Marta for you?

~$193per person
Viator
A line of king penguins standing on green grass at the reserve in Tierra del Fuego Taller species

Full Day Tierra del Fuego & King Penguins, Go Patagonia

The taller cousins, a long ferry ride away.

Pickup at your hotel, a 2-hour ferry over the strait to Bahía Chilota, then on past Porvenir to the King Penguin reserve for about an hour. The way back runs through Cerro Sombrero and a short ferry at Primera Angostura.

  • Rating4.5 from 200+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 15 hours, with hotel pickup
  • Tour companyGo Patagonia
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsLowest price here; king penguins; hotel pickup
  • Ideal forPeople who have already seen Magellanic penguins

Good to know: Sold on GetYourGuide only. About an hour with the kings, seen from a distance, in a 15-hour day. Lunch is paid in cash; check the listing for the reserve entry. Magdalena or king penguins?

~$119per person
GetYourGuide
A humpback whale lifting its tail flukes out of the water with forested shore behind Top rated

Full-Day Whales and Glaciers Tour, Solo Expediciones

Humpbacks instead of the colony.

A bus around 4:00 am to a pier about 50 km (30 miles) south of town, then a boat past Cape Froward into the Francisco Coloane Marine Park. You spend hours with humpback whales and stop at a glacier. Meals and a snack are served on board.

  • Rating4.8 from 300+ reviews on GetYourGuide
  • DurationAbout 12 hours, from about 4:00 am
  • Tour companySolo Expediciones
  • Free cancellationUp to 24 hours before
  • StrengthsThe top score here; whales and a glacier; meals included
  • Ideal forTravelers with a second free day after Magdalena

Good to know: The highest price on this page, with up to 80 aboard. Mornings are often choppy. Penguins are possible but not promised, and late-season reviewers saw none, so it does not replace Magdalena. Whales or penguins?

~$365per person
GetYourGuide Viator

Straight up: these are GetYourGuide and Viator affiliate links. If you book through one we earn a small commission, which costs you nothing and has no say in the order above.

Before you go

Eight things the Magdalena listings leave in small print

None of these makes the headline of a booking page, yet each one can turn a good penguin morning into a cold, wet one, or a wasted one.

What you should know

  1. Sailings depend on the wind. Both main Magdalena listings say so, and the strait can turn rough within hours. Book the boat for your first full day in town. Your options after a cancellation.
  2. The speedboat comes with a bus. Solo's trip spends about half an hour on the road each way between the office and Laredo Bay, and drops you at the main square, not your hotel.
  3. The catamaran's transfer is extra. Caminos leaves from Muelle Prat on the waterfront, and a ride there from your hotel is not in the fare. The full costs.
  4. Marta Island is not on every boat. Solo always includes it, the Viator-only tour sells it as an option, Caminos never goes. What you see there.
  5. The trail is the only place you may walk. Ropes keep visitors to one path through the burrows, and the penguins cross it at will. Stop and let them go first.
  6. Seasickness is the commonest complaint. Caminos' listing warns people prone to it, and the speedboat bounces in wind. Take a tablet before you board, not once you feel it.
  7. Mornings start early. Solo checks in at 6:30 am per Viator and Caminos sails at 6:00 am. Only Caminos' 12:30 pm catamaran lets you sleep in.
  8. Bring your own water and snacks. No listing promises food on the island, and the catamaran includes none. Eat before you go. The packing list.

Everything in one table

Five tours from Punta Arenas, catch included

The same five trips in one table, each strength set against its weak spot.

Swipe the table sideways to see all columns →

Tour Ideal for Price Length Starts from Tour company and rating Strength and catch Book
Solo Expediciones, Magdalena and Marta (our pick) A first visit to the colony ~$160per person About 5 h José Nogueira 1255, 6:30 am Solo Expediciones
4.6 on GetYourGuide		 Shortest crossing, Marta sea lions. Up to 60 aboard, a bus each way.
GetYourGuideViator
Caminos Tours catamaran Late risers, no bus ~$170per person About 5–6 h Muelle Prat, 6:00 am or 12:30 pm Caminos Tours
4.7 on GetYourGuide		 Sails from the waterfront. Twice as long on the water, no Marta.
GetYourGuideViator
Viator-only Magdalena tour, Marta optional Choosing on Marta yourself ~$193per person About 4–5 h Depends on the option booked Not named
4.8 on Viator		 Entry fees included, high score. Only 10 reviews, the priciest Magdalena boat.
Viator
Go Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego king penguins King penguins on a budget ~$119per person About 15 h Hotel pickup Go Patagonia
4.5 on GetYourGuide		 Lowest price, a big car ferry. About an hour with the kings, from a distance.
GetYourGuide
Solo Expediciones whales and glaciers Whales on a second day ~$365per person About 12 h Solo office, about 4:00 am Solo Expediciones
4.8 on GetYourGuide		 Humpbacks, a glacier, meals on board. Highest price; penguins not promised.
GetYourGuideViator

Prices are regular "from" rates per person in US dollars and move with the date. The booking page always has the final figure.

Who went

What travelers said after the crossing

Fourteen people, some on a glassy strait and some soaked by spray, on what worked for them and what they would change.

★★★★★Speedboat, Magdalena + Marta

I had read that the speedboat can be bumpy, so I sat at the back and it was fine. Laredo Bay to the island took about three quarters of an hour, and the guide had us off the boat and on the trail within minutes. A penguin stood at the mouth of its burrow, close enough that I could hear it calling to its mate, and our guide waited until it had crossed before we moved on. The sea lions on Marta were loud and smelly, and my teenage son loved every second of it.

HBHannah B. · Leeds, UKCalm crossing
★★★★★Speedboat, Magdalena + Marta

Penguins on both sides of the path, the red lighthouse on the hill, and hot coffee on the way back.

DSDaniel S. · Lyon, FranceCalm crossing
★★★★☆Speedboat, Magdalena + Marta

The boat waited at the pier for a while because of the wind, and nobody told us much. Once we sailed it was a rough ride out, but the hour on Magdalena was everything I hoped for.

YOYuki O. · Osaka, JapanWind and spray
★★★★★Speedboat, Magdalena + Marta

We almost skipped Marta Island to save time. Glad we did not: hundreds of sea lions on the rocks, and cormorants everywhere.

MGMartina G. · Córdoba, ArgentinaCalm crossing
★★★★★Speedboat, Magdalena + Marta

Check-in at the office near the main square was quick, even at that hour. On the island we went slowly along the ropes and the guide pointed out skuas waiting for an easy meal near the burrows. Dolphins followed the boat for a minute on the way home.

BWBen W. · Denver, USACalm crossing
★★★★★Catamaran from Muelle Prat

We picked the afternoon catamaran because we arrived in Punta Arenas the same morning. The pier is right on the waterfront, so we walked there from the hotel. The crossing was long but the cabin was warm, and on the island the light was low and golden for the walk to the lighthouse.

IKIngrid K. · Bergen, NorwayCalm crossing
★★★★☆Catamaran from Muelle Prat

An hour and a half each way is a lot when the strait is choppy. Bring something for seasickness and your own snacks.

TMTomás M. · Valencia, SpainWind and spray
★★★★★Catamaran from Muelle Prat

The WhatsApp message with the boarding pass arrived the evening before, with clear instructions for Muelle Prat. We boarded the 6:00 am catamaran in the dark and watched the sky brighten over the strait on the way out. On Magdalena the trail climbs gently to the lighthouse, and penguins kept stepping out of their burrows right beside the rope. A few chicks were peeking out too. We were back in town for a late breakfast with the whole day still ahead of us.

GAGrace A. · Auckland, New ZealandCalm crossing
★★★★★Magdalena, Marta optional

Great guide, and we chose the Marta option. Read the meeting point twice when you book, it depends on the option.

RPRohan P. · Bangalore, IndiaCalm crossing
★★★★★Magdalena, Marta optional

There were only ten reviews when I booked, so I was a little nervous. It turned out well: a friendly crew, plenty of time with the penguins, and a group of dolphins on the crossing.

CFClaire F. · Brussels, BelgiumCalm crossing
★★★★★King penguins by ferry

We had already seen Magellanic penguins on Magdalena the day before, so the king penguins were the point of this trip. Pickup at the hotel was on time, and the big car ferry was a calm two hours. At the reserve the kings stood together some distance from the viewing area, so my binoculars were passed around the whole group. Lunch was paid in cash on the way back. Fifteen hours is long, but seeing both species in two days was worth planning for.

LHLukas H. · Zurich, SwitzerlandCalm crossing
★★★★☆King penguins by ferry

A long day in the van for about an hour with the penguins. They were beautiful, but bring a long lens.

SASara A. · Gothenburg, SwedenWind and spray
★★★★★Whales and glaciers, 12 h

The 4 am start hurt. Then a humpback surfaced next to the boat and I forgot all about it.

OMOlivia M. · Toronto, CanadaCalm crossing
★★★★★Whales and glaciers, 12 h

We went for the whales and were not disappointed: several humpbacks feeding in the marine park, close enough to hear them breathe. The glacier afterwards was a calm, quiet end to the day. Breakfast and lunch on board were generous. We did not see penguins on this trip, but we had already done Magdalena earlier in the week, which I would recommend to anyone who wants both.

FRFelipe R. · Santiago, ChileCalm crossing

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Hat tied on

Book Solo Expediciones for Magdalena Island

If you are in Punta Arenas between about October and March, this is the morning we would plan around. The speedboat gets you to the colony fast, the hour on the trail is unhurried, and Marta's sea lions round it off before lunch.

Reserve your seat now and pay closer to the date. Cancelling stays free until 24 hours before, so the wind forecast can have the last word.

~$160

per person · about 5 hours · from the city center

GetYourGuide Viator
  • ✓ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before
  • ✓ Reserve now, pay later
  • ✓ Island entry and coffee included
  • ✓ The Marta Island sea lions on the way home

Good to know

The island, the burrows and the birds that own them

A few minutes of background turns the holes in the ground, the birds standing beside them and the traffic down to the shore into a story you can follow.

Magdalena Island lies in the Strait of Magellan north-east of Punta Arenas. Each spring the Magellanic penguins come back to breed there in the tens of thousands, and Solo Expediciones' listing calls it the second-largest Magellanic colony in South America.

01A protected monument

The island is the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument. Visitors stay on one roped trail that climbs to a red-and-white lighthouse dating from 1902, and the rest of the ground belongs to the birds. Walking the trail.

02Homes dug into the soil

Magellanic penguins nest underground, in burrows they dig and reuse. Most pairs come back to the same hole each spring and start clearing it out from about October. Every dark opening you pass is somebody's nest.

03Shifts at the nest

The two parents share the work, one sitting on the eggs while the other goes fishing. Chicks usually hatch around December, so January and February bring the busiest scenes at the burrows. The season in detail.

Most people remember one moment best: standing still on the trail while a penguin decides, with no hurry at all, to cross in front of them.

04The commute to the sea

The parent off duty heads down to the water, so a steady line of birds walks between the burrows and the beach all day. Late in the season the adults molt, and by about April most have gone to sea.

05Neighbors on Marta Island

A short way off, Marta Island is home to South American sea lions and nesting cormorants. Boats watch from the water; nobody lands. The Marta loop.

06Trail manners

Penguins always have right of way. Give them space and keep voices low near the burrows. Never touch or feed one. Caminos' rules also ban drones on the island. Photographing without disturbing.

60,000+Magellanic penguins, per Solo's listing

800 mThe trail to the lighthouse, per Caminos

Oct to MarRoughly when the boats sail

1902The year the lighthouse was built

Wondering whether to swap the colony for a different penguin? Magdalena or king penguins sets out the trade.

Questions and answers

Frequently asked questions about Magdalena Island penguin tours

Fourteen questions people ask before booking, answered in full.

How much does a Magdalena Island penguin tour cost?

From ~$160 per person with Solo Expediciones, ~$170 with Caminos Tours and ~$193 for the Viator-only tour. Tips, a hotel transfer to the pier and anything to eat come on top. Every price and extra is in our cost guide.

Which Magdalena tour should I book?

For most people, Solo Expediciones' speedboat, because the crossing is short, Marta Island's sea lions are included and it has by far the most reviews. Late risers and anyone staying near the waterfront do well with Caminos' 12:30 pm catamaran.

When can you visit Magdalena Island?

Roughly from October to March, while the penguins breed. Chicks usually hatch around December, so January and February tend to be the liveliest weeks. From about April to September the colony is at sea and no penguin boats run. The season.

How long is the tour, and how long on the island?

About five hours with Solo, five to six with Caminos and four to five on the Viator-only tour. On every one you spend roughly an hour on the island, walking the trail up to the lighthouse and back.

How close do you get to the penguins?

Very close. The trail runs between ropes with burrows on both sides, and penguins often walk across it in front of you. You stop and let them pass, and never touch or feed them.

What happens if the wind cancels the boat?

The Magdalena listings say the trip depends on the weather. Caminos offers a new date or an immediate refund if it cancels. Book the crossing early in your stay so a lost day can be made up. When the strait closes.

Is Marta Island worth adding?

If you like sea lions and seabirds, yes. Solo's boat spends about 30 minutes off Marta, where the listing counts over 1,000 sea lions, and the Viator-only tour sells it as an option. You watch from the boat and do not land. The Marta loop.

Will I get seasick?

Possibly, on a windy day. Caminos' listing says its catamaran does not suit people prone to seasickness, and the speedboat bounces in chop. Take a tablet before boarding and sit near the back.

Can children and people with limited mobility join?

Solo's listing excludes wheelchair users and people with heart problems or limited mobility, and the trail is dirt on a windy hill. Children who can walk an hour outdoors usually manage; check each listing for age rules.

What should I wear and bring?

A windproof, waterproof jacket over a warm layer, with a hat that ties on. Add gloves and shoes with grip. Solo's list adds sun protection and your passport or ID. Bring water and a snack. The full packing list.

Can I see king penguins on the same trip?

No. King penguins live in Tierra del Fuego, a 15-hour day by ferry and van. Do Magdalena first, since the wind can move it, and the king-penguin day on another date. The two compared.

Do the Magdalena tours pick you up at your hotel?

Not as standard. Solo's tour starts at its office on José Nogueira and ends at the main square, and Caminos sails from Muelle Prat with the hotel transfer sold as an extra. The Viator-only tour names its meeting point per option.

Is food served on the boat or the island?

Solo includes a coffee service on board, and reviewers mention snacks. Caminos' catamaran includes no food or drink, and no listing promises anything to buy on the island. Eat breakfast first and carry water.

Can I cancel for free?

Yes. All five tours on this page can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 hours before, and Solo's Magdalena trip can be reserved now and paid later on GetYourGuide.

Read before you travel

Guides to Magdalena Island and its penguins

Ten questions that come up before almost every booking, each with the long answer.