Martillo Island penguin tour prices, extras included
Three tours reach the Martillo Island penguins from Ushuaia, and the fares run from ~$150 for a small boat to ~$530 for the only tour that lands you on the island. The catamaran sits between them at ~$230. Below are the three side by side, then the pesos the fares leave out.
Three Martillo Island tours side by side
The table lists the three tours on our home page at their regular "from" price per person. The figure on the booking page can move a little with the date you pick, so check it for your own day before you pay.
| Tour | From | Length | Transport | Lands on the island | Group | Start point | Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azul Latina Travel, walk among the penguins (our pick) | ~$530 | 8 h | Road one way, boat the other, plus a 15-minute crossing | Yes, about 1 hour on foot | Up to 20 | Tourist Port, Ushuaia | Transfer from the dock, crossing, guided walk, channel cruise |
| Canoero, catamaran | ~$230 | 5 h | Catamaran from the tourist dock | No | Not stated | Av. Prefectura Naval Argentina 410 | Port taxes, navigation certificate, live guide, audio guide |
| Explore Tierra del Fuego, small boat | ~$150 | 5 h | Van to Puerto Almanza, then a small boat | No | Up to 15 | Pres. Julio Argentino Roca 138 | Van, boat, naturalist guide, hot drink, warm clothes |
Only the first row puts your feet on Martillo Island. One operator holds the licence to land visitors there, and the other two watch the colony from the water, which explains most of the gap in price.
Why the walk costs more than twice the catamaran
Azul Latina Travel's full day at ~$530 is more than double Canoero's catamaran at ~$230. You pay for the only landing, and for an eight-hour day that folds a channel cruise into the same ticket.
Seen that way, the gap narrows. Someone who wants both the hour among the birds and the islands near Ushuaia would otherwise need two trips, and only one of them could ever include a landing.
Reviewers rate the day itself more warmly than the bill. GetYourGuide shows 4.9 from 25 reviews, while on Viator it holds 4.7 from 54 reviews. Its value-for-money sub-score on Viator sits at 4.3, under the 4.8 its guides get.
If you are unsure the landing matters to you, our walk-or-boat guide weighs it up. The guide to the hour ashore describes what that money buys once you step off the boat.
The pesos you pay on top of the walk
The fare for the walking tour leaves out a few costs, and they are charged in Argentine pesos. Plan for them before the day so nothing surprises you at the dock.
- A port fee of 6,000 Argentine pesos per person
- Entry to Estancia Harberton, 60,000 Argentine pesos, only if the estancia is open (the listing says the fee can change)
- Your own way to the Tourist Port, since hotel transfers are not included
- Food and water for an eight-hour day, which the listing does not cover
Harberton is closed on Tuesdays, so on that day the estancia visit drops out and so does its fee. Our Harberton guide covers the museum of bones and whether you want to go in.
The one tour that lands you among the penguins
Azul Latina Travel's full day pairs an hour on foot on Martillo Island with a cruise along the Beagle Channel to Sea Lion Island and Les Eclaireurs. Spanish and English guide, up to 20 people.
What the catamaran fare covers
Canoero's five-hour trip includes the port taxes and a navigation certificate, so the price you book is close to what you spend. Food and drinks are sold in the cafeteria on board if you want a snack between the islands.
It is the most reviewed of the three by far, with 4.5 from 400+ reviews on GetYourGuide and 4.3 from 100+ on Viator. Reviewers like the comfortable boat and mention crowding at the viewing points.
What you give up is the landing. You watch the penguins from the deck after the longest stretch on the water of the three trips.
The small boat has the lowest fare
Explore Tierra del Fuego's small boat from ~$150 is the cheapest way to the colony on this site. A hot drink and warm clothes come with it, and the group stays at 15 people or fewer.
The fare buys about five hours, but roughly three of them pass in a van to and from Puerto Almanza. One reviewer counted about 30 minutes at the penguins, and another called the trip a bit pricey.
Ratings are perfect so far, 5.0 from 12 reviews on GetYourGuide and 5.0 from 28 reviews on Viator, though that is a small sample. The Puerto Almanza guide follows the route, and our species page explains which birds you can expect from the boat.
Cancellation terms change the sums
The two boat trips cancel free until 24 hours before departure, and both let you reserve now and pay later. On a channel where the wind can stop the sailings, that flexibility has a value of its own.
The walk works differently. Azul Latina's tour cannot be refunded on GetYourGuide unless the trip itself is called off, so read the Viator terms before you book on either site.
Booking the walk also takes some paperwork. For every traveler the agency wants passport details and a birth date, along with a WhatsApp contact. Confirmation can take up to 48 hours.
The agency then tells you whether you leave at 8:30 am or 10:30 am. Our guide to wind cancellations and the best weeks to go help you pick a date with some margin.
Matching a fare to your budget
If the landing is the point of the trip, only ~$530 buys it. The extras then add a modest sum in pesos. If seeing the colony is enough, the catamaran at ~$230 adds the islands and the lighthouse, and the small boat at ~$150 gets you closer to the shore for less.
Cruise passengers face a question of time more than money, covered in our cruise-stop guide. Whichever fare you choose, what to wear on the channel lists the layers that matter in the wind.