Argentina. A boat trip through the Beagle Channel is one of the absolute highlights of a stay in Ushuaia. Here you have the opportunity to observe animals that you don't find so concentrated in other places. Do you dream of a walk with penguins? In my following article I will tell you more about this and other highlights of a boat trip in the Beagle Channel.
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A Walk with Penguins - The Highlight in the Beagle Channel
The Isla Martillo (also called Isla Yécapasela) and other islands in the Beagle Channel are part of the Estancia Haberton. In earlier times they were used for sheep and livestock farming. Since the 1960s, however, no farm animals have been brought to the islands. As a result, the penguins have rediscovered Isla Martillo. Today about 3000 pairs of Magellan penguins, 16 pairs of gentoo penguins and 155 pairs of rock cormorants live on the island. You can also observe Patagonia geese and the predatory skuas on the island. From time to time even a single king penguin is a guest.
The penguins come to Isla Martillo at the beginning of October to breed here. The donkey penguins build nests of small stones on the shingle beach. The Magellanic penguins, on the other hand, breed in burrows. Towards the end of March and beginning of April, the penguins leave the island to the north. They then spend about six months at sea.
Daily several excursion boats drive from Ushuaia to the Isla Martillo. However, the boats are not allowed to land here. As a result, the penguins can only be observed on the beach from the boat.
To the Island with the Boats of the Estancia Haberton
For a walk with the penguins you have to book a boat from the Estancia Haberton. You can do this either directly through the Estancia Haberton or through a guided bus tour with PiraTours from Ushuaia. The boat trip takes about 15 minutes and the walk about an hour. To protect the penguins, the maximum number of visitors is limited to 80 per day. Visitors are only allowed to walk along a marked path and only with a guide.
The visit of the penguin colony of Isla Martillo in the Beagle Channel was the highlight of my stay in Ushuaia. Here I came closer to penguins for the first time. And here I fell head over heels in love with them. The penguin colony of Isla Martillo is the only one that can be reached from Ushuaia. If you only have one day available during your stay in Ushuaia, I recommend a walk with the penguins.
Have you fallen head over heels in love with the penguins? Then you're probably also interested in the King Penguins in Tierra del Fuego. You like to take pictures? Then read my Tips for great Penguin Photos. You can also find many more penguin photos in my Gallery.
The Islotes les Éclaireurs - more Highlights in the Beagle Channel
The Islotes les Éclaireurs are eight small islands in the Argentine part of the Beagle Channel. All eight islands are uninhabited and therefore belong almost exclusively to the animals.
The most famous island is the Isla de los Lobos - sea lion island. From the boat you can watch South American sea lions and South American fur seals.
Beside the sea lion island also the Isla de los Pájaros (bird island) offers great possibilities to experience the animal world of the Beagle channel. Hundreds of cormorants and seagulls breed here.
On the northeasternmost island stands the eleven-metre-high Lighthouse Faro Les Éclaireurs. It is known as a lighthouse at the end of the world and was built in 1920.
Here you come back to the main article Tips and Highlights in Ushuaia and Surroundings.
Have you ever been to Tierra del Fuego yourself and have you been through the Beagle Channel? How did you like it and what were your highlights in the Beagle Channel? Do you have any questions about my article or any other suggestions? If so, please write me a comment!
