The 15 Best Shore Excursions in Argentina

1.Shore Excursion – National Park Tierra del Fuego

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 169 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $60Our pick

From Ushuaia’s cruise pier, visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, Lake Roca, Zaratiegui Cove, and Bahia Lapataia, the end of the Pan-American Highway. Guides such as Patricia and Vanessa have earned praise for clear commentary, but group size and bus arrangements can vary. The End of the World Train is not included.

“Despite the very short time we had, we were able to enjoy the wonderful scenery and beauty of Tierra del Fuego National Park.”

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2.Tierra del Fuego National Park, Ushuaia City Tour Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 154 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $119

Spend about five hours touring Tierra del Fuego National Park and Ushuaia in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English or Spanish-speaking guide. You’ll visit Bahia Ensenada, Lago Roca, Laguna Verde, the Río Lapataia, and the End of the Pan-American Highway. Guides such as David, Gabriel, Florencia, Marcelo, and Gaston have earned praise for clear local stories and good pacing.

“Pick up was easy. Driver Martyn and guide Gaston very friendly and informative. Park was lovely. We did two 30 min walks (first with steps but told beforehand the difficulty - easy for someone used to walking). Had a quick stop for lunch. Also toured the town by bus and was given interesting history of the place. Glad we booked.”

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3.Cruise Shore Excursion Península Valdés – Pto Madryn – Patagonia – Argentina

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 111 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $95

Travel from Puerto Madryn’s pier into Peninsula Valdes with an English-speaking guide, stopping at the interpretation center, Caleta Valdes, elephant seal colonies, penguins, and possible sea lions. Guides such as Mary, Carolina, Santiago, and Nora add wildlife expertise. Expect a long ride, variable sightings, and a boxed lunch.

“Our guide on this tour, Carolina, is extremely knowledgeable and professional. She competently explained, in both English and Spanish what to look for and provided a great description of the background and a little history of the places we visited. She made the tour most enjoyable.”

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4.Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo with Boxlunch from Pto Madryn

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $120Top rated

Travel from Puerto Madryn’s cruise pier to Punta Tombo, South America’s largest Magellanic penguin reserve. You’ll have about two hours to walk the 1.5-kilometer trail, see nests and coastal penguins, and spot guanacos or rheas. A box lunch, air-conditioned transport, and port return are included, but the entrance fee costs about $20.

“It was nice to start the trip early in the morning. We were the first group of visitors to reach Punta Tombo that day. It was great when the light was good, the beach less crowded, and penguins more active. We still were able to see plenty of penguins in the end of March, which was a major concern for us and even the tour guide. The bus had plenty of leg room and the seat was comfortable, which was important for a 2.5 hour ride. The lunch box had good portion size and the taste was Ok.”

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5.Ushuaia Shore Excursions Tierra del Fuego National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $120

Travel from Ushuaia’s cruise port into Tierra del Fuego National Park in a small group of up to 18. You’ll visit Lapataia Bay, Lake Acigami, Ensenada Zaratiegui, and Cañadon del Toro, with time for a picnic of mate, coffee, tea, chocolate milk, and alfajores. Guides such as Federico, Maru, Guillermo, and Giselle add local history and flexible pacing.

“Gui was a great tour guide. The stops were all done with an appropriate amount of time for each. The smaller vehicle helped us to get going faster than the buses. I really appreciated the attention to detail in providing a gluten free snack for my wife.”

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6.Shore Excursion Punta Tombo cruise passengers Puerto Madryn

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $125

Travel from Puerto Madryn’s pier to Punta Tombo in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English and Spanish-speaking guide. Walk among Magellanic penguins, spot guanacos and Patagonian hares, and enjoy a boxed lunch. The day may also include a dinosaur replica and a short Puerto Madryn tour.

“Great experience with a great guide. So many penguins and lama like animals. Very good packed lunch and comfortable vehicle. Only downside is the drive is through some of the most boring landscapes I have ever seen. Highly recommended if you want to see the penguins.”

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7.Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Península Valdés – Patagonia – Argentina

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $159

From Puerto Madryn, you travel by air-conditioned vehicle across Peninsula Valdés to Estancia San Lorenzo, home to a huge Magellanic penguin rookery. You’ll also visit Punta Norte for sea lions and elephant seals, with occasional orca sightings. Guides such as Beto, Martin, Fernando, and Mary are known for wildlife insight, but expect long hours on the road and extra entrance fees.

“Excellent tour. Excellent tour guide. Excellent vehicle. Excellent penguins and sea lions and seals, looong ride 2 1/2 hours each way but worth it on paved and gravel roads 99% smooth, food mediocre at best—bring power bars, excellent toilets too. Just do it.”

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8.Punta Tombo Shore Excursion w/box Lunch(Shared tour for cruises)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 40 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $135

You’ll leave Puerto Madryn by air-conditioned vehicle for Punta Tombo, about two hours away, then follow marked paths through a huge Magellanic penguin colony. Guides such as Mariana, Claudia, Nico, and Max have explained the birds and Patagonian wildlife in English and Spanish. A basic box lunch, port pickup, and return are included.

“Seeing penguins up close and observing their behavior was amazing. We were on a cruise and our ship was unable to stop at Port Stanley so we were desperate to see penguins in Puerto Madryn and signed up for this tour at the last minute. We were very glad they could accommodate our group of eight. Our guide, Marianna, was enthusiastic and informative. Although the drive was long and scenery barren, she talked to us and even moved throughout the small bus making sure all could hear when the PA system was uncooperative. Punta Tomba has a beautiful shoreline and we saw hundreds of penguins plus other animals. The only…”

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9.Ushuaia Shore Excursion: Private Tour of Tierra del Fuego National Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 30 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $435

Meet your private guide at Ushuaia port and ride into Tierra del Fuego National Park, stopping at Lapataia Bay, Ensenada Bay, Lago Roca, and Laguna Verde. Choose short walks through forest and along the Beagle Channel, or add the End of the World Train at your own cost. Guides such as Franco, Marcelo, Luciano, and Andres tailor the pace to your group.

“Our guide met us at the ship on time and was very easy to find. We had a mid-size van for the 6 of us that was very comfortable. On our way to the Park he told us about the area including its history, past and present and gave us a feel for what it was like to live there year round. Whenever we wanted to stop for pictures he was more than accommodating, even suggesting great locations. Since we were in a smaller van versus the large buses used by the cruise ship excursions we were able to go down some of the scenic roads that they couldnt. We…”

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10.Punta Tombo Shore Excursion for Cruise Guests

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 25 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Meet your guide outside Piedrabuena Pier for a six-hour trip to Punta Tombo, 180 km south of Puerto Madryn. A bilingual English and Spanish guide leads a 1.5-hour walk among wild Magellanic penguins. The tour follows your ship’s schedule and returns to the same pier, though the long drive and small vehicle require patience.

“We had a great time in Punto Tombo, it was really nice to see the Magellanic penguins in their natural habitat! Our guide/driver was also very good. The only downside was the car itself; four adults spent four hours in a Dacia Duster, which was really uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was a great day.”

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11.Punta Tombo Cruise Shore Excursion – Walk among penguins

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $120

From Puerto Madryn, you ride 170 kilometers across Patagonia to Punta Tombo, where a 1.5-kilometer trail leads through a huge Magellanic penguin colony to the coast. English-speaking guides such as Mariana explain the penguins’ life cycle, while a small group, packed lunch, and planned port return make this a practical cruise-day outing.

“Our guide Mariana Z and driver Roy were both superb. Mariana is an expert on everything for Patagonia, it's history, culture and the wildlife. She provided one of the best commentaries during the travel that I've ever heard from any guide in the world. Wonderful personality and excellent English. Roy's driving was perfect. He was very kind to the other guests. A truly great day!”

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12.Punta Loma Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 22 reviews · 3 hours · from $50Best value

From Piedrabuena Pier, a bilingual guide takes you through Puerto Madryn to Punta Loma Provincial Reserve. Walk two short trails, view sea lions and cubs from a lookout, and watch cormorants nesting on the cliffs. The tour lasts three hours, costs $50, and does not include the reserve entrance fee.

“The main theme of the tour is to see sea lions, but we can see the sea lions even at the pier”

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13.Peninsula Valdés Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 19 reviews · 7 hours · from $112

From Puerto Madryn’s port, you’ll spend about seven hours exploring Peninsula Valdes with an English, Spanish, or Portuguese-speaking guide. Expect a 45-minute drive each way, an interpretation center, coastal viewpoints, and wildlife stops that may include elephant seals, penguins, sea lions, guanacos, maras, rheas, and foxes. Mariano and David have led well-praised departures, but guide assignments vary.

“Amazingly beautiful. David was a phenomenal guide and extremely knowledgeable. Only concern was anxiety getting back to our ship in time. We cut it very close and someone in our group had mobility issues. Driver didn’t seem to be in tune with this. Otherwise, I cannot say enough positive things about this amazing experience while visiting Puerto Madryn. Saw lots of wildlife and enjoyed wonderful breathtaking scenery.”

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14.Tierra del Fuego National Park Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 18 reviews · 5 hours · from $55

Join a bilingual guide for a five-hour shore excursion from Ushuaia’s cruise pier to Tierra del Fuego National Park. Visit Ensenada Zaratiegui, Acigami/Roca Lake, and Lapataia Bay, where the Pan-American Highway ends. The guide may lead short walks and explain the park’s wildlife, forests, geography, and history.

“Es könnte mehr Zeit an manchen Orten gegeben werden”

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15.Cruise Shore Excursion Península Valdés – Box Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 14 reviews · 7 hours · from $105

Travel from Puerto Madryn to Peninsula Valdes in a small group of up to 15, with an English or Spanish guide, air-conditioned vehicle, and box lunch. The route includes the El Desempeño interpretation center and Caleta Valdes, where you can see elephant seals and Magellan penguins, with orcas only an occasional possibility.

“Started out bad. They had us coming in on the wrong ship. So, even though we were there very early, and did everything right, we were the last to board the van! Was told we were “lucky” there was two empty seats! Really? NOT our fault!”

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