10 Boat Trips in Ushuaia Worth Booking

1.Penguin Watching Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 439 reviews · 5 hours · from $180Our pick

Spend five hours aboard a warm, modern catamaran from Ushuaia, stopping near Bird Island, Sea Lion Island, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, and Martillo Island. An English and Spanish guide explains the wildlife and the SS Monte Cervantes, while onboard snacks, drinks, and optional photography add convenience. You watch the penguins from the boat rather than walking on the island.

“Trio was awesome! Captain was great! Don’t hesitate to book this tour!”

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2.Catamaran Sailing to Penguin Island

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 436 reviews · 5h 30m · from $92Best value

Set out from Ushuaia at 3 p.m. on a 5.5-hour catamaran cruise with English and Spanish guiding. You’ll pass sea lion and bird colonies, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, Chilean and Argentine viewpoints, and Martillo Island, home to Magellanic and Gentoo penguins. The boat has outdoor decks, bathrooms, and a café, but food and drinks cost extra.

“While we really enjoyed our trip on the Catamaran and loved seeing the sea lions, I think there could be better crowd management when you get to the penguins. While they did ask people to keep moving so that everyone could get photos, etc., in reality, the same 20 or so people had the best spots for the entire time we were on the island, and we never got a chance to get up to the front for even a minute to grab a good photo. I possibly could have pushed my way through, but I would have preferred if a crew member asked people to move along after a…”

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3.Beagle Channel & Sea Wolves Island Catamaran Cruise

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 433 reviews · 2h 30m · from $115

Sail from Ushuaia Bay into the Beagle Channel on a comfortable, heated catamaran. You’ll see seabirds, two sea lion species, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, and Yamana shell deposits at Puerto Karelo, with a short guided walk and commentary in Spanish and English.

“Good value for the excursion. The scenery was beautiful”

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4.National Park, Train, and Beagle Channel Navigation

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 182 reviews · 510 minutes - 12 hours · from $190

Spend up to 12 hours combining Tierra del Fuego National Park, the End of the World Train, and a Beagle Channel cruise. You’ll see Lapataia Bay, Lake Roca, Ensenada Zaratiegui, bird colonies, sea lions, and Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse. Guides may speak English, Spanish, or Portuguese. Check that your booking includes the penguin route.

“Pretty good except there is no guide and tramdportation for thr boat ride where we took almost an hour to locate”

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5.Catamaran Tour through the Beagle Channel and Penguins in Isla Martillo

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 124 reviews · 5 to 6 hours (approx.) · from $240

Cruise from Ushuaia through the Beagle Channel to Isla Martillo, viewing Magellanic and Gentoo penguins, sea lions, seabirds, and the Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse from a comfortable catamaran. The 5 to 6-hour trip includes bilingual guidance, a café, restrooms, and outdoor viewing decks, but no island landing.

“The boat tour itself was great, but the directions about where and how to get your ticket were very confusing. On the website it says to click here for ticket, but then you get a message that “this is not a ticket!” When we got to the meeting place it was very busy with lots of cruise ship people and the rest of us. Did not know that we needed to go to one of the hurts to get our actual ticket for the boat. Thankfully, some very nice locals helped us and we JUST made the trip. Let me say again that was super! Loved the penguins!”

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6.Martillo Island: Boat Trip to the Penguin Colony & Beagle Channel

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 108 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $177

Set out from Ushuaia’s tourist port on a roughly five-hour catamaran trip through the Beagle Channel. See sea lions, cormorants, Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse, Puerto Williams, and Martillo Island’s Magellanic penguins from the boat. A guide provides commentary, but you do not walk among the penguins. The boat holds up to 120 people.

“This was an amazing experience. Yes, there’s a lot of people on the boat, but you have your own space and there’s even a cafeteria on board where you can buy food. You stay on the boat to see the penguins, but you get very close to them. This was our favorite part of the Ushuaia trip!”

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7.Beagle Channel Boat Tour and Penguin Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 86 reviews · 9h 30m · from $449

Spend about 9.5 hours combining a Beagle Channel catamaran cruise with a guided walk among wild Magellanic and Gentoo penguins on Martillo Island. English and Spanish guides, including praised leaders such as Fabricio and Agustina, explain the wildlife and Fuegian scenery. The order varies, and Harberton Ranch fees and port tax cost extra.

“Excellent and highly recommended. This tour is an experience of a lifetime. Our tour guys, Milko, Gerardo and Norbi…(apologies for misspelling) were amazing. Loved our day walking among penguins and learning about them. Thank you”

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8.Penguin walk in Ushuaia + navigation option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 81 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $291

Travel from Ushuaia to Harberton Ranch and Martillo Island for a guided walk near wild Magellanic and Gentoo penguins. The day includes navigation, an air-conditioned vehicle, and a visit to the Acatushun marine museum. Guides such as Pablo, Paulo, Julie, and Tom have led past departures. Bring cash, lunch, warm layers, and motion-sickness medicine.

“This tour was the best experience I have had! The tour guide provided all sorts of information about the area on the bus ride and the museum/research centre is great. Being able to walk on Martillo Island was a highlight. The penguins are adorable and it was fascinating to see them nesting. The scenery on the boat ride back was awesome but many got seasick so bring your anti nausea meds. Best day ever!”

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9.Navigation to Beagle Channel and Sea Lions Island with Transfers

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 63 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $118

Join a small catamaran cruise from Ushuaia for about four hours, including hotel transfers, Beagle Channel scenery, Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse, sea lions, cormorants, and Bird Island. The boat carries up to 40 people, with several departure times depending on the season. Bring binoculars and warm layers.

“My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this catamaran cruise in the Beagle Channel in late October 2016. It was short enough to not tie up the entire day, but long enough to give us a wonderful experience in the Channel. The views were spectacular. We loved our guide. He spoke both English and Spanish although we were the only English speakers on the trip. He made a point of speaking with us personally several time throughout the trip, sharing some personal experiences. We got very close to several islands and were able to watch the birds and sea wolves sea lions sitting on the rocks and swimming in the water.…”

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10.Penguin Watching Tour by Catamaran

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 55 reviews · 5 hours · from $177

You’ll spend five hours aboard a catamaran from Ushuaia, sailing past sea lions, cormorants, mountains, the SS Monte Cervantes wreck, and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse before reaching Martillo Island’s Magellanic penguins. An English or Spanish guide explains the wildlife and Tierra del Fuego’s history. Hotel pickup is optional.

“Catamarano stra colmo di gente . As ogni attrattiva da vedere ci si ammassava fuori e se eri dietro non vedevi assolutamente nulla e la gente non si spostava. Siamo arrivati dai pinguini prima di tutte le altre barche e nonostante questo la nostra si é fermata dove c’erano solo una decina di pinguini mentre il “gruppo super grande “ non siamo riusciti a vederlo nemmeno ha fatto un giro per poter mostrare anche a chi non ha visto nulla. In prezzo assurdo si quasi 169€ a persona ! I peggio spesi. Sxonsiglko !!!meglio barca piccola”

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