Penguin navigation tour

Come and enjoy the Beagle Channel at its very best! Sea lions, cormorants, penguins, and Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse are the highlights of this excursion.

We will depart from the local Tourist Pier, sailing across the wide Ushuaia Bay until reaching the Beagle Channel through Paso Chico. There, we will navigate around Birds Island, where we will observe Fuegian birdlife such as skuas, black-browed albatrosses, steamer ducks, upland geese, kelp gulls, and gray gulls; and around Lobos Island, where we can observe South American sea lions and fur seals. Both islands belong to the Bridges Archipelago.

Upon reaching Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse (“The Illuminators”), we will observe colonies of imperial and rock cormorants and hear the story of the sinking of the SS Monte Cervantes in 1930.

Continuing eastward, we will sail through stunning landscapes of the channel and the surrounding mountains. Along the way, we will spot Puerto Almanza on the Argentine coast and the Puerto Williams Naval Base on the Chilean coast. We will then arrive at Martillo Island, where we will have the opportunity to see a colony of Magellanic penguins and some Gentoo penguins.

We will then turn back toward Ushuaia, sailing close to the northern shore of the channel, appreciating the characteristic flora and passing historical sites such as Estancia Túnel and Estancia Remolino, where the semi-sunken hull of the steamship Monte Sarmiento has remained since 1912.

At the end of the journey, we will enjoy views of the mountain range surrounding the city of Ushuaia and its remarkable natural setting.

Note: At the beginning and end of the season, fewer penguins may be seen.