What a Magdalena Island penguin tour costs, extras included
Three boats cross from Punta Arenas to the penguins of Magdalena Island, priced from ~$160 to ~$193 per person. Two longer days compete with them, a king-penguin trip at ~$119 and a whale cruise at ~$365. Below are all five side by side, then the small costs the fares leave out.
Five tours in one table
The table puts the five tours from our home page next to each other at their regular "from" price per person. The figure moves a little with the date you choose, so open the booking page for your own day before you plan around it.
| Tour | From | Length | Transport | Group | Start point | Listing includes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo Expediciones, Magdalena and Marta (our pick) | ~$160 | 5 h | Bus to Laredo Bay, then a speedboat | Up to 60 | Solo office, José Nogueira 1255 | Boat, coffee service, bilingual guide, island entry |
| Caminos Tours, Magdalena catamaran | ~$170 | 5–6 h | Catamaran from the town pier | Up to 50 | Muelle Prat, 6:00 am or 12:30 pm | Boat, guided walk, bilingual guide |
| Viator-only Magdalena tour, Marta optional | ~$193 | 4–5 h | Boat not named on the listing | Not stated | Depends on the option you book | Taxes and fees, Magdalena entry, Marta entry if chosen |
| Go Patagonia, Tierra del Fuego king penguins | ~$119 | 15 h | Van and two ferries | Not stated | Hotel pickup | Transport and pickup; check the listing for the reserve entry |
| Solo Expediciones, whales and glaciers | ~$365 | 12 h | Bus, then a boat | Up to 80 | Early start, 4:00 am on Viator | Breakfast, lunch, snack, coffee |
All five cancel free up to 24 hours before the start. On a strait where the wind decides which boats leave the pier, that flexibility counts for more than a few dollars between two similar fares.
Three boats to the same colony
Three of the five trips cross to Magdalena Island, and each gives you roughly an hour ashore among the Magellanic penguins. The gap in price between them is wider than the gap in what you see on the island.
Solo Expediciones' speedboat trip at ~$160 is the cheapest of the three and the only one with Marta Island built into every departure. Past guests give it 4.6 on GetYourGuide (700+ reviews) and 4.5 on Viator (100+).
Caminos Tours' catamaran at ~$170 boards at Muelle Prat in town, and each leg of its crossing takes about 1 hour 30 minutes. It visits Magdalena only and holds 4.7 from 73 reviews on GetYourGuide.
The Viator-only Magdalena tour at ~$193 costs the most of the three. Marta Island is an option you choose when booking, and the listing names neither the operator nor the boat. It shows 4.8 from 10 reviews.
Our speedboat and catamaran comparison goes through the two crossings in detail. If the sea lions interest you, the Marta Island guide explains what the extra half hour adds, and on this route the cheapest fare happens to be the fullest one.
The lowest Magdalena fare, sea lions included
Five hours with Solo Expediciones, a guided walk among the burrows and a slow loop past Marta Island. Coffee on board and the island entry come with the ticket.
What the boat fares cover
Solo's listing includes the boat and coffee service, a bilingual guide in English and Spanish, and entry to the island. Reviewers also mention hot drinks and snacks on board, which helps on a cold morning crossing.
Caminos lists the boat and a guided walk with a bilingual guide. Meals and drinks are not included. Tips are extra too, and the listing sells the hotel transfer separately.
The Viator-only tour includes taxes and fees plus entry to Magdalena Island, and entry to Marta if you pick that option. Its meeting point changes with the option you choose, so read your confirmation closely.
Extras the fares leave out
The ticket is rarely the whole bill for a penguin morning. Most of the small costs depend on which boat you choose and where you sleep in Punta Arenas.
- The hotel transfer on Caminos' catamaran, sold as an extra on the listing
- A taxi to Solo's office at José Nogueira 1255 if your hotel is far from the main square, since the Viator listing gives a 6:30 am start
- Tips for the guide, which Caminos lists as not included
- Seasickness tablets, bought in town the day before if the strait worries you
- Breakfast before you leave, because none of the three boat fares lists a meal
None of these is large on its own. Together they shape the price of the day more than the few dollars between two headline fares, so add them up before you choose.
Two long days at both ends of the price range
Go Patagonia's Tierra del Fuego day at ~$119 is the lowest fare on this site and the longest day, about 15 hours with hotel pickup. It crosses the strait on a 2-hour ferry to reach the king penguins at Parque Pingüino Rey.
Lunch is paid on the day, in cash. Whether the fare covers entry to the reserve is not clear from the listing, so check it before you book and carry some Chilean pesos either way.
Solo Expediciones' whale and glacier cruise at ~$365 costs the most by a wide margin. It runs about 12 hours from a 4:00 am start. The price covers breakfast and lunch, plus a snack with coffee.
Counted per hour, both long days cost less than a Magdalena boat. Neither replaces it if you came for Magellanic penguins in large numbers. Read Magdalena or king penguins and whales or penguins before spending the bigger sums.
Same tour, two prices
Our pick sits on both GetYourGuide and Viator, and the two sites do not always agree. Viator shows a lower "from" figure for it on some dates, while GetYourGuide lets you reserve now and pay later.
The booking box above has both buttons side by side. Open both for your date and compare the final totals, then take the cheaper one or the one that lets you pay later if your plans may shift.
Caminos' catamaran also has a Viator twin, but with only 3 reviews there. Its GetYourGuide listing carries most of its track record, so that is where to read what past guests said.
Keeping the money safe
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure applies to all five tours. Book early in your stay so a crossing cancelled by wind can move to a spare day, and our guide to cancelled crossings covers what happens then.
Penguin boats sail only during the season, roughly October to March. The best time to book guide shows which weeks put the most chicks beside the trail, and the packing list keeps you from buying a hat at the pier.