Penguins! So many penguins! We decided to end our recent Patagonia trip with a visit to Punta Arenas – specifically for the opportunity to visit the penguin colony at Magdalena Island. Apart from being a relaxing break from hiking, this part of our trip was – as you’d expect – very, very cute.
Magdalena Island Penguin Tour
We booked our Magdalena Island tour through Denomades and were happy with the decision. Originally, our plan was to do the afternoon tour so that we could sleep in after a late arrival to Punta Arenas and many early mornings spent hiking. Patagonia had other plans though. Because of forecasted wind conditions, the afternoon tour got cancelled two days before our departure. Luckily, Denomades was accommodating and able to move us to the morning tour of the same day.
After meeting at the Bus-Sur station in the middle of town, we took a ~10 minute drive to the pier for departure. The boat ride to Magdalena Island then lasted just over an hour. During the journey, the tour guides told us about the history and geography of the area and the unique conditions that make the island a sanctuary for penguins. When they weren’t talking, we watched Cocaine Bear on our phone.
Finally, as we were nearing the island, we saw thousands of birds dotting the coast. The tour guides took a few minutes to reenforce the ground rules (i.e., don’t get too close to the penguins) and tell us when we needed to be back on the boat. Then, we were off to explore for the next hour.
The island itself isn’t that big, which only makes it feel even more crowded with birds. And we say “birds” intentionally, as there are more than just penguins here. You will also see plenty of gulls, geese, and cormorants, among others. Still though – the penguins are the stars.
Most of the island is roped off, and there is a defined one-way loop path for visitors to follow. All along the way you’ll see penguins waddling about, sticking their heads out of their nests, or cawing. They have no fear of humans, so you may even have to pause your walk to let a penguin cross the path directly in front of you.
The literal high point of the trail is a lighthouse that makes for some good photos. Most of the penguins are before this point, so take your time getting there and enjoy the journey. If you’re visiting on a windy day like we were, just know that the gusts get even more powerful as you get close to the lighthouse. By the end we were bracing ourselves to avoid being knocked over.
Following the time with our many new penguin friends, we took the 1+ hour boat ride back to town. All in all, the tour was a perfect way to cap our Patagonia trip and is an absolute must for anyone visiting Punta Arenas.
Punta Arenas Highlights
Punta Arenas itself doesn’t have much to do, so we only spent about 24 hours in the the area. Because of the last minute shift in our Magdalena tour schedule though, we had more time than expected to wander the town, eat, and drink. If you find yourself in a similar situation, below are some spots worth visiting.
- La Cuisine: This is a delicious seafood restaurant in the heart of town. While the prices are reasonable by American standards, it was still quite a bit more expensive than Argentina. Overall though we highly recommend it. The king crab lasagna, Chilean sea bass, and chocolate volcano were excellent.
- Pasterleria Cohen: We made a quick stop at this local bakery to pick up some alfajores, and we’re glad we did. They were big and delicious.
- Cafe Inmigrante: This cafe has a fun, interesting vibe. By the time we visited in mid-November, they had already gone all-out with the Christmas decor. They also don’t hold back on the food – every dish we saw was massive. We only got drinks here, but the hot chocolate was great and looked very nice too.
- Plaza de Armas: If you need a break between snacks and meals, check out the Plaza de Armas. It is smaller than the plazas you’ll see in major cities like Santiago, but it still felt like a nice park with a few statues to look at and a cool, old tree.
- Local Breweries: Cervecería Austral, perhaps the most prevalent beer in Patagonia, is based in Punta Arenas. We unfortunately could not take a tour because everything was booked (this is where our Magdalena rescheduling really bit us), so do yourself a favor and make a reservation in advance. If it is nice outside, you can also grab some beer to go from Cerveceria Artesanal Hernando de Magallanes and enjoy it by the water.
Other Tips & Tricks
- Weather: Punta Arenas is the windiest place we’ve ever visited. Our Apple watches were mad at us and kept telling us we were in too loud an environment. Overall, being outside was just very unpleasant. Hopefully you have better weather when you visit, but bring layers and plan for indoor activities just in case.
- Getting Around: Punta Arenas is a small town that is easily walkable (if the wind isn’t pushing you back). We also had no problem getting Ubers there to get to and from the airport or bus station.
- Airport Lounge: At least when we were visiting, Punta Arenas seemed to have inconvenient flight schedules (either very early or very late). If you’re checking a bag too, note that the ticket counter won’t open until a couple hours before your flight. Once you do finally make it through security, there is a small Priority Pass lounge you can enjoy, but plan accordingly if you were hoping for dinner and an extended stay before a redeye flight.
Happy traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan
