Packing for the wind on a Punta Arenas penguin tour
Penguin season in Punta Arenas is summer on the calendar and autumn on the skin. The air is cool, the wind on the Strait of Magellan rarely stops, and rain can blow in sideways and leave again within the hour. Good layers and shoes make the Magdalena boat and the long Tierra del Fuego days comfortable, and a few small things in the bag help too.
Cool summers and a wind off the strait
The penguin months fall in the southern summer, yet a summer day in Punta Arenas is often around 10–15 °C (50–59 °F). That reads mild on paper, but the wind rarely drops and carries the cold straight through a cotton sweater.
On the water the effect grows, and the hill on Magdalena Island is open on every side. Rain can arrive sideways and clear again within the hour, so dress for the worst ten minutes of the day rather than for the forecast at breakfast.
The Strait of Magellan joins two oceans, and weather moves through it fast. A clear sunrise at the pier tells you little about the sky an hour later on the island.
Layers that work on a speedboat
Dress in layers you can add or peel off without undressing on deck. Start with a thin base layer and a warm fleece or light down jacket. Over both goes a shell that stops the wind and the rain.
The shell matters most. A windproof, waterproof jacket with a hood that cinches tight keeps you warmer than a thick coat that lets the gusts in. Waterproof trousers help on a wet crossing and on a drizzly walk.
Solo Expediciones crosses by speedboat in about 45–50 minutes from Laredo Bay, and spray reaches the deck when the strait is choppy. Caminos Tours' catamaran takes about 1 hour 30 minutes each way from Muelle Prat. Our speedboat and catamaran comparison covers both rides.
Leave cotton at the hotel. Once it gets damp from spray or drizzle it stays cold for the rest of the day. Wool and synthetic fabrics keep some warmth when wet.
Covering your head and hands
A hat that stays on in a gust earns its place in the bag. A beanie that covers your ears beats a cap, and a hood pulled over it works better still. Wind on the lighthouse hill can lift a loose hat clean off.
Gloves are the item people most often forget in summer. Thin ones let you work a phone or a camera, and a warmer pair over them helps on the boat. Cold fingers are the usual reason a photo stop ends early.
Solo's what-to-bring list includes sunglasses and sunscreen, which surprises people who packed for cold. The sun this far south can burn on a bright day even when the air feels chilly, and the glare off the water is strong.
Shoes for a dirt trail and a wet deck
The walk on Magdalena follows a marked dirt trail up to the lighthouse built in 1902, about 800 m (half a mile) long according to Caminos' listing. It is not a hike, but the ground can turn loose or muddy after rain.
Wear comfortable shoes with a grippy sole that you have already broken in. Caminos' list asks for waterproof shoes, and they help on a wet deck as much as on the trail. Sandals and smooth city soles are the wrong choice here.
The hour ashore is spent standing and walking slowly while penguins cross the path in front of you. Warm socks make that hour far more pleasant, and our guide to the walk on Magdalena describes the trail from the landing to the top.
What goes in the bag and what stays at the hotel
A small backpack is enough for the Magdalena day. Caminos suggests a waterproof bag. A dry bag or a plain liner inside your pack keeps a camera and a spare layer dry when the spray picks up.
Solo's list asks for a passport or ID, so carry the document itself, not only a photo of it on your phone. Big luggage is not allowed on Solo's boat, so leave suitcases at the hotel even on the day you check out.
Bring water and eat before you go. Solo's listing includes a coffee service, and reviewers speak of hot drinks and snacks on board. Caminos' catamaran fare includes no food or drinks.
For the boat day, this short list covers most of what you need:
- Windproof and waterproof jacket with a hood
- Fleece or light down jacket as a mid layer
- Beanie that covers the ears, and two pairs of gloves
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Broken-in shoes with grip, ideally waterproof
- Passport or ID, water and a small waterproof bag
Our pick for the Magdalena crossing
Solo Expediciones' speedboat also circles Marta Island for its sea lions and has you back in town in about 5 hours. Check-in is at its office on José Nogueira, two blocks from the main square.
Dressing for the long Tierra del Fuego days
The king penguin trips are a different kind of day. Go Patagonia's tour from ~$119 runs about 15 hours, with a 2-hour ferry across the strait and long stretches in a van across open steppe.
Inside the van you will want to shed layers, and at the reserve you will want them all back on. The penguins are watched from a distance, so you stand still in the wind for a while, and that is when the cold bites.
Pack snacks for the road and carry cash. Lunch on Go Patagonia's day is paid on the spot, and Caminos Tours' small group from ~$140 asks you to bring a packed lunch and pay the reserve entry of 18,000 Chilean pesos on site.
Binoculars or a long camera lens help more than any clothing choice, as reviewers on both trips point out. Our king penguin guide follows the route from the ferry to the reserve.
The whale cruise and the dark starts
Solo Expediciones' whale and glacier cruise begins around 4:00 am and lasts about 12 hours, much of it on open water near Cape Froward. Mornings can be rough, and reviewers advise taking seasickness tablets before you board.
Dress as for the Magdalena boat, with one more warm layer for the hours on deck near the glacier. Breakfast and lunch are included, plus a snack with coffee, so you can carry less food than on the ferry days.
Whatever the trip, check the forecast the night before and lay your layers out by the door. The guide to wind and cancellations explains what happens when the boat stays in port, and the two-day plan fits both species into one short stay.