The Martillo Island penguin tour is one of the most unique wildlife experiences you can have in Patagonia.
I find it almost impossible for someone not to like penguins. They’re easily one of the most lovable animals to watch in the wild. And since penguins only live naturally in the southern hemisphere, seeing them had been high on my list for years.
So when I planned my trip to Patagonia, I already knew one thing. Watching penguins would be a priority.
I ended up booking the Martillo Island Tour because it’s one of the few experiences where you can walk near penguins in Ushuaia in their natural habitat.
In this guide, I’ll explain how to visit Martillo Island, what the tour is really like, how much it costs, whether the experience is ethical, and tips you should know before booking.
Is Martillo island worth it?
If you love wildlife, the answer is yes. Seeing hundreds of Magellanic penguins just a few meters away is something I won’t ever forget.
This tour is perfect for wildlife lovers, photographers, and anyone visiting Ushuaia who wants an unforgettable experience.
However, it may not be ideal for families with very young children. You must keep a distance from the penguins at all times. While visiting with kids is possible, it can be harder if a child struggles to follow instructions.
What makes this experience special is the proximity. Unlike most tours in Patagonia, you’re actually walking with penguins. They walk around you, often passing just a few meters away. Few wildlife encounters in Patagonia allow this kind of close observation.
What is the Martillo island penguin tour?
The Martillo Island penguin tour is one of the most unique wildlife experiences in Ushuaia.
Martillo Island sits in the Beagle Channel, about 90 km (56 mi) east of the city. It’s famous for its large penguin colony and for being one of the very few places in Patagonia where visitors can observe penguins up close in their natural habitat.
One important detail many people miss when booking. Not every Martillo Island tour allows you to land on the island.
Only one company is authorized to let visitors disembark and walk near the penguins. That company is Piratour, and the experience I’m sharing in this guide is with them.
Other tours sail near the island and you may still see penguins from the boat or from the shore. But the experience is completely different. Watching them from a distance doesn’t compare to standing on the same island while penguins walk just a few meters away.
During the visit, it’s possible to see two penguin species. Most of them are Magellanic penguins, which arrive on the island around September or October to breed. They stay through the summer months before migrating again.
There are also Gentoo penguins, although in smaller numbers. Unlike the Magellanic penguins, Gentoo penguins live on the island permanently. They can move slightly along the coastline but don’t migrate far from this region.
Because of this, the island remains an important habitat for wildlife in the Beagle Channel and it’s one of the best places to see penguins in Ushuaia.
My experience walking with penguins on Martillo island
The Martillo Island tour from Ushuaia started in the afternoon. The meeting point was at 2.30 pm, near the Piratour offices in the city’s center. Before leaving, you have to pay the entrance fee to Estancia Harberton. It’s 35 USD (~30€) and you can pay by card or cash, but the payment is processed in Argentine pesos.
A van was waiting for us with a driver and guide. From there, we drove about 1h30 toward Estancia Harberton, which is where the boat to the island departs.
The drive itself is already part of the experience.
We followed Route 3, which is paved and offers some beautiful views along the way. Later, we turned onto Route J, a gravel road where the landscape changes. The scenery becomes more wild and the vegetation much denser.
After this drive, we reached Estancia Harberton. Harberton is a historic estancia and also a small marine museum.
Before heading to Martillo Island, we joined a 40-minute guided visit with a marine biologist. Inside the museum, there are many skeletons of marine animals, including whales and dolphins, and the guide explained how these animals live and behave.
After the visit, it was finally time for the moment everyone was waiting for.
We boarded a small boat that took us to Martillo Island. The ride takes only about 10 minutes, but the excitement builds quickly as you approach the island.
When we arrived, our group was the only one there. There were around 15 to 20 people in total, which made the experience feel calm and well-controlled.
We spent about one hour on the island, always accompanied by our guide. Our guide was Julie, who was incredibly friendly and attentive throughout the entire visit.
She explained where we could walk and which path we had to follow. She also reminded us several times about the most important rule. We must always keep a safe distance from the penguins.
Even so, the penguins often walked surprisingly close to us. Seeing them waddle around their nests and hearing their calls made the experience feel incredibly real.
👉 Book your spot here: Martillo Island Penguin Tour
After the visit, we took the small boat back to the mainland. The van was already waiting for us there and we returned to Ushuaia, another 1h30 drive through the beautiful landscapes of Tierra del Fuego.
Martillo Island penguin tour itinerary: overview
→ 2.30 pm pickup in Ushuaia
→ 1h30 drive to Estancia Harberton
→ 40 min marine museum visit
→ 10 min boat to Martillo Island
→ 1h walking with penguins
→ Return to Ushuaia
What tour sites don’t tell you about this experience
The first thing to know is that the visit to Martillo Island is actually quite short. You spend about 1 hour on the island, but the full tour takes around 7 hours from start to finish. Most of the time is spent traveling from Ushuaia to Estancia Harberton and back.
Another important detail. You don’t explore the island freely.
You walk in a small group and always with a guide, following strict rules designed to protect the animals. Sudden movements are not allowed, and everyone must keep a minimum distance of about 3 meters (~10 ft) from the penguins.
But here’s the funny part. The penguins don’t always follow that rule.
Many times, they walk surprisingly close to visitors. When that happens, the rule is simple. You stay still and let them pass. The penguins come close to you, not the other way around.
The weather can also change quickly in this part of Patagonia. When I visited, it was very cold and quite windy. Even so, the excitement of finally seeing the penguins made us almost forget about the cold.
It’s also important to understand that this is not a zoo experience. The visit is focused on protecting the wildlife. From what I saw, the activity felt respectful and ethical.
Honestly, I arrived with very high expectations. But the reality was even better than I imagined.
Seeing hundreds of penguins walking around their nests while you quietly observe them is hard to describe until you experience it yourself.
Is it ethical to walk with penguins on Martillo Island?
One of the most common questions about this experience is whether it’s ethical. After visiting, I personally felt that the activity is carefully regulated and designed to minimize stress for the animals.
The rules on Martillo Island are very strict.
- Only guided visits are allowed on the island
- Visitors cannot touch the penguins
- Groups must stay on designated walking paths
- Guides constantly monitor behavior and distance from wildlife
- Drones and flash photography are not allowed
At one point during our visit, our guide noticed that a group of penguins seemed uncomfortable with our presence in a certain area. Instead of continuing, she immediately asked us to turn around and follow a different path.
Moments like this made it clear that the penguins’ well-being always comes first.
Touching or approaching the penguins is not allowed because it can cause stress to the animals. In extreme situations, stress can even lead to serious health issues such as heart attacks. That’s why maintaining distance is essential.
The guides play an important role in managing the visit. They control the pace of the walk, the route we follow, and how close we get to the penguins.
It’s also important to remember that the penguins here are wild animals. The tours simply allow visitors to walk through the colony while the birds continue their normal behavior, such as nesting, feeding, and caring for their chicks.
Another reason the experience feels well-controlled is the strict visitor limit.
- Around 50 visitors per day are allowed to land on the island
- At any given moment, only about 20 people can be on the island
- Every group must be accompanied by a guide
These limits help ensure that the colony remains protected while still allowing travelers to witness one of the most special wildlife encounters in Patagonia.
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How to get to Martillo island from Ushuaia
The only way to reach Martillo Island is with a guided tour. The island is protected, and access is strictly controlled, so independent visits are not allowed.
Most tours start in the center of Ushuaia, near the harbor and close to the Piratour offices.
From there, visitors travel by van to Estancia Harberton, located about 1h30 east of Ushuaia. This scenic drive follows Route 3 and later Route J, passing through beautiful landscapes along the way.
Once at the estancia, visitors board a small boat that takes them to the island in about 10 minutes.
The full excursion usually lasts 7 to 8 hours from start to finish. However, the time spent on the island itself is much shorter.
Best time of year to see penguins in Ushuaia
Penguin season in Ushuaia depends on the species you want to see. The two most common species on the island behave quite differently throughout the year.
Gentoo penguins live on the island permanently. They may move slightly along the coast, but they don’t migrate far from this region.
Magellanic penguins, on the other hand, migrate every year. They usually arrive on Martillo Island around September or October to reproduce. Around March and April, they begin migrating north again.
Because of this migration pattern, the classic Martillo Island penguin tour runs only between October 1 and March 31. This period covers the southern hemisphere spring and summer, when the penguin colony is most active.
There is also a winter version of the tour available between July and September. However, the experience is slightly different. Visitors spend only about 30 minutes on the island, and the tour also includes stops at other points along the Beagle Channel.
Also, if you want the best chances to see baby penguins, the best months are December and January. According to our guide, this is when many chicks start appearing in the colony.
The weather in this region can also be unpredictable. Even during summer, it can feel very cold.
For example, I visited in early February, which is the middle of summer in Patagonia. Temperatures during our visit were around 2 to 5°C (36 to 41°F), with strong winds. Because of that, it’s very important to dress in warm layers when doing this tour.
How much does the Martillo Island penguin tour cost?
The Martillo Island penguin tour isn’t the cheapest activity in Ushuaia, but it’s one of the most memorable wildlife experiences you can have in Patagonia.
The average price is around 140 USD (~121€) per person.
Here’s what’s included in the tour price:
- Van transfer from and back to Ushuaia
- Professional guide throughout the tour
- Boat transfer to and from Martillo Island
However, one important cost is not included in the tour price.
Visitors must pay the entrance fee to Estancia Harberton, which is currently 35 USD (~30€).
In my opinion, the overall experience is absolutely worth the price. The tour is very well organized and seeing penguins up close in the wild is something you rarely get to do.
Which Martillo island penguin tour I recommend booking
When researching tours, you’ll quickly notice that not all of them offer the same experience.
Some tours only sail past the island. From the boat, you may still see penguins along the shore, but you won’t actually land on the island.
If you want the full experience, you should look for a tour that allows visitors to walk on the island.
That’s exactly why I chose this one.
Piratour is the only company authorized to land on Martillo Island and walk near the penguins. If your goal is to experience the colony up close, this is the option you should book.
If you’re planning to visit Ushuaia and want this unforgettable wildlife encounter, I recommend securing your spot in advance. Tours often fill up quickly, especially during the summer months.
For travelers who feel unsure about spending the money, I’d say this. If seeing penguins in the wild is high on your Patagonia wish list, this experience truly delivers.
If you want to actually walk on the island and see penguins up close, this is the tour I did with Piratour.
Who should book this tour and who should skip it
This tour isn’t for everyone, but for many travelers it becomes one of the highlights of their Patagonia trip.
This tour is perfect for:
- First-time visitors exploring Patagonia
- Wildlife lovers who enjoy observing animals in their natural habitat
- Travelers looking for a once-in-a-lifetime experience
However, there are a few situations where this tour may not be the best fit.
You may want to skip it if:
- You’re hoping for a long wildlife tour
- You’re traveling on a very tight budget
- You prefer completely self-guided activities
Practical tips for your Martillo island penguin tour
A bit of preparation makes this experience much more comfortable. The weather in Tierra del Fuego can change quickly, and once the tour starts, there are very few stops.
Here are a few practical tips that helped me during the day.
- What to wear: Thermal base layer, fleece, down jacket, waterproof jacket, thermal leggings, waterproof snow pants, waterproof boots, warm socks, beanie and gloves. Layering is essential because it can be very cold and windy even in summer.
- What to bring: Water and snacks to eat during the drive, there are no stops to buy food during the tour.
- Motion sickness: The boat ride to the island lasts only about 10 minutes. It can be bumpy, but I didn’t feel sick even though I usually get motion sickness easily.
- Bathroom situation: Use the bathroom before leaving Ushuaia or at Estancia Harberton, the only place with restrooms during the tour.
Frequently Asked Questions
» Can you really walk with penguins in Ushuaia?
Yes, it is possible to walk near penguins in Ushuaia, but only on a specific guided tour to Martillo Island.
This experience allows visitors to land on the island and walk through part of the penguin colony while the animals move freely around you.
The penguins are completely wild and the visit is strictly regulated to protect them. You must stay on designated paths and keep a minimum distance from the animals. The penguins sometimes walk surprisingly close, but visitors cannot approach them.
» How close do you get to the penguins?
Visitors must keep a minimum distance of about 3 meters (10 feet) from the penguins.
However, penguins often walk close to the path out of curiosity, which can make the encounter feel even closer. When this happens, the rule is simple. You stay still and let the penguin pass.
Guides constantly monitor the group to ensure the distance is respected. Because the penguins are used to people quietly walking through the colony, they usually continue their normal activities.
» How long do you stay on Martillo Island?
Visitors typically spend about one hour on Martillo Island. During that time, the group walks along a designated path through part of the penguin colony while a guide explains more about the wildlife and the island ecosystem.
Although the time on the island is relatively short, it is usually enough to observe many penguins up close and take photos.
The full tour lasts around 7 to 8 hours, because it includes the drive from Ushuaia to Estancia Harberton, a guided visit to the marine museum, and the short boat ride to the island.
» Is the tour suitable for kids?
Yes, children are allowed on the tour, but parents should keep in mind that strict rules must be followed near the penguins.
Visitors must stay on the path and maintain a safe distance from the animals at all times. For families with very young children, this can sometimes be challenging. Kids may naturally want to approach the animals, which is not allowed.
» Can you see penguins without booking a tour?
No, visiting Martillo Island independently is not allowed. The island is protected and access is strictly controlled, so you must join a guided tour to land there.
Some Beagle Channel boat tours pass near the island, and from the boat, you may still be able to see penguins along the shoreline. However, these tours do not allow visitors to go ashore.
If your goal is to walk near the penguins and observe them from the island itself, you must book a guided visit.
» Is this better than a Beagle Channel boat tour?
These are simply two different experiences.
A Beagle Channel boat tour focuses on the landscapes and marine wildlife of the channel. During the navigation, you may see sea lions, cormorants, and famous landmarks like Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse.
The Martillo Island experience is more focused on penguin observation. Instead of viewing animals from the boat, you land on the island and walk through the penguin colony.
If seeing penguins up close is your priority, the island visit is the better choice. However, many travelers actually combine both experiences during their stay in Ushuaia.
Final thoughts
After doing the Martillo Island penguin tour, I can honestly say it was one of the most memorable experiences of my trip to Patagonia.
Seeing penguins in Ushuaia from the same ground level where they live is something special. Watching them walk between their nests, hearing their calls, and observing how they interact with each other makes the whole experience feel incredibly real.
The visit isn’t long. But the moment you step onto the island and see penguins walking around you, the excitement takes over. For me, it was one of those travel moments that stays with you long after the trip is over.
So would I recommend the Martillo Island penguin tour? Yes, absolutely. If seeing penguins in the wild is on your bucket list, this experience is hard to beat.
Spots for the Martillo Island penguin tour are limited because only a small number of visitors can land on the island each day.
👉 Check if the penguin tour is available on your dates
If you’re planning a trip to Ushuaia and still have questions about this tour, feel free to ask in the comments below.
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