Guided Penguin Watching Tour and Centolla Route
Description
Visiting the southernmost fishing village, enjoying its exquisite marine gastronomy and sailing to meet the charismatic penguins is a unique plan. Beginning with National Route No. 3, we cross the Fueguino valleys surrounded by mountains, turbulence and winter centers that dazzle along the way. Then we take Provincial Route J, a path surrounded by centuries-old forests towards the coast of the Beagle Channel. Along the way, we look at marine production areas, such as mussel cultivation and scentolla traps, known here as the "red gold". From the pier in Puerto Almanza, we embark on a zodiac to navigate the Beagle Channel to Isla Martillo, home to Magellanic penguins and Papua. We observe them in their natural and wild environment. Finally we return to the village to enjoy lunch in a local restaurant, tasting fresh produce from the region, closing this unforgettable experience before returning.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Hammer Island, known as penguin, is inhabited by colonies of Magellanic and Papuan penguins. On this excursion the experience will be unique as you visit a zodiac ensuring you get much closer to the coast, providing exceptional views of the penguins in their natural habitat. You will enjoy more time watching these amazing and curious birds as they move along the beach or swim in the water. The proximity to the fauna, combined with the thrill of sailing in a zodiac through the waters of the Beagle Channel, makes this excursion an intimate and exclusive adventure. On board a zodiac, we sailed for an hour and a half along a narrow arm of the canal, until we reached the island of penguins. There we stop to observe and learn about them and the fauna of the Beagle in a wilderness environment.
The adventure starts from Puerto Almanza, a charming coastal town. Along the Beagle Channel, you can see marine production areas, with buoys dedicated to mussel cultivation, boats in full activity and traps for the centolla, known locally as 'red gold'. Following the iconic “Route of the Centolla”, we enter the village and walk along its only street, until we reach the dock where the boat awaits us. After the excursion, we headed to a local fisherman’s restaurant, where we enjoyed lunch with fresh produce from the region. Between talks and pleasant moments, we share our experiences before embarking on a return to the city.
The stop in Laguna Victoria offers a moment of tranquility in a unique landscape, surrounded by mountains and Fueguin forests. This lagoon, located in an extensive peat field, stands out for its natural environment and dark water. During the visit, in addition to enjoying the environment, we will have the opportunity to learn about this fascinating ecosystem and its importance in the region. It is a perfect place to connect with nature and better understand the crucial role of peatlands in environmental balance before continuing on our adventure.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
pick up passengers at all accommodations in the city the guide will look for them at your hotel reception or at your apartment address the day before we will send you the exact timetable that we pass them
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- We only serve alcoholic beverages to travelers over the age of 18. Non-alcoholic beverages are available for guests under the age of 18.
Reviews(17)
There are excursions that show you a place... and others that make you feel part of it. Yesterday we experienced one of those unforgettable experiences with Explore Tierra del Fuego, heading to Puerto Almanza, a small fishing village where time seems to pass differently and nature sets the rhythm of life. From the first minute, the love with which Lucas and Mara do their work was evident. It was not just a tour: it was a close, personalized experience, full of stories, time to contemplate, and those stops that truly invite you to connect with the vastness of Tierra del Fuego. Each landscape seemed to surpass the previous one. The Fuegian valleys, Laguna Victoria, the beaver dam... each stop was an invitation to pause, look, and enjoy, understanding a little more about the history and nature of this corner of the world. Before we boarded to see the penguins, we had lunch at El Gran Chaparral. Araceli, its owner and cook, welcomed us with incredible warmth. Everything was homemade, prepared with dedication and local products. We tried king crab for the first time, and it was simply a delight. A place I would return to without hesitation and that I recommend with my eyes closed. And just when we thought the day could not surprise us any more, the moment to visit the penguin colony arrived. There we understood that nothing had been left to chance. Explore Tierra del Fuego organizes the excursion to arrive at sunset, just when the penguins return from the sea to the island. Seeing them appear in groups, walking towards the shore and reuniting in their natural habitat, with the warm light of the sunset tinting the landscape, was one of the most exciting scenes I experienced. A moment of contemplation that remains etched forever. And as if nature wanted to gift us one last magical moment, the return was sailing under an immense full moon that illuminated the entire journey back. A perfect ending to a day that we will hardly forget. I take away much more than photos. I take with me the memory of people who deeply love this land and know how to convey that love in every detail. Thank you, Lucas and Mara, for making it so that we not only got to know Tierra del Fuego, but that we could feel it. Without a doubt, I would choose this experience again and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone visiting Ushuaia.
Excellent experience, personalized, and above all, a lot of quality in the services received!
¡Muchas gracias por tus palabras! Nos alegra saber que disfrutaste una experiencia tan cuidada y cercana en Ushuaia. Te esperamos en Explore para la próxima aventura 🙌
We had an amazing experience booking our activities with Explore Tierra del Fuego. All the guys on the team are the most! They know a lot and you can tell they like what they do. We did several and excursions with it, the groups are small which makes the experience much more enjoyable. Thank you so much for everything! 10/10 definitely!!
¡Gracias! 🙌 Que hayan confiado en nosotros para varias excursiones y que se note la pasión del equipo — eso es exactamente lo que buscamos. ¡Los esperamos de vuelta en el fin del mundo! 🌿
The guys in the company are wordless.
¡Gracias! 🙌 Nos alegra que lo hayas disfrutado. ¡Te esperamos de vuelta en el fin del mundo! 🌿
Our guide was Luciano, with him we could appreciate our landscape more since we are Fueguinos. A unique experience from another perspective, highly recommended. We had lunch at Yatayten, the food was exquisite and the attention a luxury. The navigation was great and they were very friendly with us. Every part of the tour was lovely.
¡Gracias! 🙌 Que Luciano haya logrado mostrarles su propia tierra desde otra perspectiva es de lo que más nos enorgullece. Bienvenidos siempre, ¡los esperamos para mas experiencias! 🌿
Lucas is an excellent guide and driver. He is one of the best tour guides we have ever had. Lucas stopped at multiple sites and explained each place as we drove along. It included the history of the Canadian Beavers in the area and also the glaciers. Lucus is kind and considerate and helped us with every detail. Our 4 course seafood lunch was so amazing. We had ceviche, mussels and the main course was crab. The dessert was a flan like coffee meringue dessert. It's was some of the best food we have had in Ushuaia. We had already seen the penguins so we did not go on the boat tour but visited a waterfall in the area instead. We were offered tea and coffee and snacks at the end of the day and mate on the way home. I highly recommend this tour.
Thank you, Emma! 🙌 Lucas will be so happy to read this. We're glad you enjoyed Almanza to the fullest. We hope to welcome you back in Ushuaia!
Great experience 100/10 recommended. The tour is very complete takes you to see landscapes and we ended up in Almanza where we ate delicious and closed with penguin sighting that was a pass because they were very close.
¡Gracias por la recomendación! Nos alegra que hayan vivido una experiencia tan completa en Ushuaia, con Almanza y los pingüinos tan cerca. Los esperamos para otra excursión en Tierra del Fuego 🐧
It was a great experience with an excellent guide, Luciano.
Thank you so much for your review! 💙 We’re happy to know you had a great experience and enjoyed the guidance throughout the tour. Thank you for choosing us in Ushuaia! 🌎✨
Excellent tour. Super punctual .10 for Luciano. In every detail he was, he made it very enjoyable, we learned a lot. Recommended 100%. The sea menu by Araceli, amazing, fresh and tasty. We're going for more tours with Explore.
¡Muchísimas gracias por tu comentario! Nos alegra mucho saber que disfrutaron del tour y que todo haya salido perfecto. Luciano va a estar muy agradecido por la mención, así como todo el equipo. Qué bueno que hayan disfrutado el menú de mar de Araceli — es un orgullo poder compartir productos tan frescos y locales. Será un placer acompañarlos en más aventuras por el Fin del Mundo. ¡Los esperamos para el próximo tour!
We visited Puerto Almanza and Penguinera with our guide Franco and it was spectacular: the human warmth, the attention to detail, the information he shared with us along the way,... EVERYTHING was excellent, a great guide. Certainly small groups make a difference compared to other offers. Fully recommended, we are happy to have chosen them.
¡Muchísimas gracias por este mensaje tan lindo! Nos alegra enormemente saber que la experiencia en Puerto Almanza y la Pingüinera fue tan especial y que Franco haya marcado la diferencia. Su calidez, la atención a los detalles y la forma de compartir el camino son justamente parte de lo que buscamos transmitir en cada salida. Coincidimos plenamente: los grupos pequeños hacen la diferencia, y nos encanta saber que eso se reflejó en su experiencia. Gracias por elegirnos, por recomendarnos y por confiar en nuestro trabajo. ¡Los esperamos cuando quieran volver a Ushuaia!
