Where to find penguins in South America

When you think of penguins the first thing you probably imagine is a group of comic birds waddling around on the ice in Antarctica. But South America is actually home to a number of different species and they can be spotted in various colonies up and down the continent, including as far north as the Galápagos Islands. Here's a list of what penguins you can see where:

1) Galápagos penguin
Endemic to the Galápagos Islands, this is the only penguin living north of the equator.

2) Humboldt penguin
Named after the cold-water current it swims in off the coast of Peru and Chile, the Humboldt penguin is listed as a vulnerable species.

3) Magellanic penguin
Closely related to the Galápagos and Humboldt penguins, the Magellanic penguin breeds in coastal Argentina, Chile and the Falkland Islands and can be seen near Punta Arenas in Chile and Punto Tombo, Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel in Argentina. Though some have been seen as far north as Rio!

4) Macaroni penguin
Macaroni was a term used in the 18th century for persons who dressed and acted flamboyantly; so when English sailors came across a penguin with a bright yellow crest, they named it the macaroni penguin. These days they can be found in southern Chile, the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula.

5) Rockhopper penguin
Another crested penguin, the rockhopper penguin is one of the smallest species of penguin in the world. They can be seen around Cape Horn, the Falklands and South Georgia.

6) Chinstrap penguin
Its name derives from the black line which crosses its chin making it look as though it is wearing a hat. Easily identifiable, it can be seen in Antarctica, Argentina, Chile, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

7) Gentoo penguin
The breeding colonies of gentoo penguins are on ice-free surfaces and can travel quite far inland to nest. They can be seen on the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and in the Antarctic Peninsula.

8) King penguin
The king penguin is the second largest species of penguin in the world and can be seen in Tierra del Fuego, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia.

Only found in Antarctica:

9) Adélie penguin
The Adélie penguin lives only along the Antarctic coast and are named after the wife of the French explorer who discovered these penguins in 1840.

10) Emperor penguin
The largest penguin on earth, the emperor penguin is endemic to Antarctica and will trek between 50 and 120km to breeding colonies during the Antarctic winter.

Take a look at these excursions and holidays to find out how you can see these penguins with Journey Latin America:

Wildlife watching in Antarctica
Antarctica: In search of the Emperor penguin
Visit a penguin colony
Visit Chiloe's penguins