The Marta Island sea lions on a Magdalena penguin tour
Marta Island is a small rock in the Strait of Magellan, a short ride from Magdalena, where sea lions haul out by the hundred. Solo Expediciones' penguin tour circles it for about half an hour on every trip, while Caminos' catamaran skips it. The sections below cover what the detour adds and whether you need it.
What the Marta loop is
After the hour on Magdalena Island, Solo Expediciones' speedboat heads for Marta Island and spends about 30 minutes around it. You watch from the boat, because there is no landing on Marta.
The boat slows near the shore and moves along the rocks so both sides of the deck get a view. Then it turns back toward Laredo Bay, and the bus returns you to Punta Arenas within the 5 hours the tour lasts.
For many visitors it turns a penguin morning into a broader day on the strait. For others it is a pleasant extra after the main event, and nothing more.
Over 1,000 sea lions on the rocks
Solo's listing counts over 1,000 South American sea lions on Marta. They pile onto the rocks at the waterline, the big males with heavy manes standing out from the smaller females.
Expect movement as well as lounging. Animals slide in and out of the water and argue over space while calling to each other. Young ones play in the shallows close to the boat.
Elephant seals turn up on occasion as well. Treat them as a bonus if you see one, since the listing makes no promise about them.
Birds around the rock
Marta is a seabird island too. The listing names cormorants and skuas as well as kelp gulls and southern giant petrels. The cormorants often crowd the higher ledges above the sea lions.
Giant petrels are the big brown birds gliding low over the water, and they are worth pointing out to anyone with binoculars. Skuas, already seen over the penguin colony, patrol here as well.
Dolphins and rarer visitors on the crossing
The ride between the islands passes through open water where Peale's dolphins and Commerson's dolphins are possible. The black-and-white Commerson's sometimes ride the bow wave of a moving boat.
Sei whales pass through the strait too, though only rarely on these short trips. Our whales or penguins guide compares the 12-hour cruise built around them, if whales are your goal.
Penguins first, then the sea lions
Solo Expediciones combines the walk on Magdalena with the half-hour loop around Marta Island on every departure, coffee on board included.
Smell and noise from the colony
A colony of over a thousand sea lions announces itself before you are close. The smell is strong when the wind blows from the rock, and the barking carries across the water.
Most people find both part of the fun after a minute or two. If you are sensitive to strong smells, stand upwind on the deck, or at least away from the side facing the colony.
The boat moves slowly here, but the strait still throws spray when the wind is up. Keep a windproof layer on and a cloth handy for your lens, as our packing list for the island suggests.
Which tours include Marta
Solo Expediciones' Magdalena and Marta trip at ~$160 includes the loop on every departure, and it is also the cheapest of the three Magdalena boats. It holds 4.6 from 700+ reviews on GetYourGuide.
The Viator-only Magdalena tour at ~$193 makes Marta an option you choose when booking, with entry included if you pick it. Its meeting point changes with the option, so check which one your booking shows.
Caminos Tours' catamaran at ~$170 goes to Magdalena only. On that boat you see penguins and the lighthouse but no sea lion colony. Our speedboat and catamaran comparison lays out the rest of the difference.
Seeing it well from the deck
The boat turns so that both sides face the rocks at some point, but the outer rail still gives the clearest view. Move to it early, and give up your spot after a few minutes so others get their turn.
A short zoom lens or a phone at full zoom is enough for the colony. The boat is moving and rocking, so a fast shutter speed matters more than a long lens, as our photo tips for the colony explain.
Binoculars help most with the birds on the higher ledges and with telling the different gulls apart. If you have a pair, bring them; this is the part of the day where they earn their place in the bag.
Keep one hand on the rail when the swell picks up. Children should stay close to an adult while the boat circles the rocks.
How the loop fits the day
Marta comes after Magdalena, so you reach the penguins first while you are fresh. By the time you reach the sea lions, the boat is already on its way back toward the mainland.
The half hour does not stretch the day much. Solo's whole trip still fits into about 5 hours, including the bus to Laredo Bay and back to the main square, so you are free by early afternoon on the morning departures.
Who should care, and who can skip it
- Families with children, who often enjoy the noisy, busy sea lions as much as the penguins
- Photographers who want a second subject and different light on the water
- Anyone with a single morning for wildlife in Punta Arenas
- Bird watchers hoping for petrels and cormorants at close range
You can skip Marta if you get seasick easily, since it adds time on the water, or if you prefer the afternoon catamaran. You lose nothing on Magdalena itself; the lighthouse trail walk is the same on every boat.
Price makes the choice simple on this route, because the tour with Marta costs less than the one without. The full price comparison shows the three Magdalena fares side by side.