“Simply fabulous. Best day of my life to see the penguins up close. Highly recommend.”
Sean · United Kingdom
Ushuaia Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins
On GetYourGuide as “Ushuaia: Martillo Island Full-Day Tour – Walk Among Penguins”
- 1 h on the islandfrom Ushuaia tourist pier — check-in time confirmed by the agency
- Day runs 8 am - 9 pmdepartures in season
- 10 hin all · 1 hour on the island
- Walk on Martillo, 1 hour
Quick answer
This full day pairs a morning channel boat trip with an afternoon 1-hour walk among the penguins on Martillo Island. It costs $530, is non-refundable and ends at 7:45 pm or 9:30–9:45 pm.
- 1 hour on foot among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, after a 15-minute speedboat crossing.
- $530 listing price, and the same $530 for 1 adult at booking.
- Non-refundable as booked; confirmed only once the agency Azul Latina confirms.
- ★4.9 from 25 reviews, the highest rating among the three walk listings.
- Estancia Harberton is closed on Tuesdays, and its entry fee is not included.
Source: GetYourGuide listing and booking page · Oct 2026
Every penguin tour price comparedBefore You Book the Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins
This walk is non-refundable and is not confirmed until the agency Azul Latina confirms it — check both before paying.
Check your date- No free cancellationThe option we checked was sold as non-refundable.Instead: The all-inclusive walk offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before → the all-inclusive walk.
- Agency confirmationDo not treat the booking as confirmed until Azul Latina confirms it through GetYourGuide, and the check-in time must also be confirmed by the agency.
- Traveler detailsThe agency needs the full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and WhatsApp number of every participant.
- Refund rules that do applyA full refund if the tour cannot be confirmed or operated due to availability; if the schedule moves by more than 30 minutes, a full refund only if you decline and notify the agency before the tour date.
Source: GetYourGuide listing and booking page · Oct 2026
All three walk options comparedMartillo Island Walk Among Penguins Fast Facts
Source: GetYourGuide listing · Oct 2026
A long split day: boat in the morning, a road trip and a 1-hour landing in the afternoon, back in town in the evening.
- DurationListed as 10 hours; the stated times run from 8:00 or 10:00 am to 7:45 pm or 9:30–9:45 pm
- Start timesMorning boat at 8:00 or 10:00 am, subject to availability; afternoon bus to Estancia Harberton at 2:30 pm
- Meeting pointTourist pier, Ushuaia — no hotel transfers; the agency confirms your check-in time
- LandingYes — a 1-hour guided walk on Martillo Island
- Boat typeChannel boat in the morning, inflatable speedboat for the 15-minute crossing
- Guide languageEnglish, live guide
- CancellationNon-refundable
- Rating★4.9 (25 reviews)
What the Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins Includes
Source: GetYourGuide listing · Oct 2026
The $530 covers the transfer, the crossing and the walk; Harberton entry, lunch and hotel transfers are extra.
- Morning boat trip on the Beagle Channel to Bird Island, Sea Lion Island and the lighthouse
- Transfer from the tourist dock to begin the tour
- Speedboat crossing to Martillo Island, about 15 minutes
- 1-hour walk among Gentoo and Magellanic penguins
- Return to the tourist dock
- Estancia museum visit — only if the estancia is open on the day
- Hotel transfers — show up at the tourist pier
- Estancia Harberton entrance — one operator lists ARS 60,000, subject to change without notice
- Lunch — free time to eat on your own in the port area
Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins Day Timeline
Source: GetYourGuide listing · Oct 2026 · road time: three independent travel guides
The 1 hour with the penguins sits inside a day of roughly 12 hours, split by a lunch break at the port.
The day10 h in all
- 8:00 or 10:00 amStart
Boat trip on the Beagle Channel, about 2–2.5 hours, to Sea Lion Island and Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse; the description also names Bird Island
- Back at the portStop
Free time to have lunch on your own in the port area
- 2:00 pmBy road
Meet again at the port; the bus leaves for Estancia Harberton at 2:30 pm
- Road to HarbertonBy road
National Route 3, then Route J, about 1.5–2 hours
- Estancia HarbertonStop
Museum visit only if the estancia is open that day
- At MartilloSpeedboat
15-minute crossing to Martillo Island in an inflatable boat
- At MartilloOn the island
1-hour guided walk among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins
- Return by landBy road
In town at 7:45 pm after the 8:00 am start, or 9:30–9:45 pm after the 10:00 am start
- 1Meeting point Ushuaia tourist pier
- 2Puerto Harberton crossing to the island
- 3Isla Martillo the walk
© OpenStreetMap contributorsOpen in maps
Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins Options and Prices
Ask for the 8:00 am boat if you can: the listing returns that group at 7:45 pm instead of 9:30–9:45 pm. Source: GetYourGuide booking page · Oct 2026
One option at $530, non-refundable — the only real choice is the 8:00 or 10:00 am boat, set by availability.
Option · guide · cancellationStartsBooking price
Martillo Island Full-Day Tour
English guide · cancellation: non-refundable8:00 am – 9:00 pm window$530for 1 adult
English guide · cancellation: non-refundable8:00 am – 9:00 pm window$530for 1 adult
Check Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins Dates
The walk has a small daily quota and sells out weeks ahead in peak season — check your date first.
What Travelers Say About the Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins
4.925 reviews
on GetYourGuide
on GetYourGuide
Source: GetYourGuide rating breakdown and reviews · Oct 2026
“Fabrizio, our guide, was extremely helpful and knowledgeable.”
Sally
“Really nice and well-organized excursion. Young, well-prepared, and enthusiastic staff, but not intrusive.”
Ilaria
Reviewers praise the guides and the closeness to the penguins; the complaints are small logistics.
What reviewers praise
- Guides named by reviewersFabrizio and Joachim, called helpful and informative.
- Organization from the morning meeting onward, and clear explanations of the process.
- Seeing the penguins up close in their habitat.
- Dolphins circling the boat, for one reviewer.
What reviewers criticize
- Directions to the pick-up point — one reviewer's only complaint.
- No coffee at Harberton, for one reviewer.
Should You Book the Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins
Book it if walking among the colony is the point of your trip and your dates are fixed; otherwise a refundable walk or a boat is safer.
Book it if
- You want 1 hour on foot among the colony, not a view from the deck
- You want the highest-rated walk listing, ★4.9 from 25 reviews
- Your dates are fixed and you can send passport details to the agency
- You like a lunch break in town between the boat and the walk
Book something else if
- You need free cancellationThe all-inclusive walk allows it up to 24 hours beforeThe all-inclusive walk
- Your only free day is a Tuesday, when Harberton is closedCatamarans sail from the pierThe classic catamaran
- You have reduced mobility or are pregnantThe walk is not recommendedBoat tours compared
- You want a shorter, cheaper dayThe small-boat trip costs $135 and stays on the waterThe small-boat trip
Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins vs Alternatives
Source: GetYourGuide listings · Oct 2026
Only the all-inclusive walk also lands on the island; the boats cost about a fifth of the price but stay on the water.
This tour and the alternatives
4 toursThe split-day walkTravelers who want the closest encounter with a lunch break in town · 10 h
1 h on the island
Day runs 8 am - 9 pm
Walk on the island
$530per person
Landing
Walk on the island, 1 hour · morning to 7:45 pm or 9:30–9:45 pm · listing price $530 · non-refundable
The all-inclusive walkTravelers who want flexibility and do not mind the operator setting the order of the day · 9.5 h
1 h on the island
8 am
Walk on the island
$549per person
Landing
Walk on the island, 1 hour · 8.5–9.5 hours · listing price $549 · free cancellation
The classic catamaranTight budgets, Tuesdays and half-day plans · 5.5 h
9 am · 3 pm
From the boat
$115per person
Landing
From the boat · 5.5 hours · listing price $115 · ★4.5 from 553 reviews
The small-boat tripSmall-group fans who want a close view from the water · 100 min
2 pm
From the boat
$135per person
Landing
From the boat · 100 minutes listed, about half a day with the road to Puerto Almanza · listing price $135 · ★5.0 from 5 reviews
Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins FAQ
Is Martillo Island walk among penguins worth it?
Yes, if standing among the colony matters more to you than price and flexibility. You get 1 hour on foot among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, and the tour holds ★4.9 from 25 reviews. The trade-offs are a $530 price, a non-refundable booking and a day ending at 7:45 pm or 9:30–9:45 pm. A catamaran shows the same island from the water for $110–115. Book the split-day walk.
Is the Martillo Island walk among penguins refundable?
No, the option we checked was sold as non-refundable. The listing does promise a full refund if the tour cannot be confirmed or operated due to availability. If the schedule changes by more than 30 minutes, you get a full refund only if you decline the service and tell the agency before the tour date. For free cancellation, the all-inclusive walk allows it up to 24 hours before. See the all-inclusive walk.
How long does the Martillo Island walk among penguins take?
The walk itself lasts 1 hour, but the whole day runs close to 12 hours, longer than the listed 10. The morning boat leaves at 8:00 or 10:00 am, the bus to Estancia Harberton leaves at 2:30 pm, and you are back in town at 7:45 pm or 9:30–9:45 pm. Avoid booking a flight or another tour for the same evening. Check the split-day walk times.
What does the agency need after I book the walk among penguins?
The agency Azul Latina needs each participant's full name, date of birth, nationality, passport number and WhatsApp contact number, without exception. Your booking is not confirmed until the agency confirms it through GetYourGuide, and the agency also confirms your check-in time. Keep your passport details ready at the moment you book to avoid delays. Book and send your details.
Does the Martillo Island walk among penguins run on Tuesdays?
Estancia Harberton is closed on Tuesdays, and the listing flags it because the land route to the island passes through the estancia. Harberton is also closed on 25 December and 1 January. If Tuesday is your only free day, confirm with the agency before booking, or choose a catamaran from the pier, which does not depend on Harberton. See the classic catamaran.
Is the Harberton entrance fee included in the walk among penguins?
No, if you visit Estancia Harberton, you pay the entrance fee yourself. The operator lists it at ARS 60,000, subject to change without prior notice, and the museum visit happens only if the estancia is open that day. Carry Argentine pesos for it. The all-inclusive walk names Harberton entry in its inclusions — confirm when booking. Walk prices and extra costs.
Which penguins will I see on the Martillo Island walk among penguins?
You walk among Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, with a specialized guide, on marked paths. Magellanic penguins are the most numerous on the island and are present from about October to March, while Gentoo penguins live there year-round. On the island you keep about 3 m from the birds; photos are allowed, flash and drones are not. The best months for penguins.
Is lunch or hotel pick-up included on the walk among penguins?
Neither is included. After the morning boat trip, you get free time to have lunch on your own in the port area, then meet again at the port at 2:00 pm. The tour does not include hotel transfers, so you make your own way to the tourist pier in the morning and again for the afternoon departure. Book the split-day walk.
Book the Martillo Island Walk Among Penguins
If your dates are fixed and you want to walk among the colony, book early and send your passport details at once. Listing price from $530 per person (Oct 2026).
Non-refundable; confirmed by the agency.