Francisco Coloane Marine Park

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 and South American sea lions feed here too, fur seals use the shores, and the fjords behind carry glaciers off the Darwin range. Access is by licensed vessel with rules on approach distance.

The landscape

• 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, sea lions and glaciers - in the same waters.

When to go

December to April, while the whales are feeding. Several days.

Practical notes

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.

Key facts