Walk With Penguins in Ushuaia, Argentina
During our trip to Argentina we took a trip to the end of the world in Ushuaia, Argentina. Usually people end up here as a stop on their way to Antartica, but we decided to visit here for a few days during our Argentina trip for a few reasons, but the main one being the opportunity to walk with penguins! This was one of my favourite experiences I have ever done.
Booking The Tour
In order to get here you have to book a tour, and if you want to physically walk amongst the penguins and get as close as possible you will need to make sure you book the RIGHT tour as there are a limited amount of tours that actually offer the opportunity to get up close and personal. There are a few tour operators that book the tour, just make sure that the information includes physically walking with the penguins. This is because there are many tours but the other tours only offer seeing the penguins by boat which is not the same experience at all. I would recommend booking in advance online, as there are only so many tours that run due to the requirement to limit the people on the island to avoid disrupting the penguins habitat. Here is a link that offers the walking tour:
Our Experience
We met the tour guides from downtown Ushuaia (the touristic pier) and made our way via bus to the location to hop onto the boats to get to Martillo Island – travel time was about 2.5 hours each way (by van and boat) and you are dropped back off downtown. We were a smaller group (approximately 20 people), which they do on purpose to control tourists as we are visiting the area where the penguins roam free.
Once we arrived to the island we were greeted by so many penguins right away! They were huddled on the beach, in the grass, honestly everywhere around you. We actually saw three types of penguins during our visit, the Magellanic penguin, Gentoo penguin, and King penguin. During the visit, you get to walk around roped off areas that let you walk so close to the penguins – almost too close! Some penguins even try to nip at you (thats really how close you get).
The penguins are obviously the highlight of the tour, but the amazing mountain views and the travelling gives you some time to experience more of what Ushuaia has to offer. The views make the experience even better! I highly recommend this experience.
Extra Information
- I would recommend booking the tour for one of your first days in Ushuaia to ensure you still have time to do it if it gets pushed due to weather.
- Make sure you bring enough clothing! Ushuaia can be cold (even in the summer) and being out in the boat with the wind can make it even colder. Bring layers!
- Check what the tour offers – you will likely need to bring your own water / water bottle!
