Every year, from October to April, Martillo Island in the Beagle Channel of Argentina becomes a temporary home to thousands of penguins. This is when they embark on their crucial journey of breeding and nurturing their young, a captivating and heartwarming spectacle.
If you are a penguin lover and want to get up close with penguins in their natural habitat, a trip to Martillo Island will offer you a chance to do just that.
VISITING MARTILLO ISLAND
Martillo Island is accessed from Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, in Argentina. The town of Ushuaia is known as “The End of the World City” because it is located at the southernmost tip of South America. It is also the closest inhabited city and gateway to Antarctica.
Enjoying Martillo Island’s penguins is best done through various tours out of Ushuaia. It’s important to know that if you want to step foot on Martillo Island, only one company currently offers that service, Piratour.
Piratour offers a tour called “Walk In Penguin Colony.” This tour grants visitors the rare privilege of strolling on the island in a controlled environment while still getting close to the penguins. We took this tour, an experience we will always remember.
JOURNEY FROM USHUAIA TO MARTILLO ISLAND
A primary reason for going all the way to Ushuaia was to walk with the penguins, so needless to say, the morning of the tour was so exciting.
The tour began at 8 a.m. from the tourist dock in Ushuaia. We boarded a tour bus for Martillo Island and drove out through National Route No. 3, passing beautiful forests and mountains. The drive took about two hours, with a stop to photograph the landscape.
We arrived at Estancia Harberton, an old ranch with a long and rich history. We toured a marine and mammal museum, grabbed a bite to eat, and boarded a pontoon boat to begin a brief 15-minute boat ride to Martillo Island.
OUR WALK WITH THE PENGUINS
Upon arrival on Martillo Island, we were greeted by hundreds of cute penguins all along the beach, and my heart was singing with joy! Most of the penguins were observing, with a few waddling around the beach, curious about us humans.
The Island of Martillo is small, and our guide was informative and friendly. We walked with the penguins for an hour or so, and lucky for us the weather was very pleasant during our outing.
THE 3 KINDS OF PENGUINS ON MARTILLO ISLAND
There were three species of penguins on Martillo Island - Magellanic, Gentoo, and a few King Penguins.
MAGELLANIC PENGUINS
Magellanic penguins are creatures of habit, known for their black body and white belly. They also have a stretch of white feathers that swoop down from each eye, joining to form a strap around the neck.
These cute little penguins typically mate for life and return to the same nesting site from which they hatched during each breeding season, from September to mid-April.
GENTOO PENGUINS
Gentoo penguins stand out against their Antarctic habitat with their flamboyant red-orange beaks, white feather caps, and peach-colored feet. Like all penguins, gentoos are awkward on land. But they’re pure grace underwater.
KING PENGUINS
On our walk on Martillo Island, we were fortunate to see a few King Penguins. The King Penguin is the second largest penguin on earth, and they are beautiful! They are recognizable by the splash of yellow-orange feathers on their upper chest and by the teardrop-shaped patches of color on the sides of their heads.
THE BOAT RIDE BACK TO USHUAIA
When signing up for our penguin excursion, we decided to add the option of a boat tour on the Beagle Channel. Following our walk with the penguins, we boarded a larger boat and began a three-hour journey through the Beagle Channel.
I highly recommend this addition to the tour. It makes the day about a 9-hour tour, but it is worth it.
We toured past the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse and various islands inhabited by Cormorants, Sea Lions, and other birds. The landscapes and scenery were beyond beautiful.
We arrived back in Ushuaia by boat to round out the tour.
Here are a few photographs from the Beagle Channel journey.
CAMERA GEAR & CLOTHING FOR THE TRIP
A long lens (70-200mm) is handy for shooting with a DSLR. Although you are right there with the penguins, the shots from the boat require a longer lens.
Dress in layers to prepare for the different weather elements that may occur. A good pair of walking shoes, a warm hat, snacks, water, and a backpack are essential.
PENGUIN CONSERVATION
To read more about penguins and conservation efforts worldwide, visit www.penguinsinternational.org. Let's make sure these little cuties are here for our children, grandchildren, and their kiddos!
For more blog posts about Argentina, visit https://www.wanderwithmarla.com/argentina.
Fine art prints from this article are available in my art shop, and proceeds benefit ocean conservation programs.
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