Punta Tombo Penguin Colony Tour: One Million Birds

A million Magellanic penguins in one place, September through April

A shore excursion from Puerto Madryn to Punta Tombo, the largest Magellanic penguin colony in South America, where you walk among approximately one million birds during their breeding and molting season. The tour includes a guide in English or Spanish, box lunch with dietary options, and a stop in Puerto Madryn on the return. The round trip takes seven hours from the pier. Entrance to the reserve is not included in the tour price.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Punta Tombo and Puerto Madryn

• Depart from Puerto Madryn port
• Stop at gas station for restrooms
• Continue to Punta Tombo reserve
• Visit Magellanic penguin colony
• See guanacos and Patagonian hares
• Return to Puerto Madryn
• Photo stop at dinosaur replica
• Tour Puerto Madryn city
• Drop off at pier

The experience

The drive to Punta Tombo takes between two and two and a half hours from Puerto Madryn. You'll travel in an air-conditioned vehicle with a guide who speaks English and Spanish, and stop at a gas station with restrooms partway through. Once you arrive at the reserve, you spend one to one and a half hours walking the grounds among the penguins: Magellanic birds that come ashore from September through April to breed and molt. Guanacos and Patagonian hares move through the same landscape, and the Atlantic coast runs alongside the colony.

On the return to Puerto Madryn, if time allows, the tour stops at the world's largest dinosaur replica for photos, then gives you a roughly 30-minute drive through the city before dropping you at the pier. You'll have eaten a box lunch during the day (choose regular, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free when you book), and had bottled water throughout. The whole excursion, from leaving the dock to returning to it, runs about seven hours.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned vehicle with a guide in English or Spanish.
• box lunch with regular, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options.
• bottled water throughout the day.
• a stop at the world's largest dinosaur replica on the return (if time allows).
• and a city tour of Puerto Madryn before drop-off at the pier.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayLast departure this season: 20 Apr 2027

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 8 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transport

Operated by Sussanich Turismo

Is this one for you?Book this if your ship docks September–April and you want a guided visit to the million-penguin breeding colony at Punta Tombo. The seven-hour round trip is timed to your cruise departure, so you return straight to the dock.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How long do I actually spend at Punta Tombo watching the penguins?

You'll have one to one and a half hours at the reserve to walk among the birds and see the guanacos and Patagonian hares. The rest of the seven-hour tour is travel time, a gas station stop, and the return drive through Puerto Madryn.

When is the best time to see the penguins at Punta Tombo?

Punta Tombo is open to visitors from September through April, when approximately one million Magellanic penguins arrive to breed and molt. Outside those months, the colony is not accessible.

What's included in the tour price?

The tour includes transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle, a guide in English or Spanish, a box lunch with your choice of regular, vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options, and bottled water. The entrance fee to Punta Tombo reserve is not included and costs around 20 USD.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. The vehicle, all areas at Punta Tombo, and the surfaces you walk on are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.

What happens if we get back to Puerto Madryn early?

If your ship's schedule allows, the tour includes a stop at the world's largest dinosaur replica for photos and a roughly 30-minute tour of Puerto Madryn before you're dropped at the pier.