Walk with PenguinsLeast time at sea, plus Marta
5 hours6:30 AM onlyMarta ✓
$152$160per adultCheck dates
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony — Facts, Trail and Rules
A treeless island in the Strait of Magellan where Magellanic penguins nest in burrows beside a roped trail and a red-and-white lighthouse.
Updated October 2026 · Prices checked 12 Oct 2026
Quick answer
The Magdalena Island penguin colony holds about 7,000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins (CONAF, November 2025), visited on a 1.4 km trail for up to one hour.
- 35 km northeast of Punta Arenas, reached only on a licensed boat tour.
- Protected since 1966; a Natural Monument run by CONAF since 1982.
- Open October to mid-April; landings between 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM.
- Down from about 60,000 pairs in the late 2000s.
- No landing on neighbouring Marta Island.
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony at a Glance
The Magdalena Island penguin colony is part of Los Pingüinos Natural Monument, a 97-hectare protected area of two islands in the Strait of Magellan. It lies 35 km northeast of Punta Arenas and can only be visited by boat with a licensed operator. CONAF allows landings from October to mid-April, for a maximum of one hour per visit.
Source: CONAF, page updated 16 Sep 2026.
- Official name
- Monumento Natural Los Pingüinos
- Managed by
- CONAF (Chile's national forest service)
- Islands
- Magdalena (85 ha) and Marta (12 ha)
- Location
- Strait of Magellan, 35 km northeast of Punta Arenas
- Protected since
- 22 August 1966; Natural Monument since 1982
- Season
- October to mid-April
- Landings
- 9:00 AM–6:00 PM, up to 1 hour
- Trail
- Sendero Isla Magdalena, 1.4 km, easy
- On the island
- rangers, a lighthouse with an information room, toilets; no food, power or phone signal
- Contact
- CONAF Magallanes, Av. Bulnes 0309, Punta Arenas
How Many Penguins Are in the Magdalena Island Penguin Colony?
About 7,000 breeding pairs — roughly 14,000 adults plus chicks — according to CONAF's November 2025 monitoring.
7,014 pairs(range 6,090–7,896), CONAF, Nov 2025
- Then
- around 60,000 pairs nested here in the late 2000s; tour listings still quote 60,000 pairs or 120,000 penguins.
- Why it fell
- CONAF links the decline to climate change, fishing bycatch, pollution and winter mortality on migration, and calls tourism a lesser factor when regulated.
- What changed for visitors
- nothing yet. A 2026 legal challenge to suspend tourism was rejected by the Punta Arenas Court of Appeals, and tours run under CONAF's visitor protocol.
- What you'll see
- burrows on both sides of the trail and birds crossing it; the colony is smaller but still the easiest place near Punta Arenas to walk among wild penguins.
Source: CONAF, monitoring report Nov 2025 (reported by CNN Chile, Jan 2026); Diario Constitucional, 1 Apr 2026.
Choose a tourThe Magdalena Island Penguin Colony Trail
One 1.4 km roped loop takes the whole hour, from the landing up to the lighthouse and back.
- 1Landingthe first ~300 m is a transit zone where penguins carry food from the sea to their chicks; wait for them to cross.
- 2The burrow slopesnests are dug into the earth on both sides of the rope.
- 3The lighthousea century-old lighthouse with an information room on the island's history and wildlife.
- 4Back to the boatthe guide calls time at one hour.
- 1.4 km in all
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony Rules
Stay on the trail, keep at least 2 m from the birds and let them cross first.
- No drones, flash, selfie sticks or camera poles
- No food, drink or smoking on the island
- No pets, noise or feeding the birds
- Take nothing — stones, feathers, plants
- Only with a CONAF-certified guide
Source: CONAF visitor rules and Los Pingüinos leaflet 2026.
Wildlife Around the Magdalena Island Penguin Colony
Penguins on Magdalena, sea lions and cormorants on Marta, dolphins sometimes in the strait.
- Magellanic penguin
- the only penguin species nesting here; adults weigh about 3.8–4.5 kg.
- South American sea lion
- breeds on Marta Island; seen only from the boat.
- Imperial cormorant
- nests on Marta.
- Kelp and dolphin gulls, skuas
- around the colony.
- Peale's and Commerson's dolphins
- sometimes on the crossing.
Visiting the Magdalena Island Penguin Colony — Reserve Tours
A reserve tour is the only way in: boat, guide and park entry in one ticket, about five hours for $152–190.
Three tours fit most people: the speedboat with the Marta circuit for the shortest crossing; the catamaran for an afternoon sailing; the ferry-style navigation for a Magdalena-only morning.
Boat Trip to Magdalena (catamaran)Afternoon sailing, steadier boat
6 hours7:00 AM · 1:30 PM
$170per adultCheck dates
Magdalena Navigation & Penguin WalkSunrise sailing from the city pier
5 hours6:00 AM · 12:30 PM
$190$200per adultCheck dates
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony Reviews
Guides score 4.7–4.8 out of 5 and value for money 4.1–4.4 across the main tours.
“We got very close to the penguins and their young. Nevertheless, great care was taken to ensure that they were not disturbed.”
Sven
“Sunny day, not so windy. Perfect for walking and take pictures.”
Swami
Magdalena Island Penguin Colony FAQ
How many penguins are on Magdalena Island?
About 7,000 breeding pairs of Magellanic penguins nest on Magdalena Island, according to CONAF's November 2025 monitoring — around 14,000 adults plus chicks in season. In the late 2000s the colony had about 60,000 pairs. Older figures of 120,000 penguins still appear in tour listings.
Where is the Magdalena Island penguin colony in Chile?
The colony is on Magdalena Island in the Strait of Magellan, 35 km northeast of Punta Arenas in the Magallanes region of southern Chile. It is part of Los Pingüinos Natural Monument and is reached only by boat tours from Punta Arenas.
Is the Magdalena Island penguin reserve open all year?
No. CONAF opens the reserve from October to mid-April, when the penguins breed; the island and trail are closed in winter. Tours on GetYourGuide list dates from October to March.
How close can you get to the penguins?
The trail passes burrows within a few metres, and penguins often cross it. CONAF asks visitors to keep at least 2 m from the birds and to stop and let them pass. The first 300 m from the landing is a transit zone for adults carrying food.
Can you visit Magdalena Island without a guide?
No. Entry requires a CONAF-certified guide and a licensed boat, so independent visits aren't possible. Every tour on GetYourGuide includes a guide, and most include the park entry.
What other animals live near the colony?
South American sea lions and imperial cormorants breed on neighbouring Marta Island, which visitors watch from the boat. Gulls and skuas live around the colony, and Peale's and Commerson's dolphins are sometimes seen on the crossing.
Why has the penguin colony declined?
CONAF attributes the fall from about 60,000 to 7,000 pairs to a mix of climate change, fishing bycatch, pollution and winter mortality during migration, and considers regulated tourism a lesser factor. A 2026 court case asking to suspend tourism was rejected.
What do Magdalena Island penguin reserve reviews say?
Verified GetYourGuide reviews of the main reserve tours give guides 4.7–4.8 out of 5 and value for money 4.1–4.4. Reviewers praise how close the penguins and chicks come to the trail and warn that the crossing can be rough. Compare the tours.
Is the Magdalena Island penguin reserve worth visiting with a smaller colony?
Yes for most visitors: you still walk among burrows and crossing birds for an hour, which no other site near Punta Arenas offers. Come between December and February to see chicks.