Sailing the Beagle Channel is a must for wildlife enthusiasts in Tierra del Fuego. From October to March, the star attraction is the charming penguins, who come here for their breeding season. Join us for a six-hour catamaran trip to see these incredible birds up close, along with the Les Eclaireurs lighthouse, sea lions, and cormorants.

Itinerary

* The schedule and itinerary could be subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances such as weather conditions. Please ask when booking.

THE EXPERIENCE

We depart from the port of Ushuaia on a catamaran and first sail through the Bay of Ushuaia. We’ll enjoy a beautiful view of the port and the city from the sea. Then, we’ll reach the Beagle Channel which, near Ushuaia, consists of two archipelagos, home to a great variety of native fauna. 

One of our first stops will be at ‘Birds Island’, home to cormorants, birds whose appearance and behavior are often mistaken for penguins. They make numerous colonies and built their nests of guano on the rocky islands of the Channel. Continuing our journey eastward, we’ll visit the ‘Sea Lion Island’ to observe the colony of sea lions that reside all year round on the Beagle Channel. On these islands are also habitat of a great diversity of marine birds, including albatrosses, petrels, ducks, oystercatchers, and gulls. We may also be surprised by marine mammals such as whales, seals, porpoises, among others. 

After immersing  ourselves in the wild and natural beauty of the Beagle Channel, we’ll arrive at the iconic landmark of our sailing journey and of the city itself: the famous Les Eclaireus lighthouse. We’ll pause here for a while, allowing us to capture photos, admire the breathtaking landscape, and truly feel ourselves at the End of the World.

We’ll leave the lighthouse behind and start the longest stretch sailing towards the Atlantic while enjoying stunning landscapes along the way. You can savor a hot drink and relax until we arrive in Martillo Island, home to charming penguins. Year after year, these creatures choose this place for breeding, taking care of their chicks and molting. We’ll devote some time here to observe the colonies of magellanic and gentoo penguins, two of the species of penguins that cohabit on this island. We’ll take amazing photographs and enjoy their behavior for a while. 

We’ll sail back to Ushuaia along the coast to appreciate amazing landscapes where the forest, the sea and the Andes mountains blend together to form a unique ecosystem. 

Note: at the beginning and towards the end of the season, the number of penguins seen could  be smaller.

What’s included / What’s not included