Category Punta Arenas & the Strait of Magellan

Chile · PUNTA ARENAS & THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN

The 15 Best Punta Arenas Tours & Strait of Magellan Trips

22 reviewed

Punta Arenas is the jumping-off point for the strait: penguin islands, Tierra del Fuego, and humpbacks in the southern summer. These are the 15 best tours from the city, with sailing times, how long you actually get ashore, the months each one runs, and what happens to your money when the wind cancels a crossing.

Punta Arenas: Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island

Punta Arenas: Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island - Strait of Magellan speedboat ride: what you actually notice

1.Walk with Penguins on Magdalena & Marta Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 611 reviews · 5 hours · from $150Our pick

Walk with Magellanic penguins on Isla Magdalena and see sea lions on Isla Marta from Punta Arenas on a Strait of Magellan cruise.

“A great morning out! It was cold & windy at times so make sure you take some warm layers. It was wonderful to see some very, very cute penguins just going about their daily business🥰🐧 we got to see some seals from the boat on the way too which was nice. The tour guides were brilliant and had a good sense of humour in English & Spanish. They are very protective & kind to all nature throughout the excursion which I certainly appreciated seeing!”

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Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

Punta Arenas: Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour - The early schedule and the ride to your boat

2.Full-Day Whales, Penguins, and Glaciers Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 325 reviews · 14 hours · from $365

From Punta Arenas, sail to Cape Froward for humpback whales, Magellanic penguins, and glacier time in one long day.

“This was one of the most memorable excursion of our lives. We had a very good trip we managed to see very close the wildlife including humpback whales, sea lions, penguins and dolphins. we also passed by a number of glaciers where we had stops to take pictures. we were offered bfast and lunch aa well as tea and coffee throughout the day. this excursion is highly recommended we could almost touch the whales!! an incredilble experience.”

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Punta Arenas: Full Day Tierra del Fuego & King Penguins

Punta Arenas: Full Day Tierra del Fuego & King Penguins - The Strait of Magellan ferry rides, where the timing can pay off

3.Full Day Tierra del Fuego & King Penguins

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 179 reviews · 15 hours · from $110

Full-day Punta Arenas trip to Tierra del Fuego for South America’s only King Penguin colony, Porvenir, and two ferry crossings.

“Christopher (driver) and Christian (guide) are a great team. They readily share their knowledge and do their best to maximize what you see. While it was a long day, it was well worth it.”

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Punta Arenas: Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour

Punta Arenas: Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour - Milodon Cave: myth, fossils, and a quick reality check

4.Full-Day Torres del Paine Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 131 reviews · 16 hours · from $106

Full-day Torres del Paine from Punta Arenas with Milodon Cave, Grey Beach icebergs, Pehoé views, Salto Grande waterfall, and Laguna Amarga Torres.

“The experience was outstanding, and mostly due to Camila, our guide, who was super cheerful, knowledgeable, and found the way to keep the group happy despite the unpredictable weather of the area. We had all 4 seasons within 4 hours, including light snow! Camila made sure to connect with each and everyone of us, shared stories, technical and geological facts (we had 2 geologists + 2 chemists in the group making questions). Hernando also did his part keeping us safe, and even cleaning the window in between stops so we could take clear pictures from inside the van. Incredible nature + outstanding guides = perfect day!”

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Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas - Getting to the island: the 5-hour rhythm from José Nogueira 1255

5.Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 107 reviews · 5 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $160

Magdalena Island penguins from Punta Arenas: early boat ride on the Strait of Magellan, guided walk to the lighthouse, sea lions nearby.

“Originally booked at 6:30 AM, as we know the early tours reduce the risk of rain and wind and increase the ability to see both islands. we were switched to 10 AM 3 1/2 hours, as only option, later as a cruise ship came in and took the choice times. 45 minutes late we were finally loaded to the bus and then had to wait another 20 minutes as they unloaded previous passengers off a different type boat so no catamaran, even though it was sitting there at dock. People crammed into smaller boat and only allowed to go one hour on Magellan Island to see the penguins. Never made…”

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Private Torres del Paine & Milodon, departing from Punta Arenas

Private Torres del Paine & Milodon, departing from Punta Arenas - Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: using the road wisely

6.Private Torres del Paine & Milodon, departing from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · 12 to 14 hours (approx.) · from $554Top rated

Private day trip from Punta Arenas to Torres del Paine plus Milodon Cave, with a guide, included fees, and time for photos.

“Gerardo is an excellent tour guide! His passion and knowledge for Torres del Paine is unmatched. The tour was everything we hoped for and more, Torres del Paine is absolutely beautiful. Thanks!!”

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Punta Arenas: Full Day Torres del Paine + Milodon Cave

Punta Arenas: Full Day Torres del Paine + Milodon Cave - From Punta Arenas to the Park: The Ride Is Part of the Experience

Punta Arenas: Magdalena Island Navigation & Penguin Walk

Punta Arenas: Magdalena Island Navigation & Penguin Walk - Meeting points in Punta Arenas: how to avoid the taxi surprise

8.Magdalena Island Navigation & Penguin Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 73 reviews · 5 hours · from $209

Boat from Punta Arenas to Magdalena Island for a guided penguin walk at Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, with wildlife chances.

“The island and the penguins were great but the trip was terrible. First off since it was advertised as shore excursion we assumed that we would have transportation. Nope After having their information translated by a taxi man we found out that we needed to take a taxi to the car ferry port We did get there on time but no one was there to help us. Someone else told us what to do. The car ferry cost $50 the taxi costs $10 and we paid $230 for what????? Don't waste your money.”

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King Penguin Nature Reserve – Tierra del Fuego Island

King Penguin Nature Reserve - Tierra del Fuego Island - Stop 1: Estancia San Gregorio, history you can stand in

Punta Arenas: King Penguin Park and Tierra del Fuego Trip

Punta Arenas: King Penguin Park and Tierra del Fuego Trip - Punta Arenas to the Water, a Ferry Day That Sets the Tone

10.King Penguin Park and Tierra del Fuego Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 67 reviews · 14 hours · from $180

Full-day Punta Arenas trip to Porvenir and Tierra del Fuego with a guided visit to Parque Pingüino Rey to see king penguins.

“Honestly, the reviews of this trip do not do it justice. Of course this is a long day, penguins live in the wilderness, and therefore it takes time to get to their natural habit - it's a privilege to visit and there is a reason why we're seeing them here and not in a zoo! Atma and Hernandez were amazing with communicating the realities of the landscape and wind on Tierra del Fuego and how that might impact the timings of our trip, however everything went very smoothly. The ferry on the way there is two hours but it's comfortable and you can buy snacks and coffee, and the mini-bus…”

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Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas - Getting to the island: the 5-hour rhythm from José Nogueira 1255

11.Magdalena Island Penguin Tour by Boat from Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 62 reviews · 5 hours · from $160

Boat to Magdalena Island from Punta Arenas to see Magellanic penguins in the Strait of Magellan, plus lighthouse visits and tea.

“Seeing the wildlife was definitely the highlight! I felt the ticket venue and the checking in process could be improved. The tiny area where people were waiting in to check in, was sooo crowded and overflowing that when it was announced that people could begin the check in process, it was chaotic. I’m sure the overflow of people outside didn’t even realize the check in had started. The wait time for loading was long and there was no communication about where we were being taken once we were underway. Despite these shortcomings, the excursion was well worth doing! We thoroughly enjoyed watching the penguins!!”

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Punta Arenas: Dolphin & Wildlife Watching

Punta Arenas: Dolphin & Wildlife Watching - Your 08:00 Morning Plan, Pickup to Agua Fresca Bay

12.Dolphin & Wildlife Watching

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 45 reviews · 3h 30m · from $190

Punta Arenas dolphin watching on a Strait of Magellan boat ride, with wildlife and bird stops from hotel pickup. 3.5 hours.

“Claudia was an outstanding guide! So knowledgeable about the area and extremely friendly. We also appreciated that we were allowed to change from Monday to Tuesday because of windy conditions on Monday.”

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Mountain Bike Adventure in Punta Arenas

Mountain Bike Adventure in Punta Arenas - Stop 1 in Reserva nacional Magallanes: lengas, coigues, and trail choice

13.Mountain Bike Adventure in Punta Arenas

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $192

Small-group mountain biking near Punta Arenas with native forest trails, wildlife sightings, big strait views, and snacks included.

“Hacer este paseo en bicicleta montañera con Javier fue una gran decisión. Mi hija y yo somos deportistas pero no mountain-bikers radicales ni mucho menos. Javier moduló nuestra ruta para garantizar que vaya de menor a mayor dificultad, pero siempre dentro de los limites de lo que nosotros podíamos hacer de forma segura. Las bicicletas son excelentes y al tener pedaleo asistido nos permitieron cubrir la ruta con una buena dosis de esfuerzo, pero sin estrés. Tuvimos la suerte de que el camino estaba completamente nevado y que al inicio nos cruzamos con 5 caballos que galoparon delante de nosotros por unos buenos 10 a 15 minutos, lo que convirtió…”

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Punta Arenas: Fort Bulnes Historical Tour

Punta Arenas: Fort Bulnes Historical Tour - Getting to Fort Bulnes from Punta Arenas, and what “included” really covers

14.Fort Bulnes Historical Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 32 reviews · 4h 30m · from $46Best value

See the reconstructed 1843 Fort Bulnes, learn Strait of Magellan history, visit O'Higgins lighthouse, and snap photos at Chile's midpoint.

“it wasn't clear about pick up. No one at the port knew about the operators. We started late and then had to pick up others. Didn't know it would be bilingual. It was really about the transportation and then basic info added. I wouldn't do it again.”

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Private Patagonian Forest Hike in Punta Arenas: 4 Hour

Private Patagonian Forest Hike in Punta Arenas: 4 Hour - What You Really Get: Poles, Binoculars, and a Guide Who Pays Attention

15.Private Patagonian Forest Hike in Punta Arenas: 4 Hour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $300

Private 4-hour Patagonian forest hike from Punta Arenas with a small group, binoculars, boxed lunch, and photos at Cerro de la Cruz.

“Well organized tour with Jamie. Originally from Canada English of course was great.She was very knowledgeable about flora and area and history. I had a bad knee and was able to keep up with use of trekking pole. Lovely sandwich, drink and treat when we finished. One other couple with us and was taken by van to gangplank.”

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