An hour on the Magdalena Island penguin trail
Every penguin boat from Punta Arenas comes down to one hour on foot on Magdalena Island. You walk a roped trail through a colony of tens of thousands of Magellanic penguins, up a low hill to a lighthouse, with birds crossing in front of you. This is what that hour is like and how to make the most of it.
Landing on a protected island
Magdalena Island lies in the Strait of Magellan north-east of Punta Arenas and is protected as the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument. The time ashore on both tours is about an hour.
A bilingual guide walks with the group in English and Spanish. Questions about the birds are welcome, and the guide also keeps the group moving so the boat leaves on schedule.
That hour feels short once you are among the birds. The boat crew sets the pace for the return, so you walk the trail at the guide's rhythm, with little time to wander.
The trail between the burrows
Caminos Tours' listing puts the marked trail at about 800 m (half a mile), running from the landing up to the lighthouse and back. Ropes or low fences mark the path, and the burrows sit on both sides.
The ground is a dirt track with a gentle climb, fine for most walkers but not for wheelchairs. Solo Expediciones' listing says the trip does not suit people with mobility impairments or heart problems.
Many burrows are only a step or two from the rope. You will see penguins standing at the entrance with heads tilted, or lying half inside with only a beak showing.
Giving way to the penguins
Penguins cross the trail constantly on their way between burrow and shore. When one steps onto the path you stop and let it pass, however long it takes.
The rules are simple. Touching and feeding are banned, and you keep your distance inside the ropes. Caminos also bans drones on the island.
Crouching still beside the rope often brings the birds closer than chasing a shot. A penguin that feels unhurried will often walk past a few steps away.
Magellanic penguins return to the same burrow each spring and both parents take turns at the nest. Later in the summer you may see gray, fluffy chicks waiting at the entrances, as our season guide explains.
How many penguins live here
The figures depend on who you ask. Solo Expediciones' listing says over 60,000 Magellanic penguins in its highlights and more than 120,000 returning each year in its description.
Whatever the exact count, it is tens of thousands of birds. Solo's listing calls it the second-largest Magellanic colony in South America.
Caminos Tours' listing speaks of 60,000 pairs instead. Treat any single figure loosely. The listings disagree, and none says who did the counting.
Photos without rushing
An hour sounds like plenty until you stop at every burrow. Take your wide shots of the colony on the way up, then save the lighthouse for the top, where most groups pause.
Cold drains phone batteries fast in the wind. Keep the phone in an inside pocket between shots, and carry a spare battery if you rely on it for the whole morning.
Lower your camera to penguin height rather than shooting down from standing. A shot at eye level, with the strait behind, says far more about the place than a view of the tops of heads.
The lighthouse and the windy hilltop
The red-and-white lighthouse at the top of the hill was built in 1902 and is the landmark of the walk. Penguins gather on the slope below it, which makes it the classic photo of the island.
From the top you look out over the strait and the colony spread below. This is also where the wind hits hardest, so keep your hat pulled down and your camera strap around your wrist.
Walk the colony, then meet the sea lions
Solo Expediciones lands you for a guided hour on Magdalena Island, then circles Marta Island past its sea lions. Bilingual guide and island entry included.
Penguins are not the only birds on the island. Kelp gulls and skuas patrol the colony looking for unguarded eggs or chicks, and watching a skua work the slope shows how exposed the nests are.
The hill has no shelter from the wind, which can make a mild day feel cold. A windproof layer and gloves make the hour far more pleasant, and our guide on what to wear goes into detail.
What to bring ashore
Travel light, since there is nowhere to leave a bag on the trail. You carry everything for the hour, and Solo's boat does not take big luggage.
- Water, and a breakfast eaten before you leave
- A windproof and waterproof jacket
- A hat that stays on and warm gloves
- Shoes with grip for a dirt trail
- Sunglasses and sunscreen, which are on Solo's list
- Passport or ID, also on Solo's list
A phone camera works well here since the birds come close; a zoom helps only for the shore. If you also want to see king penguins, read our guide to the two species.
Which boat gets you there
Solo Expediciones' trip from ~$160 crosses by speedboat from Laredo Bay and adds the Marta Island sea lions. Caminos Tours' catamaran from ~$170 leaves from the pier in town, with a 12:30 pm sailing for late risers.
Both give you roughly the same hour on the trail. Our boat comparison covers the crossings, and the price guide sets them against the other penguin days.