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Can you imagine navigating the legendary Beagle Channel toward the penguin colony at Martillo Island aboard an exclusive vessel specially equipped for your comfort, and then having lunch in the southernmost artisanal fishing village in Argentina?
This experience was designed so you can see penguins in Ushuaia with an option organized directly by us, with no intermediaries, using our own team, vehicles, and vessel, allowing us to offer you a more comfortable and exclusive outing, plus lunch included at one of the local restaurants in Puerto Almanza.
We’ll pick you up at the Ushuaia Tourist Port, from where we’ll travel by road along National Route No. 3 to Puerto Almanza, the southernmost artisanal fishing village in Argentina, located 70 km from the city. There, you’ll board our own state-of-the-art vessel, equipped with twin engines and the only onboard heating system available in the area.
We’ll navigate through Paso Guaraní, a historic maritime corridor alongside Gable Island, whose history is closely connected to the ancient Yámana people, who once navigated these same waters in their canoes.
The most anticipated moment: arriving at Martillo Island, the temporary home of Magellanic penguins and gentoo penguins that return every year for their breeding season, from October to April. Thanks to our exclusive vessel, the penguin watching experience is more up close, with more time and in small groups, so you can calmly observe how they swim, interact with one another, and walk along the coast, in a truly different experience for seeing penguins in Ushuaia.
After the penguin watching, we navigate back to Puerto Almanza, where the experience is completed with a special lunch at a traditional restaurant. You’ll taste fresh seafood, one of the great highlights of this corner of the Beagle Channel, before beginning the return journey by road to Ushuaia.
This way, the penguin watching experience from Puerto Almanza with lunch included combines the encounter with wildlife with a gastronomic experience closely connected to the identity of Puerto Almanza, making the outing a more complete, special, and exclusive experience.
1. We meet at the Port of Ushuaia
The experience begins at the Ushuaia Tourist Port, where we’ll meet to begin the journey along National Route No. 3 aboard our comfortable vehicles toward Puerto Almanza, the southernmost artisanal fishing village in Argentina, where your navigation for penguin watching at Martillo Island awaits.
2. We Travel Along National Route No. 3
We leave Ushuaia behind and begin traveling along National Route No. 3, where some of the most characteristic landscapes of the End of the World start to appear. You’ll see valleys, mountains, native forests, peat bogs, and the winter centers of Ushuaia, such as the famous Cerro Castor (the southernmost ski resort in the world), on a journey that shows how the surroundings of Ushuaia change as we move away from the city.
National Route No. 3 will take us to Rancho Hambre, a key historic site in Tierra del Fuego, linked to one of the first settlement attempts in this southern region. From there, we’ll turn onto Provincial Route J to continue our journey to Puerto Almanza.
3. We Continue Along Provincial Route J
We turn onto Provincial Route J, a gravel road that gives the excursion a completely different feel. Surrounded by native Nothofagus forests of lenga, ñire, and guindo, with the Lasifashaj River accompanying us for much of the route, we’ll continue toward Puerto Almanza, getting closer with every kilometer.
Along the way, you’ll also see Laguna Victoria, adding another of the landscapes that make the journey special as we head toward the southernmost artisanal fishing village in Argentina.
4. We Arrive at Puerto Almanza: Artisanal Fishing Village
Puerto Almanza is the southernmost artisanal fishing village in Argentina, where life revolves around the sea. With the forest behind it and the imposing Beagle Channel in front, a small group of families lives in direct contact with the sea, depending each day on what its waters provide.
You’ll notice the contrast with the city as soon as you arrive: low houses, the smell of the sea, fishing nets drying in the sun, and the calm of the place shaped by artisanal fishing. From here, we’ll get ready to board our exclusive boat and begin the most anticipated part of the day: penguin watching at Martillo Island.
5. Exclusive Navigation to Martillo Island
We board our own exclusive vessel, equipped with twin engines and the only heating system available in the area, ensuring a comfortable and safe navigation.
We’ll navigate toward Martillo Island through the historic Paso Guaraní, a narrow passage of the Beagle Channel that can only be traveled by small vessels, making this outing feel completely different: the scenery feels closer, the navigation is more intimate, and you’ll also be keeping an eye out for the marine wildlife often seen along the way, such as seabirds and, with a little luck, sea lions.
Gable Island will accompany us along this passage and gives context to this part of the route: it’s not just an island along the way, but one of the most important landmarks of the Beagle Channel before reaching the penguin colony. It was once inhabited by the Yámana, the ancient native canoeing people of the Beagle Channel, who were closely connected for centuries to life on the channel and these southern lands.
6. Penguin Watching at Martillo Island
In front of Martillo Island, the most anticipated moment of this experience arrives: from the boat, you’ll be able to observe up close the colonies of Magellanic penguins and Gentoo penguins, which have just arrived at the rookery to begin their breeding season during the period from October to April. From this close vantage point, you’ll be able to see how they move along the shore, how they go in and out of the water, and how they continue their activity on the island.
Our navigation is designed so that you can enjoy this encounter at a more relaxed pace and from a small vessel, making the penguin watching much more up close and giving you more time to enjoy one of the most sought-after wildlife experiences in the Beagle Channel.
7. We Navigate Back to Puerto Almanza
After the incredible experience of penguin watching at Martillo Island, we begin the journey back to Puerto Almanza. This part of the navigation will let you keep enjoying the Beagle Channel, now from a different perspective of the landscape and with time to take in the surroundings more calmly along the way.
8. Exclusive Lunch in Puerto Almanza
At a traditional restaurant in Puerto Almanza, you’ll enjoy a very special lunch featuring fresh products sourced directly from the local artisanal fishing. The standard menu includes fish or seafood of the day, prepared with recipes that highlight the natural flavors of the sea.
If you choose the premium version of the excursion, you will be able to taste the famous Fuegian king crab, one of the most famous products of Ushuaia, recognized for its delicate texture and unmistakable flavor. An authentic gastronomic experience, where each dish reflects the identity of the Beagle Channel and the tradition of this small fishing village.
And if you prefer not to eat fish, you also have other traditional à la carte options to enjoy lunch your way.
9. We head back to Ushuaia with unique memories
After the delicious lunch at a restaurant in Puerto Almanza, we begin the return journey by road to the Ushuaia Tourist Port, taking the Provincial Route J and then National Route No. 3.
But the return journey feels different now: we’ll drop you back at the port with the feeling of having enjoyed a much closer, more relaxed, and personalized penguin watching experience in Ushuaia, navigating aboard an exclusive vessel that allowed you to observe the penguins of Martillo Island with more time, comfort, and the added bonus of an unforgettable lunch.
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Yes. Penguin Watching from Puerto Almanza can be enjoyed by families and people of different ages.
Keep in mind that part of the experience takes place aboard a small boat, so you may feel the natural movement of the water during the journey.
If you’re traveling with young children or people who are not used to navigating, this is something to keep in mind when choosing the excursion.
Penguin Watching from Puerto Almanza is available during the penguin season, approximately from spring through summer (generally from October to April).
We recommend dressing in layers and bringing warm clothing, as it can feel colder and windier during the navigation.
Ideally, wear a waterproof and windproof jacket, as well as waterproof footwear, since there may be some splashes during the boat ride.
We also suggest bringing a hat, scarf, and gloves, especially on colder or windier days.
We don't disembark on the islandbut the penguin watching is from very close up, as we approach in a specially designed boat to offer an intimate and safe experience.
The excursion is carried out in a modern and specially equipped boat, with twin mirror engines and a unique heating system, the only one of its kind in Ushuaia. Additionally, we offer limited spots, ensuring comfort, exclusivity, and safety throughout the experience.
We are prepared to navigate even if there is some wind or rain, which are normal conditions in Patagonia. Only in exceptional situations, if the Argentine Naval Prefecture determines that conditions in the Beagle Channel are not suitable for navigation, the navigation may be rescheduled or refunded, according to your preference.
It includes lunch at a typical restaurant in Puerto Almanza. The Premium version of this excursion includes a lunch with fresh Fuegian spider crab prepared in a traditional way. The Traditional version offers a lunch made with the fresh catch of the day, equally delicious and authentically local.
We can offer you alternatives according to the daily menu and also vegetarian options. Please let us know in advance when booking so we can inform you of the options available that day and adapt to your preferences.
This experience combines ground transportation and navigation.
We depart from Ushuaia by vehicle and travel to Puerto Almanza, on the eastern coast of the Beagle Channel. From there, we board a small boat and navigate to Martillo Island, where we enjoy the penguin watching experience.
After the navigation, we return by small boat to Puerto Almanza and from there begin the ground transfer back to Ushuaia.
This way, during the excursion you’ll discover both the landscapes along the route to Puerto Almanza and the area of the Beagle Channel where Martillo Island is located.
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