What You Will Do during the Walk with penguins
Experience two of Ushuaia’s most iconic wildlife adventures in one unforgettable day: Walk with Penguins in Martillo Island and enjoy a classic Beagle Channel Navigation. This full-day experience combines an intimate encounter with Magellanic and Gentoo penguins with some of the most famous landscapes and wildlife colonies of the Beagle Channel.
Itinerary
The day begins at 8:00 AM at the Tourist Pier, located at Av. Prefectura Naval 410 in downtown Ushuaia. From there, you’ll travel by minibus along National Route 3 and Route J, leaving the city behind and crossing the beautiful landscapes of Tierra del Fuego. The journey takes you through native Fuegian forest, surrounded by lenga and ñire trees, mountains and remote valleys, until reaching the embarkation point near the eastern sector of the Beagle Channel.
Here begins one of the highlights of the day: your Walk with Penguins in Martillo Island. Board a semi-rigid boat for the short crossing to Martillo Island, home to an important seasonal colony of Magellanic penguins as well as a smaller colony of Gentoo penguins.
Once on the island, you’ll enjoy approximately one hour walking in a controlled area among the penguins, accompanied by a specialized guide. Rather than simply observing the colony from a boat, this experience allows you to discover the penguins at ground level and watch their natural behavior from a privileged perspective. Depending on the time of the season, you may see penguins moving between their nests and the shoreline, interacting with each other, resting or entering and leaving the water.
Your guide will explain the differences between the species, their migration and breeding cycles, feeding habits and the importance of protecting this delicate ecosystem. Wildlife encounters naturally vary from day to day, which is part of what makes visiting Martillo Island so special.
After the visit, you’ll take the semi-rigid boat back to the embarkation point and travel by minibus to Ushuaia. Once in the city, you’ll have a short break before the second part of the adventure begins.
Beagle Channel Navigation. Enjoy the penguins
In the afternoon, return to the Tourist Pier and board your vessel for a 2.5-hour Beagle Channel Navigation, discovering the islands, wildlife and dramatic scenery surrounding Ushuaia from the water.
As you leave the port, enjoy panoramic views of the city framed by the Martial Mountains before navigating toward the small islands scattered throughout the channel.
The navigation includes views of Isla de Pájaros, where colonies of seabirds—including the characteristic cormorants of the Beagle Channel—can be observed. You’ll then continue toward Isla de Lobos, home to a colony of South American sea lions that can often be seen resting on the rocks or swimming around the island.
Another highlight is Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, one of the most photographed landmarks in Ushuaia. Standing on a small rocky island surrounded by the waters of the Beagle Channel, its distinctive red-and-white tower has become one of the classic images associated with a trip to the End of the World.
Throughout the Beagle Channel Navigation, keep your camera ready. Beyond the established colonies, different seabirds and occasional marine wildlife may appear along the route, while the surrounding mountains, islands and coastline provide spectacular photographic opportunities.
The tour concludes in the late afternoon at the port of Ushuaia after a remarkably complete day combining a Walk with Penguins in Martillo Island, Tierra del Fuego’s native forest and a Beagle Channel Navigation.
For travelers who want to experience Ushuaia’s wildlife without choosing between penguins and the classic Beagle Channel attractions, this itinerary brings both experiences together in a single day.
