Magdalena Island

Magdalena is a low, treeless island in the Strait of Magellan, a couple of hours by boat from Punta Arenas, and from spring to late summer it belongs to Magellanic penguins, which come ashore in tens of thousands of breeding pairs to nest in burrows dug across the whole island. Visitors walk a single roped path from the jetty up to the lighthouse on the crown of the island, and the penguins simply carry on around them, standing at burrow mouths, braying, waddling down to the water in files and squabbling, entirely unbothered. Skuas and gulls patrol overhead. The visit is short and strictly managed, an hour on shore, but the density of birds makes it one of the most extraordinary wildlife experiences in Patagonia, and the crossing itself often turns up dolphins and seabirds.

What you actually see

• The penguin colony - tens of thousands of nesting pairs across the island.
• The roped path - the walk to the lighthouse with birds on both sides.
• The lighthouse - the small red beacon crowning the island.
• The crossing - dolphins, sea lions and seabirds in the Strait of Magellan.

When to go

The season runs roughly November to March, when the birds are ashore to breed and raise chicks; outside it they are at sea and trips do not run. December and January bring chicks. Sailings depend entirely on wind in the strait and are cancelled often.

Honest expectations

Trips are frequently cancelled by wind, which is relentless in the strait, so allow flexibility and expect a rough crossing; seasickness is common. Time ashore is capped at about an hour and you must stay on the roped path. It is a seasonal experience only. Some operators substitute a nearer, smaller colony at Seno Otway, which is far less impressive, so check which island you are actually being taken to.

Nearby

Punta Arenas is the port; Torres del Paine is a few hours north and Tierra del Fuego across the strait.