Penguin Walk on Martillo Island
Walk among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins on Martillo Island.
- 6.5 hours
Penguins in Ushuaia: where and when to see them
Ushuaia’s penguins live on Martillo Island, on the Beagle Channel: it is the only penguin colony in Tierra del Fuego, and Magellanic and Gentoo penguins come there between October and April. We have two tours: the walk on the island (about 6.5 hours) and the penguin colony boat trip (about 5 to 6 hours).
Are there penguins in Ushuaia?
Yes, though not in the city itself. About 90 km away lies Martillo Island (Isla Martillo), known as “the penguin colony”: the only penguin colony in Tierra del Fuego. It is a small island in the Beagle Channel, about 32 hectares, also known as Yecapasela, and it lies near Estancia Harberton, where the boat for the walk leaves from.
When can you see them? The season
Between October and April you can spot two penguin species that come to Martillo Island for their breeding season: it is the high season for visits to the island. Our two programs do not set departure months, so ask about the dates of each tour: check availability for your date before planning your trip around the penguins.
Which species live there
- Magellanic penguin: one of the two species that come to the island during the season.
- Gentoo penguin: it arrives in smaller numbers than the Magellanic and has nested on the island since the mid-1980s.
- What about king penguins? Pairs of king penguins and rockhopper penguins can also be found on the island. Our programs do not mention them: take this as information about the place, not as something you are going to see.
Each program lists its own: the walk, Magellanic and Gentoo penguins; the boat trip, penguins, sea lions and seabirds.
On foot or by boat: the two tours
| Detail | Martillo Island walk | Penguin colony boat trip |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | About 6.5 h | About 5 to 6 h, per the boat company |
| Departure | By bus from a central point or terminal to Estancia Harberton; from there, by boat | By boat from the Ushuaia Tourist Pier |
| How you see the penguins | Walking alongside them on the island | At the penguin colony, at the end of the boat trip; the program does not mention a landing |
| Species in the program | Magellanic and Gentoo | Penguins, species not specified |
| What else the route includes | Estancia Harberton (admission not included) | Bird Island, Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse |
| Hotel pick-up | No: round-trip bus from the meeting point | No: transfers to the pier are not included |
| Port fee | Not included | Included |
| Meals | Not included | Not included; the café is extra |
| Schedule | Ask, depending on the departure | Per the boat company’s departures that day |
The two penguin tours
Which one to choose?
- To walk alongside the penguins: the Martillo Island walk. It is the only one of the two where you go ashore on the island, and its program names both species.
- To add sea lions, seabirds and the lighthouse on the same outing: the penguin colony boat trip, which passes Bird Island, Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse.
- If you do not want to pay the port fee separately: the boat trip, the only one of the two that includes it.
- If you have less time: the boat trip takes about 5 to 6 hours; the walk, about 6.5.
Does the boat trip go to Martillo Island?
The boat trip’s program refers to “the penguin colony” and neither names the island nor mentions a landing, so we do not claim it does. If it matters to you which island it reaches or how long it spends by the colony, ask when you check availability. What is confirmed is that the walk takes place on Martillo Island.
What the walk on Martillo Island is like
The tour that sails from Estancia Harberton is the one that lets you land and walk on the island, and the visit takes place in an area of about 800 m² marked off with stakes. In our program, the day starts in Ushuaia with a bus to the estancia, through southern landscapes; it continues with the boat trip to the island and the walk at the penguin colony, surrounded by nature and wildlife, and ends with the return to Ushuaia. It includes private transport, the round-trip bus, the boat ticket and a guide for the whole tour.
Estancia Harberton
It is where the boat leaves from. It was founded in 1886 by the missionary Thomas Bridges and was the first estancia (ranch) in Argentine Tierra del Fuego; the Acatushún museum of southern birds and mammals is nearby. From there visitors go to Martillo Island, with its colonies of Magellanic and Gentoo penguins and of rock cormorants. Admission to the estancia is not included in the tour: ask for the price.
Good to know
- There is no hotel pick-up on either tour: the walk leaves from a central point or terminal, and you make your own way to the Tourist Pier for the boat trip.
- Meals are not included. On the boat trip, food and drinks at the café are extra.
- The time is confirmed depending on the departure: on the boat trip, it depends on the boat company.
- A guide in your language: Spanish, English or Portuguese, on both; a Chinese-speaking guide is available on request.
- Age: neither program states a minimum age; if you are traveling with children, ask when you check availability.
How to fit it into your trip
The walk takes up most of the day (about 6.5 hours); the boat trip, 5 to 6 hours, depending on the boat company. With either one, that day belongs to the channel. A plan that spreads the National Park, the Beagle Channel and a hike over several days is in Ushuaia in 3 or 4 days.
What about Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse?
The penguin colony boat trip passes the lighthouse. If what interests you most is the lighthouse and going ashore on an island, the other boat trip, to Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, makes a landing on the Bridges Islands, but its program does not include penguins. The three Beagle Channel outings are compared in which Beagle Channel boat trip to choose; why Les Eclaireurs is not the End of the World Lighthouse, in where the End of the World Lighthouse is; and the islands and the channel’s history, in Beagle Channel.
Frequently asked questions
Are there penguins in Ushuaia?
Yes, on Martillo Island, on the Beagle Channel, about 90 km from the city. It is the only penguin colony in Tierra del Fuego.
When is penguin season in Ushuaia?
Between October and April, when Magellanic and Gentoo penguins come to Martillo Island to breed. Ask about the dates of our tours.
What penguin species are there in Ushuaia?
On Martillo Island, the Magellanic penguin and, in smaller numbers, the Gentoo. Pairs of king and rockhopper penguins can also be found, but our programs do not mention them.
Can you walk among the penguins?
Yes, on the Martillo Island walk: a bus to Estancia Harberton, a boat to the island and a walk alongside Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, in about 6.5 hours.
Which tour should I choose to see penguins?
To walk alongside them, the Martillo Island tour (about 6.5 hours). To see them on a boat trip that also passes Bird Island, Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, the penguin colony boat trip (about 5 to 6 hours).
Does the penguin colony boat trip land on the island?
Its program does not mention a landing or name the penguin colony’s island. If it matters to you, ask when you check availability.
Do the penguin tours pick you up from your hotel?
No. The walk leaves by bus from a central point or terminal, with the round-trip bus included; for the boat trip, you make your own way to the Ushuaia Tourist Pier.
Which one includes the port fee?
Only the penguin colony boat trip. On the Martillo Island walk, the port fee and admission to Estancia Harberton are not included.
