Isla Magdalena (Penguin Reserve)

Approx. Time: 8 hours
Activity Level: Easiest

Sail through the Strait of Magellan to Magdalena Island, a natural monument in southernmost Chile noted for an extremely high concentration of Magellanic penguins. Enjoy a leisurely day observing these curious, entertaining birds. Visit the lighthouse on the island for a panoramic view of the landscape.

Located 25 miles north of Punta Arenas, in the middle of the Strait of Magellan, Magdalena Island is a natural reserve of Magellan penguins, (The island hosts more than 50,000 birds, more than 95 percent of the world’s Magellanic penguin population. ) cormorants, and other birds which peacefully coexist with sea-lions. Here we will discover a "rookery" of more than 60 thousand couples of penguins that come back year after year to nest in the same burrows built by them. Between October and March they occupy almost the entire island, and are a unique sight.

One can walk through the island along a marked path leading to a lighthouse where there is an exhibition of photographs and information on the marine life in the Strait of Magellan.

Add Isla Magdalena (Penguin Reserve) to your travel suitcase