This site's tourClassic catamaran
From the tourist pier
- Price
- from $115
- Duration
- 5.5 hrs
- Access
- Wheelchair accessible
Language
EnglishCurrency
US dollar · $On GetYourGuide you see prices in this currency.
Guide · Boat or walk
Ushuaia penguin boat tour or a walk among the penguins?
Both reach the same colony on Martillo Island, yet they are very different days out. Compare a penguin boat tour from Ushuaia with the landing tour before you book, and pick the one that fits your time, budget and mobility.
Check availabilityfrom $115 · cancellation is free
Editorial team, ushuaia-penguin-tour.comUpdated October 16, 2026Reading time about 6 minutes11 sources
Quick answer
- 01Boat
- Catamarans sail to Martillo and show the colony from the water; this site's trip takes about 5.5 hours.
- 02Walk
- Only the walking option lands, after a transfer to Estancia Harberton.1
- 03Price gap
- Boat trips start from $115, the full-day walk from $530.
- 04Flexibility
- The catamaran on this site cancels free up to 24 hours ahead; the walk is non-refundable.
- 05Access
- The catamaran is wheelchair accessible.
Two ways to reach the same penguins
Every penguin trip from Ushuaia heads for the same place: Martillo Island, the colony about 90 km from the city that the local tourism office calls the only penguin colony in Tierra del Fuego.2 What differs is how close you get. Boat trips sail along the Beagle Channel and stop just off the beach. Walking tours land, and their guests cross the colony on foot.
The tourism office describes the range neatly. Some providers start from the commercial pier and pass several islands on the way, others drive guests to Puerto Almanza and begin the navigation there, and the last option goes to Estancia Harberton and includes a walk through the colony.13 Which of these suits you depends less on the penguins, which are the same birds, and more on your time, your budget and how you like to travel.
This page lays the options side by side. If you already know you want to stand among the birds, the walking guide on this site goes deeper. If you are weighing up a classic catamaran trip against something more special, read on, and use the decision helper further down to settle it.
The boat route
A catamaran morning from pier to penguins
-
Check-in
Tourist pier
Arrive at the operator's office on the pier before departure.
-
Departure
Into the channel
The catamaran leaves the pier at 9:00.
-
Islands
Sea lions and birds
Sea lions and cormorants are common on this stretch.4
-
Lighthouse
Les Eclaireurs
-
Colony
Martillo Island
Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, seen from the boat.7
-
Return
Back to Ushuaia
The whole trip takes about 5.5 hours.
What the penguin boat tour from Ushuaia is like
The tour this site sells is a classic catamaran trip run by Tolkeyen Patagonia. It leaves from the tourist pier in Ushuaia at 9:00, with check-in 30 minutes earlier at the operator's office on the pier. From there it sails east along the Beagle Channel, past islands busy with sea lions and seabirds and past Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, all the way to Martillo Island.
At the colony the boat slows down off the beach and you watch the Magellanic and Gentoo penguins from the deck. The listing gives the whole trip as about 5.5 hours, with a live guide in English and Spanish, and it is wheelchair accessible. The ticket covers the boat trip and the guide; food, drinks and getting to the pier are up to you.
It is a relaxed way to spend a morning on the water. You are never more than a few steps from the warm cabin, you can move between the decks for photos, and the route gives you much more than penguins. If you have a single free day in Ushuaia, this is the trip that fits best, and it starts from $115 per person.
Side by side
Penguin boat trips and the walk compared
| Tour | Landing | Duration | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| This site's catamaran | No | 5.5 hrs | from $115 |
| Penguin watching by catamaran | No | 5 hrs | from $115 |
| Beagle Channel and Penguin Island | No | 5 hrs | from $165 |
| Almanza boat to the colony | No | 4 hrs | from $165 |
| Walk among the penguins | Yes | 10 hrs | from $530 |
From-prices per person on GetYourGuide; durations as listed.
Three styles
Classic boat, small group or on foot
This site's tour
Small group
On footDecision helper
Boat or walk: which one is yours?
Choose the statement that fits you best
The catamaran
About 5.5 hours from the pier and back.
The walk
Only the walking option includes a walk through the colony.1
The catamaran
The route passes Les Eclaireurs and the wildlife islands.4
The Almanza boat
Limited to 8 participants.
The catamaran
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before; the walk is non-refundable.
The catamaran
Its listing says it is wheelchair accessible.
Tolkeyen also offers a sailing to Martillo Island, better known as The Penguinera, where a large colony of Magellanic and Papua penguins can be observed.
What you see on the Beagle Channel on the way
Half the appeal of a Beagle Channel penguin tour from Ushuaia is the journey to the colony. On the way out the boats pass rocky islets covered in wildlife; the tourism office notes that sea lions and cormorants are common sights on the trip.4 Expect the smell before you see the colony of sea lions, and the noise of the cormorant colonies when the engines go quiet.
The landmark everyone photographs is Les Eclaireurs, the red and white lighthouse on a rock in the channel. It became operational on December 23, 1920, and today it is remotely operated and powered by solar panels.56 It is often called the lighthouse at the end of the world, but the lighthouse in the Jules Verne novel is a different one, on Isla de los Estados.8
From the lighthouse the boats continue east, with the mountains of Navarino Island on one side and the forests of Tierra del Fuego on the other. The channel narrows and widens, the water changes colour with the light, and on a calm day the reflections are as memorable as the animals. Take a seat outside for at least part of the way, even when the wind is cold.
Checklist
Packing for either trip
01
For the boat
- Warm layers and a windproof jacket for the deck
- Comfortable shoes for moving around the boat
- Sunglasses, a sun hat and sunscreen
- Some cash for drinks and snacks on board
02
For the walk
- Passport details for the booking
- Sturdy shoes for a pebble beach
- Patience: stay on the path and keep your distance
Cost calculator
What your penguin trip costs
Set the tour and your group size; the total from-price appears below.
People
Total from$230
per guest from $115
Check availabilityfree cancellationPenguin trip prices here are GetYourGuide's lowest per-person rates, shown in your currency at the European Central Bank rate; checkout states the real total.
Video
Taking a cruise down the Beagle Channel to Penguin Island (Isla Martillo)- Ushuaia, Argentina
Nothing loads until you tap play.
The shorter crossing from Puerto Almanza
Not every boat trip starts in Ushuaia itself. Some tours drive guests to the small harbour of Puerto Almanza and begin the navigation from there.3 That swaps much of the boat time for a scenic road trip and a short crossing, which suits travelers who would rather spend less time on the water or who want to see the fishing village too.
One full-day version of this combines Almanza, the local crab route and penguin watching. It starts from $250, lasts 7.5 hours, includes pickup and is rated 4.85 from 67 reviews. A shorter boat tour from Almanza to the colony runs about 4 hours in a small group limited to 8 participants, from $165.
The trade-off is simple. From Almanza you see less of the Beagle Channel, the lighthouse and the island wildlife near Ushuaia, but you spend more time in a smaller group and gain a glimpse of the rural side of Tierra del Fuego. From the pier you get the full classic route in one go.
The walk: what you gain and what it costs
Landing on Martillo Island is a different league of experience. The island belongs to Estancia Harberton, which has given the walking tour to Piratour under a concession.9 On foot you move along a marked route between the burrows, with Magellanic penguins on every side and the Gentoo group standing on the open beach.
That closeness comes at a price. The full-day walking tour listed on GetYourGuide starts from $530, lasts 10 hours and is rated 4.89 from 25 reviews. It is also non-refundable, which matters in a place where wind can close the port. Plan it as the centrepiece of a day, not as something to fit around other activities.
Piratour also sells a boat trip to the colony without the landing, sailing past the islands and the lighthouse.10 If the walk is sold out on your dates, a boat is still a good way to see the penguins, and the colony is the same one.
How to choose between boat and walk
Start with time and money. If you have half a day and want the classic sights of the Beagle Channel, the catamaran wins easily: about 5.5 hours from the pier, from $115, cancellable for free until 24 hours ahead. If the penguins are the main reason you came to Ushuaia and you have a full day and the budget, the walk is the memory you will keep.
Then think about mobility and comfort. The catamaran listing is wheelchair accessible, and a big boat with a cabin is kind to anyone who feels the cold. The walk involves a long drive, small boats and a pebble beach. Families with small children may also prefer the boat for its shorter day.
Finally, consider the season. Penguins are at Martillo between October and April, and both kinds of trip depend on that window.11 Early or late in the season the boat is the safer bet: this site's tour lets you cancel for free until 24 hours ahead when the forecast turns. Whatever you choose, take warm layers, a windproof jacket and a fully charged camera.
Book your trip
The penguins of Martillo are waiting on the channel.
Hold a seat today and settle the bill later; changing your mind costs nothing until a day before you sail.
You ask,we answer.
Do penguin boat tours land on Martillo Island?
No, they stay on board. The boat trips show the colony from the water; the landing is part of the walking option only.1
How long is the catamaran trip?
About 5.5 hours. That is the duration on the listing of this site's tour.
Which is cheaper, boat or walk?
The boat, by far. Boat trips start from $115; the walking day starts from $530.
Which penguins can I see from the boat?
Magellanic and Gentoo. Both species breed on Martillo Island, the Gentoo in smaller numbers.11
Is the boat suitable for wheelchair users?
This one is. The listing of this site's catamaran says it is wheelchair accessible.
What else do I see on the way?
Sea lions, cormorants and a lighthouse. Sea lions and cormorants are common on the trip, and the boats pass Les Eclaireurs lighthouse.4
What if the weather is bad?
The trip may be cancelled. On this site's tour you are then offered a new date or a full refund.
Sources
Sources and evidence
- 1Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaNavegación a la pingüinera↩
- 2Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaPiratour↩
- 3Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaNavegación a la pingüinera↩
- 4Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaTolkeyen↩
- 5Instituto Fueguino de Turismo (InFueTur)Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse: A Century of Light among the Waves↩
- 6Instituto Fueguino de Turismo (InFueTur)Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse: A Century of Light among the Waves↩
- 7Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaTolkeyen↩
- 8Instituto Fueguino de Turismo (InFueTur)Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse: A Century of Light among the Waves↩
- 9Estancia HarbertonActivities↩
- 10Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaPiratour↩
- 11Secretaría de Turismo, Municipalidad de UshuaiaNavegación a la pingüinera↩
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