Both penguin species in 48 hours from Punta Arenas
From Punta Arenas you can see Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island one day and king penguins in Tierra del Fuego the next. The two trips do not fit into a single date, and the order you do them in matters more than it seems. This plan sets out both days, the reason the boat goes first, and what the pair costs.
Why two days, not one
The two colonies sit in very different places. Magellanic penguins nest on Magdalena Island in the strait, while the king penguins live in a reserve across the water in Tierra del Fuego.
The Magdalena trips start at 6:00 am or 6:30 am, and the Tierra del Fuego tours pick up at 7:00 am and return late in the evening. No tour combines them, so the plan takes two full days at least.
Our guide to the two species helps if you are still choosing one of them. This page is for people who want both.
Day one, the boat to Magdalena Island
Start with the boat. Solo Expediciones' speedboat trip from ~$160 begins at 6:30 am at its office on José Nogueira, two blocks from Plaza de Armas, and you are back around midday after about 5 hours.
Those hours include a bus of about 30 minutes to Laredo Bay, a speedboat ride of about 45–50 minutes in each direction, an hour on foot beside the burrows and a slow circuit by boat around Marta Island to watch its sea lions. The afternoon is then yours.
Late risers can take Caminos Tours' catamaran from ~$170 at 12:30 pm from Muelle Prat instead, back about 6:30 pm. It spends about 1 hour 30 minutes each way on the water and skips Marta Island.
Either way the hour ashore follows the same trail to the lighthouse. Our walk guide covers what you see along it and the rules for giving penguins room.
Day two, the king penguins of Tierra del Fuego
The second day is the long one. Caminos Tours' small group picks you up at your hotel in the urban area at 7:00 am, crosses the strait by ferry to Porvenir and drives on to the King Penguin reserve.
The group is capped at 13, and the way home crosses at Punta Delgada, where the strait is at its narrowest. Expect to be back late in the evening, with most of the day spent on the road and the ferry.
Ferry and boat tickets are included, but the reserve gate charges 18,000 Chilean pesos for entry (cash or card). Food is not included, so buy a packed lunch and snacks in town the afternoon before.
Go Patagonia's day from ~$119 costs less and lasts about 15 hours in all. Lunch is paid in cash in Porvenir or Cerro Sombrero, and our king penguin guide compares the two days stop by stop.
The small group for day two
Caminos Tours keeps its Tierra del Fuego day to 13 people, with a 7:00 am hotel pickup and the ferry tickets in the fare. Budget for the reserve entry on top.
Why the boat goes first
Order matters more than people expect. The Magdalena crossing depends on the wind, and if it is cancelled on day one, you can move it to day three or swap it with the ferry day while the change is still free.
Put the long ferry day first and a cancelled boat on day two leaves no second chance. The guide to wind and cancellations explains what each operator does for you when a sailing is called off.
The half-day boat also leaves a free afternoon to rest, buy lunch for the next day and get cash. That makes it a gentler start before a long day of van and ferry.
A third day for the whales
Anyone with one more day can add Solo Expediciones' whale and glacier cruise from ~$365. It starts around 4:00 am and runs about 12 hours, past Cape Froward to the Francisco Coloane Marine Park, where humpbacks feed.
Magellanic penguins are possible on that cruise but not promised. Reviewers who sailed in March and April saw none. Treat it as a whale day, and read the whale cruise guide before counting on it as a penguin backup.
Avoid putting it the morning after the ferry day. A 4:00 am start after a late return makes for a short night, so leave a day between the two if you can.
What the plan costs
The table adds up the regular "from" prices per person. The listing price can shift with the date you pick, so check the booking page for the exact figure on your date.
| Plan | Day one | Day two | Paid on top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small group | ~$160 | ~$140 | Reserve entry of 18,000 Chilean pesos, packed lunch |
| Lower fare | ~$160 | ~$119 | Lunch in cash; check the listing for the entry |
| Afternoon boat | ~$170 | ~$140 | Optional hotel transfer, entry, lunch |
| Add the whales | ~$365 | Third day | Meals included on the cruise |
Beyond the fares, budget for lunch on the ferry day and cash for the reserve. Tips and seasickness tablets add a little more. Our price guide breaks the extras down tour by tour.
Packing for two different days
The boat day calls for a windproof shell over warm layers and shoes with grip for the dirt trail. The ferry day adds snacks and cash. Binoculars or a long lens help too, since the king penguins stay some way off.
Our clothing guide covers both days in detail. Both mornings start early, and both end with you tired and windblown. Lay out the next morning's kit before dinner, because neither early start leaves time to hunt for gloves.