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Visit a Chilean penguin colony

Penguins

Mingle with everyone’s favourite bird at the Isla Magdalena rookery on the Strait of Magellan.

Down in the southernmost reaches of South America where the landmass starts to quickly disintegrate into a tangle of islands, the Strait of Magellan weaves right from the Pacific to the Atlantic. Departing from Punta Arenas on a 2-hour boat journey, you’ll begin tracing the same route as the great explorers who made this place synonymous with seafaring adventure.

Lying adrift in the Strait of Magellan, the Isla Magdalena is a breeding ground for several species of seabird, most notably the loveable penguin. You can walk among a chattering crowd of these comical birds, whose activities vary by the seasons – visit in September or October and you’ll see the monogamous pairs reunite after a long summer at sea, while January brings baby penguins making their first attempts at swimming.

For those short of time, a visit to the Seno Otway penguin colony on the way to Torres del Paine would be a quicker alternative.

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  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

  • Hannah
    Hannah Donaldson - Travel Expert

    Having spent part of her childhood in Colombia and worked in Brazil and Costa Rica, Hannah's ties to Latin America run deep. Hannah is a much valued Travel Expert in our Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tours sales team.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

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    Rosie Kay - Travel Expert

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    Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

    A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

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