Punta Arenas | Walking with Penguins on Magdalena Island

Punta Arenas is a town you’ve probably only heard of if you’ve been. It’s a historically significant port town connecting the Atlantic and Pacific. Most commonly known as Chile’s gateway to Southern Patagonia in Tierra del Fuego. For many it’s a night’s stopover on the way to the famous Torres del Paine Park, or perhaps to the world’s most southern city.

For us it was home for six nights. Where we honed in on our hostel cooking techniques, ate the best hot dog of our lives, unexpectedly spotted dolphins and whales off the coast, and rested up for a looming four nights of camping on the W-trek.

Discover Punta Arenas

Wandering the streets of the sleepy town is an odd experience. Buildings that appear abandoned at first glance are actually restaurants, night clubs and local homes. An array of vibrant, uncoordinated colours fade from facades and rooftops into an unassuming harmony that weaves throughout the town. It feels the way a once thriving mining town might feel decades after its heyday and just before finding its groove in the world of global tourism.

Explore the Magellan Strait

Perhaps the most exciting thing about Punta Arenas is its location on the Magellan Strait, a playground of islands abound with wildlife just waiting to be explored. Whale watching excursions are among the most popular attractions offered in town, but we were looking to spend our time in Punta Arenas saving and prepping for Torres del Paine. So we opted for the less expensive yet still once-in-a-lifetime experience of walking among penguins.

Our first attempt at a mid-day departure was cancelled, as they often are, due to the harsh Patagonian winds. It turned out to be a blessing in disguise when the following morning we were rewarded with an escort of dolphins on our sunrise walk to the pier. The calm waters carried our ferry across the strait, with jumping sea lions and distant whale spouts at our side. Soon we stepped onto the rocky shore of the uniquely populated Magdalena Island.

Walk with Penguins

Teeming with cormorants, gulls and almost 60,000 pairs of Magellanic penguins, the cold wind was electric with the sound of bird calls. Within seconds we stood mere feet from a colony of penguins. Some basking in the sun, others still burrowed in their nests. We were mostly ignored as we stopped to admire their habitats along the walk to the lighthouse and looping back to the waterfront. Admittedly the experience was a little on the touristy side, but we had smiles on our faces the entire time. We could barely restrain ourselves from reaching out to hug one of the cute and cuddly birds. Totally worth it.

The Deets – Visiting Magdalena Island

How to – Countless tour companies offer boat trips if you want a guide, or you can book the ferry directly online or in town.
Tip – There are several daily departures (times change depending on the season), aim for the early morning as it’s least likely be be cancelled due to high winds or inclement weather.
Cost – 55,000 CLP / $110 CAD – we were told this was negotiable but had no luck in town.

Related // Going to miss the penguins in Punta Arenas? Hit up another Chilean Penguin hotspot – Chiloé Island

Related // Heading to Punta Arenas? Check out our favourite hostel in this Patagonian town.

Have you been to Punta Arenas or to Magdalena Island to visit the penguins? What did you think?