4 Great Places To See the Penguins of Patagonia
Seeing penguins in the wild is an unforgettable experience and Patagonia, the southern tip of South America, is one of the best places to view them. From Magellanic, Humboldt, Gentoo, Southern Rockhoppers, to King Penguins, Chile and Argentina have them all. There are even more penguins in Patagonia than humans! You can view these adorable creatures in massive colonies at Tierra del Fuego, Punta A
Seeing penguins in the wild is an unforgettable experience and Patagonia, the southern tip of South America, is one of the best places to view them. From Magellanic, Humboldt, Gentoo, Southern Rockhoppers, to King Penguins, Chile and Argentina have them all. There are even more penguins in Patagonia than humans! You can view these adorable creatures in massive colonies at Tierra del Fuego, Punta Arenas, and Puerto Madryn. Here are the best places to find South America’s iconic penguins:
1. Punta Tumbo, Peninsula Valdes, Argentina (Northern Patagonia)
Punta Tumbo is Patagonia’s most famous penguin colony with over 100,000 visitors making the trip to the nesting ground each year. It is the world’s largest colony of Magellan Penguin with over 200,000 breeding pairs on the peninsula. Masses of inquisitive birds, preening themselves and scampering about, extend as far as the eye can see. It’s an inconceivable amount of waddling tuxedos; a ½ million pinguinos gathering on the shores, swimming in the waves, and burrowing under the small shrubs. Though it’s a 2.5 hour drive from the town of Puerto Madryn, it is completely worth the time to get there. In addition to the Magellan penguins, the reserve is also home to rheas, guanacos and armadillos. To make the most of this excursion combine it with a trip to see the tonina dolphins while keeping your eyes peeled for orcas that occasionally appear offshore. Though the Punta Tumbo colony is magnificent, if you’re short on time and need to see penguins, then consider visiting the smaller San Lorenzo colony,
Tip: Penguins crossing the boardwalk always have the right of way!
2. Tierra Del Fuego’s Martillo Island, Argentina (Southern Patagonia)
Isla Martillo is one of the best places in Patagonia to get up close and personal with penguins as well. This island is located in the Beagle Channel, and is easily accessible from Argentina’s city of Ushuaia. Visitors that are planning to visit Antarctica should also take advantage of seeing this colony at Patagonia’s southern tip! There are two species of everyone’s favorite flightless birds on Martillo, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins who number in the thousands. They can be observed doing penguin things i.e. nesting on the island’s rocky ridges, waddling in and out of the water, and searching for anchovies and sardines off the shore. Lucky visitors spot the occasional Emperor penguin having moseyed up from Antarctica. Photographers get great shots on the island from spectacularly close up as the most curious and fearless penguins approach within a few feet. It’s easy to see why the wild penguin rookeries on Martillo are the biggest wildlife draw to Tierra Del Fuego. The historic Haberton Estancia and the whale museum are also worth the visit.
