Magellanics on Magdalena Island or king penguins in Tierra del Fuego
From Punta Arenas you can see two kinds of penguin on two very different days out. Magdalena Island puts you on a trail through a huge Magellanic colony and has you back by lunch, while the king penguin trip fills 15 hours for about an hour at a small colony. The sections below compare the two and suggest who should pick which.
Two penguins, two different days
Most visitors to Punta Arenas come for one penguin trip, and the choice is between two birds that look and live nothing alike. The Magellanics nest by the tens of thousands on Magdalena Island, a short boat ride away in the strait.
The king penguins stand on the far side of the strait in Tierra del Fuego. Reaching them takes a ferry and a long drive, so the trip swallows a whole day for a short visit.
The Magellanics of Magdalena Island
Magellanic penguins are medium-sized birds with black bands across a white chest. On Magdalena they nest in burrows dug into the slopes, and Solo Expediciones' listing counts the colony as the second largest of its kind in South America.
Numbers run to tens of thousands of birds, and the marked trail passes right between the burrows. Penguins cross the path in front of you and you wait for them to go by, which is the closest view either trip offers.
The whole outing takes about 5 to 6 hours from town and back. Solo Expediciones' speedboat tour from ~$160 adds a loop around Marta Island's sea lions, and Caminos Tours' catamaran sails straight from the pier in the city.
Our list has three Magdalena boats from ~$160 to ~$193. The speedboat or catamaran guide explains how their crossings differ. Each one lands you for about an hour on the island before the trip back.
The king penguins of Tierra del Fuego
King penguins are the second-largest penguin species after the emperor, and much taller than the Magellanics. They carry bright orange patches on the neck and head, which makes them the more striking bird in a photo.
They live at the King Penguin reserve, Parque Pingüino Rey, which Go Patagonia's listing calls the only king penguin colony in South America. It is a small group, and visitors watch from a distance rather than walking among the birds.
That distance shapes the experience. A phone shows a row of upright figures with orange markings. Binoculars or a long lens bring out the detail if that matters to you.
How the 15-hour day runs
Go Patagonia's full day at ~$119 is the cheapest trip on our list and rates 4.5 from 200+ reviews on GetYourGuide. It starts with a hotel pickup and a ferry of about 2 hours across the strait to Bahía Chilota, near Porvenir.
From the ferry the van drives on to the reserve, where the group spends about an hour with the penguins. Lunch is paid on the day in cash, so carry Chilean pesos.
The way back runs past Cerro Sombrero to a short ferry at Primera Angostura, then on to Punta Arenas late in the evening. Whether the reserve entry is in the fare is not clear from the listing, so check the listing before you book.
Much of the day passes in the van and on deck, with the open steppe of Tierra del Fuego rolling past the windows. Bring water and a snack for the ferry legs.
For the orange-necked giants
Go Patagonia collects you at your hotel, crosses the strait by ferry and gives you about an hour at the reserve. Pack cash for lunch and expect a long day in the van.
Side by side
| Magdalena Island | King penguin reserve | |
|---|---|---|
| From (per person) | ~$160 | ~$119 |
| Length of the trip | About 5 to 6 hours | About 15 hours |
| Time with penguins | About 1 hour on foot | About 1 hour |
| How close | Birds beside and across the trail | Watched from a distance |
| Colony | Tens of thousands of Magellanics | A small group of kings |
| Getting there | Boat across the strait | Van and two ferries |
The fare gap looks small, but the hours do not. Magdalena gives you the afternoon free in town, while the king penguin day leaves you back at the hotel ready for bed. Our price guide adds up the extras on both.
Who should pick which
Pick Magdalena if you want to be among penguins, with birds a step away and a colony that stretches up the hill. It also suits families with children, since the outing ends by early afternoon.
Pick the king penguins if you have already seen Magellanics elsewhere, or if the taller, more colorful bird is the one you came for. You need patience for the van, though, plus a tolerance for long hours in a seat.
Timing matters as well, since Magdalena works only while the Magellanics breed, roughly October to March. Our season guide explains which weeks bring chicks. Check the king penguin listing for the dates it runs.
Doing both on two days
With two free days in Punta Arenas, you can do both trips. Book Magdalena first, because the wind on the strait can push a crossing back, and a second day leaves room for a new date.
If the boat sails on day one, take the king penguin trip the next morning. If wind cancels it, do the king penguins first and try Magdalena again after the long day, as our guide to a cancelled crossing describes.
The ferry to Tierra del Fuego is a large car ferry, but it too depends on the weather. Pack for wind and spray on both days with the help of our packing guide.