"It was excellent. Walking around with the penguins was worth every penny!"
Punta Arenas · Strait of Magellan · Los Pingüinos Natural Monument
Magdalena Island Penguin Tour
Half a day from Punta Arenas: a boat across the Strait of Magellan to Isla Magdalena, an hour on foot among the burrows of a Magellanic penguin colony, and sea lions off Isla Marta on the way back. The usual add-on for W trekkers who fly in or out of Punta Arenas.
Top pick
From
$160
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.6 / 5 709+ Reviews
- Oct – Mar Visiting Season on the Island
- 1 Hour On Foot in the Colony
- Free Cancellation
The Experience
What the Magdalena Island Penguin Tour Includes
From the listing of the most-reviewed Magdalena Island tour, checked October 2026.
Highlights
- Cruise to Magdalena and Marta Islands and explore the Strait of Magellan
- Discover a colony of over 60,000 Magellanic penguins on Magdalena Island
- Admire a colony of over 1000 Patagonian sea lions on Marta Island
- Have the opportunity to see other wildlife, like cormorantsand dolphins
What's Included
- Navigation to Magdalena Island and Marta Island
- Coffee service
- Bilingual guide
- Entrance fee to Penguin Island
How the Penguin Tour Works
About five hours, one of them on the island.
Check In in Punta Arenas
Check in at the meeting point in the city and take the 30-minute transfer to the port at Laredo Bay. Hotel pickup is not included.
Speedboat Across the Strait
About 45 to 50 minutes across the Strait of Magellan to Isla Magdalena, with dolphins possible on the way.
An Hour with the Penguins
A guided walk on the island's marked trail through the colony, among the burrows, to the old lighthouse building.
Isla Marta, Then Back
Half an hour by boat around Isla Marta for the sea lions and seabirds, then the crossing back and the transfer to the Plaza de Armas.
Photo Gallery
Magdalena Island in Pictures
The colony, the trail, the lighthouse and the boat.
Book Your Experience
Check Availability & Prices
Select your preferred date and time. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before departure.
Which Magdalena Island Tour?
Three ways to the penguin colony from Punta Arenas. Prices and ratings checked October 2026.
| Feature | MOST REVIEWED Magdalena and Marta islands, 5 hours | Catamaran from the Prat pier, 6 hours | Penguin tour by boat, 5 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting Price | From $160/per person | From $170 | From $160 |
| Included | Speedboat to Magdalena and around Marta Island, a bilingual guide, coffee, the island entry fee | Catamaran from Punta Arenas, the guided walk on the island, a bilingual guide | Transfer from the office to the pier, the boat trip, the island entry fee, tea and coffee |
| Rating | 4.6/5 across 709 reviews | 4.7/5 across 72 reviews | 4.7/5 across 66 reviews |
| Best for | The penguins plus the Isla Marta sea lions, on the quickest crossing | A steadier boat and a choice of early or afternoon departure | Cruise passengers and anyone who wants the entry fee included |
| Check Availability | Check this tour | Check this tour |
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Before You Book
Magdalena Island: Season, Boats and the Colony Walk
When the penguins are there, which boat to choose, and how it fits a W Trek trip.
Isla Magdalena is a low, treeless island in the Strait of Magellan, and from spring to early autumn it is covered in Magellanic penguins. Together with neighbouring Isla Marta it forms the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, a protected area created in 1966 and run by CONAF, Chile’s park service. The only way to visit is on a tour boat from Punta Arenas, which is why it fits so neatly into a W Trek trip: most travellers to Torres del Paine fly in or out of Punta Arenas anyway.
When the penguins are there
CONAF opens the monument to visits between October and March. The penguins arrive at the colony around September, lay their eggs in October, and the chicks hatch in November after about 40 days of incubation. By January and February the chicks are becoming independent; the adults then moult and leave for the open sea in April. December and January, the peak of the W season, are also the busiest months on the island, with chicks in the burrows and both parents coming and going.
What you do on the island
The visit is short and well controlled. Boats stay about an hour, enough for the marked 1,400 m circuit through the colony, between the burrows the penguins dig themselves, up to the old lighthouse, which now holds a small information room and a ranger post. You stay on the trail and give way to penguins crossing it. Bring warm, windproof layers: the strait is cold and exposed even in summer.
Speedboat or catamaran?
| Tour | Price (Oct 2026) | Boat | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magdalena and Marta islands | $160 | speedboat from Laredo Bay, 45-50 min | sea lions at Isla Marta, entry fee included |
| Boat trip to Magdalena Island | $170 | catamaran from the Prat pier, 1 h 30 min | 6:00 or 12:30 departures |
| Magdalena Island penguin tour by boat | $160 | catamaran, about 45 min | entry fee included, cruise-day slots |
The featured tour, rated 4.6 out of 5 across 709 reviews, uses a speedboat: the crossing is quicker and the boat circles Isla Marta for the sea lions on the way back, but it is rougher in wind. The catamaran from the city pier takes longer and sits more steadily in the water. Every operator can cancel or reschedule for wind, so keep a spare half day if you can. None of them include hotel pickup.
Check Magdalena Island tour dates
A day in Punta Arenas
Punta Arenas is about 3 hours 15 minutes from Puerto Natales by bus, with departures through the day; Bus Sur’s 2026-27 fare is CLP 11,000 a leg. If you fly in, the morning penguin boats work best after a night in the city: hotels around the Plaza de Armas, also called Plaza Muñoz Gamero, are a short walk from the tour offices and the Prat pier.
With an afternoon left over, a free walking tour is an easy way to see the old wool-boom mansions and the waterfront: booking is free and you tip the guide what the walk was worth. See the free walking tours in Punta Arenas.
Before or after the W?
Either works. Before the trek, it is a gentle first day while you get used to the wind; after it, it is a rest day on the way to the airport. Back in the park, the Base of the Towers day hike and the Grey Glacier boat tour fill the days around the trek. Ready? Compare the tours or check live availability.
Guest Reviews
What Magdalena Island Visitors Say
4.6/5
from 709 verified guests
"Knowledgable and helpful staff. Lots to see and the boat was very comfortable."
"We really enjoyed this activity! The penguins were so cute and the sea lions were breath taking. Our guide was lovely and the boat journey was a bit rocky but we always felt safe. You get a hot drink and snack on the way back. However, I feel over £110pp is a lot of money for a 5 hour tour from 6am to 11am - you watch the sea lions for 10/15mins from a far distance on the boat and then do an hours walk around the penguin island. It is a lot of money."
"Good activity for those looking to see penguins and sea lions in the area. Plenty of penguins and sea lions about for photo opportunities!"
"Great activity and the sunrise was beautiful!! No one mentions it but I think the sunrise on the boat was better than the actual penguins!! Obviously, the penguins were great as well. We also got to see the sea lions and was whale watching for a bit. Overall 10/10 and super convenient from our hotel. The only thing I would have liked is a little more history of the island and penguins."
"The trip itself was wonderful. The crew on the boat was amazing and everything was very well-organized. Unfortunately, I have to give a huge thumbs down for the communication with the office. After the trip was rescheduled due to the weather, I had to rebook my flights and wanted to confirm if the trip would definitely take place the following day. Sadly, the office staff simply ignored my messages and didn't reply. I was forced to go to the office in person, and only then was I able to get everything sorted out"
"Everything went very smoothly, from check-in at the office, to the coach ride and then to the boat tour. The guide and the rest of the crew were excellent, and seeing both the penguins and sea lions (among other animals too) was incredible! Highly recommended!"
"The activity start needs more organisation - one of the ladies in the office was ex tb unfriendly and unhelpful but once we were finally on the bus everything went well. The visit to the island was great but we had not been made aware of the 30 minute bus ride to the boat dock. The actually boat trip, island experience and guide were lovely though and the guide was informative and friendly."
Read all 709 verified reviews
See All ReviewsVisit the Magdalena Island Penguins
A speedboat across the Strait of Magellan, an hour on foot in the penguin colony with a bilingual guide, the sea lions of Isla Marta, coffee and the island entry fee. Starting from $160 per person.
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Magdalena Island Penguin Questions
Season, time on the island, the boats and the weather, answered plainly.
CONAF opens the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument to visits between October and March. The penguins arrive around September, the chicks hatch in November, become independent in January and February, and the adults leave for the open sea in April.
About an hour, enough to walk the marked 1,400 m circuit through the colony to the old lighthouse. The whole tour from Punta Arenas takes about five hours.
About 35 km north-east of the city in a straight line. The speedboat from Laredo Bay crosses in 45 to 50 minutes; the catamaran from the Prat pier in the city takes about an hour and a half.
On the featured tour and on the penguin tour by boat, yes: both list the entrance fee to the monument as included. Check the inclusions of any other tour before you book.
The boats all leave from Punta Arenas, about 3 hours 15 minutes from Puerto Natales by bus. Most W trekkers fit the tour in on the day they arrive in or leave from Punta Arenas.
Wind and tide can cancel or change a sailing. The operators then offer a new date or a refund. Leave a spare half day in Punta Arenas if you can, and dress for cold, wet wind on the water.
Still have questions? Email us at info@wtrektorresdelpaine.com