Patagonia has been on my bucket list for years, and this March, that dream finally becomes a reality. After more than a year of planning, the six of us travel to Patagonia in March 2026, ready for an unforgettable adventure. Our journey begins in Chile, with stops in Punta Arenas, Magdalena Island, and Torres del Paine. From there, we cross into Argentina to visit El Calafate and witness the breathtaking Perito Moreno Glacier in Los Glaciares National Park. Day three, we sail from Punta Arenas to Isla Magdalena to visit the Monumento Natural Los Pinguinos and walking with pinguinos.
The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart – Helen Keller
Sunrise over the Magellan Straight
After a fun afternoon exploring Punta Arenas and a delicious dinner at La Cuisine, we are picked up the next morning from our hotel Cabo Del Hornos just after 7. The bus takes us to the harbor of Punta Arena, just in time for the sunrise. We are almost as far south as you can be in the Americas. We are told we cannot get outside, but Bina manages to sneak out for some quick sunrise pictures.
Yesterday we found penguin hats, and we thought it would be fun to all wear penguin hats while walking with the penguins. This to the great amusement of our fellow travelers. We board the FSH2 just after 8. Thanks to our travel agent, we have seats on the top deck. The Magellan Straight is calm this morning unlike yesterday when we arrived in Punta Arenas. The boat ride is an hour and half north along the coast. Across the straight we see the island and snow-capped peaks of Tierra del Fuego.
Penguin Rules
We dock at the island, and the guide gives us strict instructions – a bit too strict: stay on the path, stay 6 feet from the penguins and don’t touch or feed them. Its 9.53 and we need to reach the light house in 30 minutes and be back at the boat at exactly 10.53. Roger. Not that we could do much other than comply. We have one guide in the front that we cannot pass and one in the back that keeps moving us along.
Penguin Migration
But besides that, the island and its inhabitants are wonderful. The sun is starting to peak through the clouds. We make our way slowly along the path, stopping for pictures everywhere. The guide told us that the mating season is over and the females have left the island for warmer places. Only the males and adolescents are left. And they are busy grooming themselves getting rid of their layer of feathers. There are feathers everywhere. Some have already gotten rid of them; others are still busy pecking them off. Showing a white chest that is half furry, half smooth.
When we reach the lighthouse on the top, we see a large group of penguins on the beach below. They must be ready for final inspection before taking off north as well, leaving before fall and winter bring the cold weather.
We follow the path down, back to the boat. We meet a lady from Australia, who shows us pictures of her tour the previous day to Tierra del Fuego. There you can see and walk with the King penguins. If I would have known, I would have added that to the itinerary for this trip. I guess another reason to come back.
On the boat ride back, we have a whale and several dolphins jumping alongside our boat. We get back to the harbor around 12.30 pm, it has been a great morning in Patagonia. We enjoy a great lunch at Patagonia Speechless, before our 4 hour drive from Punta Arenas to Patagonia Camp in Torres Del Paine.
