Crafting Argentina Experiences · One Journey at a Time
Crafting Argentina Experiences · One Journey at a Time
There are very few places on Earth where you can walk beside wild penguins. Martillo Island, a small sliver of land in the Beagle Channel just off the coast of Ushuaia, is one of them — and it remains one of the most extraordinary wildlife encounters South America has to offer.
Every year from October to March, tens of thousands of Magellanic and Gentoo penguins return to Martillo Island to nest, raise their chicks and go about their lives with an almost complete indifference to the visitors who wander quietly among them. Argentina Pura’s guided catamaran tour takes you directly there — in small, private groups that give you the time and space to truly absorb the experience, not just photograph it.
This is not a viewing platform tour. You step off the catamaran and walk the island alongside the colony — watched over by a specialist nature guide from Argentina Pura and the island’s resident rangers. It is unhurried, intimate, and unforgettable.
The Ushuaia itineraries that reach the penguins, sorted by price. The first two are four days and go in overland through Estancia Harberton; the third is five days and works the channel itself.
| Trip | Days | Route | Price from | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Ushuaia | 4 Day TripTierra del Fuego National Park plus the Harberton and Isla Martillo visit, which is where the walk among the penguins happens. | Days4 | RouteUshuaia · Tierra del Fuego NP · Isla Martillo | Price from1.111 € | Per day278 € |
| Ushuaia – 4×4 & Canoes | 4 Day TripThe active version: 4x4 to Lago Escondido and canoeing, with the penguins at Harberton on a separate day. | Days4 | RouteUshuaia · Lago Escondido · Harberton | Price from1.269 € | Per day317 € |
| Ushuaia: Gable Island & Penguin Colony | 5 Day TripFive days built around the channel itself: sea kayaking, Isla Gable, and a day cooking with the only woman who captains a boat here. | Days5 | RouteUshuaia · Isla Gable · Canal Beagle | Price fromOn request | Per day— |
Prices are per person, from, for the 2026 to 2027 season. Per day is a comparison aid, not how the trip is billed. Every itinerary is tailor-made and quoted individually.
Most Beagle Channel boats out of Ushuaia pass Isla Martillo and turn around. Only one concession is allowed to put people ashore, and it goes in by road through Estancia Harberton, on the far side of Tierra del Fuego. That is the whole difference between one penguin tour and another here.
Every standard Beagle Channel navigation sails past the island and holds position off it. You see the colony well from the water and nobody disembarks. It leaves from the town pier and takes a morning.
Half a day from the pier
The landing is reached overland: roughly two hours east of Ushuaia, the last stretch on gravel, then a fifteen-minute crossing from the estancia. About an hour on marked paths with a guide, and the places per departure are capped.
A full day, booked early
The colony is overwhelmingly Magellanic, with a small group of gentoos among them and, in some seasons, one or two king penguins that turn up and stay. Nothing is guaranteed except the Magellanics.
Three species, one island
The comparison with the Atlantic colonies is at Argentina penguin tours, the large Punta Tombo colony at Puerto Madryn penguins, and the rest of what the city does at Ushuaia tours.
The birds are at sea through the southern winter. Isla Martillo fills from September, is at its busiest over the summer, and empties through April.
The birds come ashore and settle. Colder days, fewer visitors, and the island is already worth the crossing by the middle of October.
The quiet end
Peak season, long daylight, and the point in the year when the landing places are booked furthest ahead.
Reserve months out
The young are learning to swim and the adults moult. The colony thins through April and is gone by May.
The last window
Dates move a little each year with the weather. The landing only operates while the colony is occupied.
Martillo Island is home to the world’s southernmost Magellanic penguin colony and one of the only places in Patagonia — or anywhere in South America — where visitors are permitted to disembark and walk freely among the birds. Most penguin-watching tours, from Punta Tombo in Chubut to the Falkland Islands, observe colonies from a distance or a roped-off path. Martillo is different. The penguins here have grown accustomed to respectful visitors and will often approach you of their own accord, waddling past your feet or pausing to consider you with the kind of frank curiosity that is purely penguin.
The Beagle Channel crossing to the island is itself a highlight. The catamaran passes through scenery that Darwin described in his journals — jagged peaks rising directly from the water, sea lions hauled out on rocky outcrops, cormorants and albatross riding the southern winds overhead. By the time you arrive at Martillo, you are already deep in one of the most remote and dramatic corners of the planet.
Your full-day tour with Argentina Pura includes:
Private catamaran transfer from Ushuaia harbour through the Beagle Channel to Martillo Island
Guided walk on Martillo Island with a certified Argentina Pura nature guide (approx. 90 minutes on the island)
Ranger-supervised access to both the Magellanic and Gentoo nesting areas
Time to observe and photograph freely at a respectful distance — the penguins set the pace
Return catamaran crossing with optional commentary on Beagle Channel wildlife
All safety equipment and transfer logistics managed by Argentina Pura
Total duration is approximately five to six hours door to door. The tour operates from the main Ushuaia harbour and pick-up from your hotel can be arranged on request.
If you still haven’t found what you are looking for, you can continue exploring other destinations. We have more than 80 itineraries designed for different types of travelers and all of them can be adapted to your tastes or needs.
Send us as much information as you can to customize your argentina trip. We’ll be happy to help create new experiences based on your thoughts and likes. Our goal is to make the best trip you’ve ever dreamed!
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Martillo Island is unique in hosting two distinct penguin species in close proximity, each with its own personality and breeding rhythm.
Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus): Immediately recognisable by their distinctive black-and-white banding, Magellanic penguins are the stars of Martillo. They arrive in October to excavate their burrow nests, and by November the colony — which numbers over 150,000 breeding pairs across the greater Beagle Channel area — is in full swing. Chicks hatch from December onwards and the young birds take their first dip in January or February before migrating north in April.
Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua): Recognised by the bright orange beak and white flash above the eye, Gentoo penguins are the fast swimmers of the penguin world, capable of reaching 36 km/h underwater. Their presence on Martillo is a relatively recent development — the Ushuaia colony has expanded southward from its strongholds in the Falkland Islands — and seeing both species in the same visit is something that was not possible even twenty years ago.
The Martillo Island penguin colony is active from October to April, but the experience changes significantly by month:
| Month | What to See | Activity Level |
|---|---|---|
| October | Adults arrive, burrow nesting begins. Small crowds. | ⭐⭐⭐ High |
| November | Egg laying. Peak colony activity. Pleasant weather. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High |
| December | First chicks hatch. Peak season. Longest days of the year. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maximum |
| January | Chicks developing. Austral summer. Best weather. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maximum |
| February | Gentoo chicks visible. High fishing activity. | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very High |
| March / April | Adults begin northern migration. Colony winding down. | ⭐⭐ Moderate |
For the definitive penguin experience — adults, chicks and the full spectacle of the colony — December and January are the months to aim for. That said, the island is worth visiting any time the penguins are present, and October offers a quieter atmosphere with the full colony arriving fresh from their winter migration.
Places on the Martillo Island walking tour are limited by national park regulations. Argentina Pura operates in small private groups, which means availability — especially in December and January — fills weeks in advance. Early booking is strongly recommended.
What to bring on the day:
• Waterproof, windproof outer layer — Ushuaia weather changes quickly even in summer
• Warm mid-layer (fleece or down) — Beagle Channel crossings can be cold
• Closed-toe, non-slip shoes suitable for uneven terrain (not sandals or open shoes)
• Sunscreen and sunglasses — high-altitude UV is strong even on overcast days
• Camera with zoom capability — penguins should never be approached closer than 1.5 metres
• Small daypack with water and a light snack for the island
Argentina Pura takes care of all logistics: catamaran transfers, national park entry arrangements, ranger briefing and guide. You simply arrive at the meeting point in Ushuaia ready to spend a day with the penguins.
Every quote we send lists this in writing, trip by trip. As a rule, this is how an Ushuaia package is built.
Hotels selected and checked by our team; private transfers between airports, hotels and excursions; excursions with English-speaking local guides; entrance fees to Tierra del Fuego National Park; daily breakfast and the meals marked day by day; a local WhatsApp support line for the whole trip.
International flights to and from Argentina; travel insurance; meals not marked in the itinerary; personal expenses and gratuities; optional activities, which we price in writing beforehand. The Buenos Aires to Ushuaia flight is quoted separately or included depending on the package, and your quote states which, with the amount, so the total is clear before you book.
Ushuaia weather turns quickly, and the Beagle Channel sailings depend on it. If the port holds a departure, we move the sailing to the next clear slot inside your stay and bring the Tierra del Fuego park day or the Martial Glacier walk forward instead. Wherever the schedule allows, we rebook the highlight inside your trip at no extra cost.
Answer within 24 hours, from a person, not an autoresponder.
