Seno Otway Penguin Colony
Pingüinera Seno Otway
A Magellanic penguin breeding site reachable by road, where a wooden boardwalk lets you watch penguins moving between burrows in the grass and the beach.
Seno Otway Penguin Colony is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of the city, a drive of about 1 hour. Every summer, thousands of pairs of Magellanic penguins nest here. It is smaller than Magdalena Island but needs no boat trip and is less affected by wind and waves. An approximately 1.5-kilometer (1-mile) wooden boardwalk and observation blinds let you watch penguins walk from their burrows to the beach and head into the sea in groups. The penguins are most active from the afternoon to dusk as they return home. Admission is about 12,000 Chilean pesos. Most visitors come on half-day tours, but you can also drive yourself (there is a gravel road). It is windy and cold, so bring a windproof jacket.
Opening hours
About mid-Oct–Mar, 8:00–18:30 (varies by season)
Nearby sights
- Magallanes National Reserve
- Cerro de la Cruz Viewpoint
- Palacio Sara Braun
- Plaza Muñoz Gamero & Magellan Monument
- Magallanes Regional Museum (Braun-Menéndez Palace)
- Salesian Museum Maggiorino Borgatello
- Nao Victoria Museum
- Costanera del Estrecho