Francisco Coloane Marine Park
Chile's first marine protected area, created around a humpback feeding ground in the Strait of Magellan.
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The waters around Carlos III island in the western Strait of Magellan hold a summer feeding ground for humpback whales, which come here for krill and small fish, and in 2003 Chile declared the area its first marine park - the Francisco Coloane, named for the Chilean writer of the southern seas. Research from a small station on Carlos III has photo-identified individual whales returning across years. Magellanic penguins breed on Santa Magdalena within the wider protected area, elephant seals haul out, and the fjords behind carry glaciers off the Darwin range. Access is by licensed vessel with rules on approach distance.
What you actually see
- A humpback feeding ground - in the western Strait of Magellan.
- Chile's first marine park - declared in 2003.
- Photo-identified whales - returning individuals tracked across years.
- Penguins, elephant seals and glaciers - in the same waters.
When to go
December to April, while the whales are feeding. Several days.
Honest expectations
Trips are multi-day, expensive and weather-dependent, and cancellations are common. Approach distances are regulated - close encounters are not promised. Conditions in the strait are rough. There is no land-based way to see this.
Nearby
Punta Arenas is the departure point; Alberto de Agostini park is south-west.
What to pack for Francisco Coloane Marine Park
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.