Exclusive Punta Tombo Penguins

Wonderful Punta Tombo Trip to See The Penguins
November 29, 2023
In January 2023, we took an excursion via Shore Excursions Group from the Celebrity Infinity cruise ship. After a lengthy drive from the port to Punta Tombo, we had a couple hours to walk the path to explore thousands of penguins in their natural habitat. The penguins come right up to the visitors and walk so close to use. We got some great photos. The end of the walking path is a viewing area at the beach where we saw many penguins going in to swim / catch their food, and walk back to their habitat - a beautiful sight. This excursion is highly recommended.
Reviewer: Frederick Ellert
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguin Reserve
April 22, 2023
What a well managed and ecologically sound area this was. The penguins were beautiful even in their state of molting! Guides along the wooden trail made sure that the penguins came first - as it should be. I was honored to be able to take pictures along this vast area of shoreline. The number of penguins was astonishing and to see them in their natural nesting grounds and habitats was phenomenal. I highly recommend this tour excursion.
Reviewer: Heidi Huckabee
5 Stars
Great trip and lots of penguins
April 05, 2023
Favorite excursion on our recent cruise. Lots of penguins. Drove by a large replica at the site where the largest dinosaur fossil in the world was found. Be aware drive is long at 2+ hrs each way but worth it!
Reviewer: Larry F
5 Stars
A fantastic day!!
March 30, 2023
This the second time we've taken this tour (last time in 2020). The tour guide was fabulous and the tour this time was much better! She did a remarkable job explaining everything about the area, the penguin colony, and her sense of humor kept things light--making the 2 hour drive go quickly! This tour is highly recommended!!!!
Reviewer: Mr Mark G Friedmann
5 Stars
The penguins were fun to watch
March 24, 2023
We did this tour a couple of days after seeing penguins in Pt Stanley, Falkland Island. I booked this as insurance in case we couldn't land in Port Stanley. We were able to dock and travel to see penguins on Volunteer Point, which was the highlight of our cruise. I wish I had the time to cancel this tour because it was a letdown after Falkland Island. We saw a lot of penguins, but it was a very long walk from the busses to the Ocean viewing platform. Part of the path was a well-made wooden boardwalk; however, there were large sections of gravel path, which were impassible by a wheelchair.
Reviewer: Patti Pozella
3 Stars
Great experience
March 17, 2023
Interesting drive and great experience walking among the penguins. Highly recommended.
Reviewer: Craig
5 Stars
worthwhile excursion
March 08, 2023
Nice excursion to see penguins. It meets my expectations.
Reviewer: Jimmy M
4 Stars
Great Excursion
February 21, 2023
Guide and driver were excellent. The guide was knowledgeable and friendly. Loved the visit to see the penguins. Although the arrival of the ship was delayed, the guide and driver ensured a timely return.
Reviewer: Donald Barry
5 Stars
AWESOME
February 15, 2023
Perfectly organized. Great tour guide. Everything from the beginning to end was well done. Definitely would do it again.
Reviewer: Arno Schuechen
5 Stars
Pengquins
February 15, 2023
The bus was waiting for us as advertised and comfortable for the 2-1/2 hr ride to the rookery. The guide was well informed on the area and spoke clear English . The rookery was well worth the length of time it took to get there and we had a great time wandering amongst the penguins - keeping our 2 meter distance .
Reviewer: Cathy Morgan
4 Stars
Worth the long ride to see the Magellanic penguins
February 15, 2023
I was hesitant about this tour. I had just seen a penguin cover in the Falkland Islands, and although they were different types of penguins, I sttill was worried it would be repetitive, particularly wtih the long ride from our ship to the tour destination. However, the tour guide provided a great deal of interesting information about the history of that region and about the penguins. Once we arrived, the locale was awesome and the number of penguins was incredible. I was glad to have made the visit.
Reviewer: William Pace
5 Stars
Penquin Experience
February 13, 2023
This tour was excellent. We had two tour guides and a driver. All were exceptional. They explained everything in detail. The added snack at the end of the tour was a bonus. ;We didn't expect this.
Reviewer: Joan and Don McNiven
5 Stars
Incredible experience
February 03, 2023
This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to be submerged in the penguin's life! We will never forget this magical experience.
Reviewer: Bethany Mees
5 Stars
Great Excursion
March 29, 2020
We enjoyed this excursion. The bus was small and we left quickly and beat everyone to the site. The site only had a few visitors when we arrived. By the time we were leaving, the area was swamped with tourists. Our tour leader and driver did a great job.
Reviewer: DEBRA DENT
5 Stars
good, but long drive
March 23, 2020
Laura is very knowledgeable, however, due to her heavy accent, we had hard time understanding her. The tour said it required 20 steps on the trail, in fact, we walked more than one hour. Glad that we made it, got many pictures of the Magellanic penguins. Thank you.
Reviewer: Bea and Kit Ng
3 Stars
Exclusive Punta Tombo Penguins
March 11, 2020
We did this wonderful last year and returned again! It is a great day spent with Mirta as our tour guide, who knew everything about the region and the penguins! Anne was an excellent driver. Saw lots of penguins molting and loved the up-close and great time with penguins and guanacos. There were only 6 of us on the tour, to boot! Will return!
Reviewer: Joni Plourd
5 Stars
Penguin Perfect
March 10, 2020
Clean, dependable 20 person van. Perfect size when traveling with a group of varied mobility. Potty stop coming and going. Knowledgeable guide. Plenty of time with penguins. Returned 1 hour before the cruise ship bus. Very reasonable price
Reviewer: Bert M Hofstatter
5 Stars
Nice excursion well worth it.
March 09, 2020
It was a long bus ride from the port but well worth it. they were penguins all over the place and walking right next to us. Plus it was a lot cheaper through Shore Excursions Group than the cruise ship.
Reviewer: Victor Dume
4 Stars
Penguins are entertaining
March 07, 2020
Good tour. Long drive from port but our tour directors kept us entertained.
Reviewer: Linda Stromberg
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Review
March 03, 2020
The second of a 4 part tour was the “Exclusive Punta Tombo Penguins” in Puerto Madryn. This was a fabulous excursion that took us to see a colony of about 500,000 Magellanic penguins. It is a fairly long drive to get there but certainly well worth it. There is a long boardwalk that meanders through much of the penguins breeding grounds. You get to see them up close and in their true natural habitat. We had one English speaking guide, Nicholas (Niko) and one Spanish guide, Frederick together with our driver Raymond. During the drive, our guides regaled us with information about the penguins, the areas that we drove through and the country / culture in general. Listening to the guides made the trip enjoyable and the time pass quickly. After seeing the penguins we were given a light lunch which was appreciated and timely. This excursion was one of the main highlights of our entire cruise! Special thanks go to this team for an incredible tour.
Reviewer: JIM MUNSON
5 Stars
Amazing time with the penguins!
February 25, 2020
The tour guides and driver were super professional and entertaining! They gave us a lot of good information about the surrounding area and about the penguins we were surrounded by as well. The experience was amazing overall! Highly recommended!
Reviewer: MONIKA E PIAZZA
5 Stars
Exclusive Punta Tombo Penguins
February 20, 2020
good trip little to short at the site
Reviewer: zvi
5 Stars
Penguin Paradise
February 19, 2020
We had a great experience with this shore excursion. Our guide was knowledgeable about her country and penguins and provided all the information we needed for a great day. We stopped at a gas station about an hour into the trip for a restroom and snack break. The group size was perfect -- 14-16 of us. And since everyone was good about getting off the ship quickly, we were among the very first vehicles (the second one!) at Punta Tombo and were able to enjoy the penguins without crushing crowds. The box lunch was basic -- a ham and cheese sandwich with a vegetarian option -- but we're on a cruise and have access to way too much food all day, every day. I don't judge shore excursions by the lunch. I judge based on if I saw what I wanted to. And I did! The penguins were amazing. Highly recommended.
Reviewer: Carol Rizzardi
5 Stars
Enjoyable
February 02, 2020
Good excursion. The guides were very friendly and knowledgeable.
Reviewer: Sharon Borradaile
4 Stars
Loved the penguins!
January 11, 2020
Yes, this is a long drive, but it was a comfortable vehicle and our guide used the time to give us interesting information. When we arrived at Punta Tombo, she gave us the best advice, to walk all the way to the end without wasting much time along the way. Because we had limited time, this was incredibly valuable advise. The only criticism I have is stopping for a bathroom break after 30 minutes of driving, then again before the penguin colony. With such limited time, would rather have more time with the penguins.
Reviewer: Kelly Clayton
4 Stars
Awesome and exceeded expectations
December 24, 2019
11 passengers in a small comfortable minibus. Great guide who gave a great education on the bus and during the walking tour to see penguin in their nests, penguin walking on their trails, penguins by the hundreds on the beach, etc. 2.5 hour drive each way to get there. 40 minute walk from bus in and then out on boardwalk or pebble covered fairly level walking path with penguins all along the walk. Prepacked lunch when return to bus after seeing the penguins. An excellent feature was getting there about 1 hour ahead of the big buses from the ships shore excursions.
Reviewer: Eben Fetters
5 Stars
Well worth it.
July 30, 2019
We had a great day out seeing the penguins. Bus driver and guide were excellent and answered all our questions. They were friendly and looked after us. Loved seeing the penguins.
Reviewer: Patricia Strobel
5 Stars
Penguins everywhere
May 16, 2019
It was great to see the penguins up close and in-person.
Reviewer: mn
5 Stars
A Trip Worth Remebering
April 15, 2019
The drive from the port to the conservation area was quite long. The walk after arriving was long too, but seeing all those cute penguins made it all worth it.
Reviewer: Peter S Cheung
4 Stars
exclusive punta tombo penguins
March 31, 2019
Great experience. Tour guide was very helpful and knowledgeable
Reviewer: oswaldo morales
5 Stars
Great tour!
March 30, 2019
We had a wonderful time. This tour is much cheaper compare to shore excursion with our cruise ship.
Reviewer: Jean
5 Stars
Magellenic Penguins
March 25, 2019
It is a long drive from Puerto Madryn to see the penguins, but once there it is well worth the trip. The penguins are so close you could reach out and touch them (but don't). The tour offered us plenty of opportunities to use the restroom. The boxed lunch is a ham sandwich and being vegetarian this was the only draw back, but not enough to ruin our experience. A much better price than the cruise ship for the same experience!
Reviewer: Collin
4 Stars
Very good way to see penguins
March 25, 2019
Although a long ways to get to site, the land features were interesting and a piece of Patagonia I wanted to see. The time at the rookery was adequate.
Reviewer: Karen
5 Stars
Everything they promised
March 20, 2019
If you are planning a Punta Tombo Penguin excursion this is the way to go. Easy to find them on the dock. We were in a small group of 14 in a small vehicle. Advantage? We beat the large busses with their crowds and basically had the penguins to ourselves. In addition, the tour guide was excelllent. The time we spent on site was also the same more expensive tours. Nice sack lunch provided.
Reviewer: Lowell Hagele
5 Stars
Great day!
March 12, 2019
This tour provides a wonderful opportunity to see thousands of Magellantic penguins up close in a beautiful setting. We enjoyed a comfortable 2 1/2 hr. drive in an air-conditioned van with an excellent guide. An "okay" box lunch was provided but take extra water. The tour doesn't leave much time to explore the town but I think the penguins are the big attraction here.
Reviewer: E. Pybus
5 Stars
Penguins, penguins everywhere!
March 12, 2019
This was a wonderful excursion. It was a couple of hours to get to Punta Tombo and the penguins but our guide gave us lots of information on the way. The scenery at the penguin reserve was lovely and we walked across boardwalks which allowed us to be very, very close. Loved it.
Reviewer: Harriet Lancaster
5 Stars
fabulous excursion
March 10, 2019
We wanted to see penguins! and penguins we did see! There was no difficulty finding our excursion bus. Our guide, Laura, was excellent The drive IS long, but our guide told us a lot of history . We had an hour and a half at the site, which was enough. We enjoyed our own time walking along the boardwalk and observing the Magellanic Penguins. Many in burrows or standing by a hole in the dusty desert ground, many walking to or from the water. The scenery is desert with the blue water was gorgeous. At the beach it was crowded with penguins, in all stages. It was very hot and it is surprising they can breed there. We also saw the Lesser Emu in a couple of places, and several of the llama-like animals called Guanacos. And many birds like the Chumungo Caracara. When we were finished and met at the van we were given a box lunch, which was adequate to good and we were happy as we didn't know it was included. We would highly recommend this tour.
Reviewer: Rose Petersen
5 Stars
Up Close and Personal
March 10, 2019
Walking in the rookery with the curious birds was thrilling. Guanos were also standing guard. What an amazing adventure!
Reviewer: martha hollis
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguins
March 02, 2019
Long drive from Puerto Madryn, but in air conditioned van with tour guide and interpreter, both very good. Enough time at Punta Tombo to see everything. Long drive back to Puerto Madryn, given a simple box lunch which was fine. Worth the drive, lots of penguins closeup, a few guanacos and a few rheas at a distance.
Reviewer: Glenn Macala
4 Stars
Walk with the Penguins
February 24, 2019
Opportunity to walk amongst the penguins as the preen and parent, bringing food back from the ocean to their nests right at your feet. Penguins have the right of way here. The long drive on the Pan American Highway, and short amount of gravel is worth it.
Reviewer: Lois Schlutter
5 Stars
A Lot of Penguins, A Lot of Holes in the Ground
February 22, 2019
Great tour of Mellengenic Penguins nesting colony. Long ride to and from it, but worth it. These penguins dig nests in the ground and come back to the same hole every year. Over 300,000 holes and they always find theirs.
Reviewer: Frank Bonoff
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguins
February 21, 2019
2hr drive to/from; mostly on paved highway; last 20km on gravel rd. However, destination is worth it. Penguins, guanacos and birds were amazing. Visitors walk at own pace on a boardwalk/path a few feet away from the penguins. 75-90 min time limit to return to the bus. Suggestion: walk to the end first (path ends at shoreline; see penguins swimming, diving, feeding, wading in/out, etc.) then linger on walk back. Most people linger at first sightings and end-up rushed to finish the trail and return to bus. Have charged batteries and plenty of MBs on camera/phone, you will take a lot of pictures/movies. Rest of excursion is as described: smaller group size relative to ship's identical tour; guide provided commentary on landscape and penguins on the drive; box lunch was modest but edible; and brief rest area stops to/from for bathrooms, stretch, etc. The price is a bargain compared to the ship's excursion desk. Enjoy!
Reviewer: vdelpizzo
5 Stars
Penguin Tour in Punto Tombo
February 18, 2019
Wow, this was a fabulous tour. Shore Excursions group is so reliable, provides wonderful guides and organizes small private tours wherever you want to go off your cruise ship. I would use them first before looking at any other way to organize a tour. They are always on time, send emails to verify, check on timing of arrival and drop off at the pier, and they also send you reminders. You can book this company with confidence.
Reviewer: Geri Drexler
5 Stars
Great way to see penguins close up
February 17, 2019
This tour gave us an opportunity to walk among the penguins. We were surprised to discover that these penguins "burrowed" in to the ground to nest. It was thrilling to have them walk right up to our feet. One of them found my shoes fascinating and began pecking at them. If you only do one tour; this is it.
Reviewer: Lesley Carr
5 Stars
Exclusive Punta Tombo Penguins
February 09, 2019
Tour was excellent and the guide probably was ok but she had laryngitis. Could only see the signs she had prepared. Tour should have substituted someone who could talk.
Reviewer: Rick Roome
2 Stars
Exllecent Tour!
February 07, 2019
We purchased this tour for a day trip during our cruise. It was priced much better than the same tour from the cruise line. We had a small personal group as opposed to the 50 people cruise bus. The escorts were knowledgeable & spoke very good English. We were able to spend much more time at the preserve that the large bus tour which was so great for this once in lifetime experieince
Reviewer: Kathy
5 Stars
Worth it
February 06, 2019
Good tour, good price
Reviewer: Janet Abraham
5 Stars
Punts Tombo Penguins
February 03, 2019
Organized, on time, and enough time at sites. excellent friendly, informative English speaking guide. van and driver excellent
Reviewer: R captor
5 Stars
Excellent excursion
January 28, 2019
Nice to see all the penguins. The tour guide was very informative. Picnic lunch was included.
Reviewer: P. Strobel
5 Stars
The Penguins are Stunning
January 28, 2019
This isn't really much of a tour. It is a three-hour ride from the port to the penguins, but when you get to see the penguins, it is stunning. Our family loved it! Use an excursion or don't, but get out there if you haven't been to a penguin colony before.
Reviewer: Aaron
5 Stars
Excellent tour
January 28, 2019
Great day out. Our guide was excellent and knowledgeable. The penguins were amazing!
Reviewer: JM Vukelich
5 Stars
Penquins
January 22, 2019
This was a really great tour. I appreciated seeing the penguins in their natural element and was also happy to know they share their space with the guanacos.
Reviewer: Gaetane Normandin
5 Stars
Good trip
January 22, 2019
A lot of penguins to see. Beautiful area.
Reviewer: Ngan
4 Stars
Penguins and more
January 21, 2019
This was my favorite excursion from a three week cruise. There were maybe 12 of us instead of the big cruise ship groups. Guide was wonderful. High energy. Provided lots of direction and information. She even returned my forgotten raincoat to the ship where I recovered it days later. Oh yeah, the penguins were surprising and fabulous.
Reviewer: Iris Herrin
5 Stars
Great tour.
January 20, 2019
Interesting place to visit. A lot of penguins to see.
Reviewer: Ngan
4 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguins
April 30, 2018
Great time, enjoy the time with the penguins, terrific photo opportunities.
Reviewer: Ed Welbourn
5 Stars
EXCELLENT!!
April 16, 2018
What a great small group experience. Rather than pay double the price and 4x the amount of people we opted to try this agency and what a great experience we had with a smaller group (18)with personalized service of our guide. It felt like we had more time to explore our destination with a smaller group. Great advantage of this smaller size group is NOT having to wait for 80 people on a cruise excursion bus to use a bathroom. Plan to use again on my next cruise!!
Reviewer: Monica
5 Stars
Great time!
April 16, 2018
It was a long bus ride but worth it to see the penguins. We were there with ALL the other tour buses so it was crowded but there were more penguins than people!
Reviewer: Jeff and Lynda
5 Stars
Penguins
April 09, 2018
Penguins were starting to leave the area but there were still many to be seen in early March. The tour drive was long but worthwhile all the same and we beat the main ship tours by quite a bit so we had a better experience all round
Reviewer: David
4 Stars
Wonderful Excursion
March 25, 2018
We were so glad we joined this tour and saw a lot of Magellanic penguins. It was well worth the money and we got a lot of precious pictures.
Reviewer: Julia Tai
5 Stars
Penguins and more penguins
March 17, 2018
The 2+ hour van ride took less time than advertised. The tour guide was great. The penguins were everywhere and seemed happy to see us. (Maybe indifferent is the word I'm looking for.). The walk to see the penguins was easy. All in all, a great day.
Reviewer: Bill Gibson
5 Stars
Penguins!
March 16, 2018
This is penguin-lover's heaven! The path through the penguin colony gets you up close and personal.
Reviewer: Ewing
5 Stars
Penguin Shore Excursion
March 08, 2018
Had a wonderfu time on our excursion with a great guide. Was able to see penguins up really close and take great pictures. Very informative.
Reviewer: SHEILA L PERSAUD
5 Stars
Tombo Penguins
March 06, 2018
Great excursion with a chance to be with Penguins up close. Excellent value as cruise company offered the same for a lot more $$$. Tour guide provided great information during long bus ride.
Reviewer: Barry Berndsen
5 Stars
cute penguins
March 05, 2018
Almost didn't see most of them because of a spectacular lightening storm closed the walkway. But they reopened. Walk to the end. Lots of people. Lots of cute penguins. Enjoyed a trip to see Gentoo penguins on a deserted beach in the Falkland Islands more.
Reviewer: Jay Moller
4 Stars
Penguin Colony
March 02, 2018
We had a group of 16 people taking this tour to see the largest Penguin colony in South America continent. It took more than 2 hours to get there but it really worth it. The guide was experienced and nice, and a simple sandwich meal was also included. The tour last about 7 hours, not as indicated on the web as a 5 1/2 hour one.
Reviewer: Weimin Gong
5 Stars
Exclusive Punta tombo penguins
March 01, 2018
We did the small group tour and it was great. The tour group met us right where they said they would be. And we able to get out to the rookery ahead of the much larger cruise ship excursions. Wish the guide was more helpful at the path to the penguins , however it was fine. I would have liked a few more minutes to shop for souvenirs (it took longer walking to the end of the trail then we realized) and they dropped off us right at the pier to get back on the ship.
Reviewer: Sandra
4 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguins
February 23, 2018
The best tour we did on our South America trip. Loved the penguins! The guide was good too. Long ride to the penguin colony, so wish we could have stayed longer. Only stayed about 60 minutes.
Reviewer: Joni Plourd
4 Stars
Unbelievable Experience
February 22, 2018
If you wanted to go up close and personal with thousands of penguins this is the trip to take. You are on a path right through the rookery with the birds crossing right in front of you. You are supposed to remain 2 feet away, but sometimes that's hard to do. The gift shop at the rest stop on the way had the best selection of items, not just tourist junk and at great prices. This was exactly the same trip as offered by the ship at a lower price. Our bus and theirs were the same, and were at the site at the same time as them.
Reviewer: Steve Steinhauer
5 Stars
Penguins!
February 10, 2018
A great tour. The bus was new and comfortable; tour guide and driver pleasant, knowledgeable and the guide spoke english very well. Lots of penguins! We literally had to watch our step to avoid them. Ample time to watch and photograph. A nice way to spend the day and money well spent.
Reviewer: Gregg
5 Stars
Punta Tombo penguins
February 06, 2018
Absolutely fabulous tour !!! I would recommend it to anyone !!! Our tour guide was very informative, the driver was great. It seems like you are going to the middle of nowhere, but well worth the trip. We saw thousands of penguins, it truly was a sight. The highlight of our trip !!!
Reviewer: Joanne Green
4 Stars
Amazing Shore Excursion - Punta Tombo Penguins
February 04, 2018
We had a great shore excursion to see the Punta Tombo Penguins. Finding our tour guide was very easy, the tour guide spoke very good English, the group size was small. Visiting the penguin colony to see the Magelenic Penguins is a must see if your cruise ship stops in Puerto Madryn.
Reviewer: Sandy Mason
5 Stars
Great experience - top notch operation
January 30, 2018
Guides holding signs met us as we disembarked from our ship, led us to a waiting van & we left shortly after for the Punta Tombo reserve. Our guide shared information about the area en route and our driver did a terrific job navigating some challenging traffic safely and carefully. Once at the Reserve, we were directed to the viewing area & given the choice to stay with our guide or head off on our own. There were lots of penguins -- in their burrows, swimming in the sea, and young ones just getting their feathers. It was a great experience. Big buses from the cruise ship came to the same location, but the cost was considerably higher. Our guide & driver were aware of the need for us to return to our ship on time and there was no problem with that. Box lunches were provided on our return trip -- they even had a gluten-free meal for my husband (previously requested) that worked out very well. All in all, it was a great experience and we would do this again.
Reviewer: Colleen Neymeyer
5 Stars
Excellent Choice
January 29, 2018
We were picked up very much on time. The tour guide was very pleasant and we could see everything that we came to see. She even treated us with lots of beautiful and sweet cherries. The extra help of her assistant made our trip much better as he could speak fluently English.
Reviewer: Anh Nguyen-Huu
5 Stars
Great trip
January 24, 2018
Although it's far, the trip was well organized and on time. There are thousands of penguins and it's really worth it!
Reviewer: Ji my xing
5 Stars
Awesome Time with Penguins!
January 21, 2018
The tour was great, the logistics were as promised, and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our 82 year old mother. Penguins crossed right in front of us, they were everywhere. We were extremely pleased with this tour!
Reviewer: Alice
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Penquins
January 09, 2018
Long bus trip but well worth the trip. Always prefer to explore with shore excursions group.
Reviewer: WILLIAM YOUNGER
5 Stars
Penguins
January 08, 2018
enjoyed the tour. the guide was informative about the penguins and their habitat. would have liked to have more time, only allowed for 1 1/2 hours Negative - the sound system in the van was not working properly and the guide would not face the back.
Reviewer: Charles Prior
4 Stars
punta tombo penguins
April 07, 2017
Excellent tour. Guide and driver were great. Well worth doing.
Reviewer: Dave
5 Stars
Punts Tombo
April 06, 2017
Nice tour, too long of a drive.
Reviewer: atarnaiz@aol.com
4 Stars
Penguins!
March 23, 2017
I wanted to see penguins, I saw penguins. Lots of them. I loved it! It was hot that day and it is a two hour ride by bus but who cares, we saw penguins, and also Rheas and guanacos. There are a lot of people there so be prepared for crowds.
Reviewer: Suzanne Ostle
5 Stars
Penguins galore with Llamas and Ostriches a bonus
March 17, 2017
Of all th excursions taken on our 21 days cruise, this excursion was the highlight. Picked up at the gangway by a tremendous guide, we boarded a well equipped AC Bus for a 2 1/4 hour drive through Patagonian scenery. The long drive accompanied by information was worth it. Punta Tumbo is Penguin Rookery is a must see. A good hour walk on flat terrain of gravel, dirt and wooden walkway requires good walking shoes. Strong winds, sunny day and low temperatures demanded layered clothing, hat and sunscreen. Mercedes our great guide accompanied those who wished to be. Tens of thousands of Magellan Penguins made this visit a pure joy; remember that Penguins have priority of way! The walk is through thousands of Penguins, a tremendous experience. We were also happy to see numerous Llamas on sit and on way to and from Punta Tombo. Our bus driver in addition stopped twice to allow passengers to see and take picture of Ostriches, a bonus as we did not know that Argentina has two toes Ostriches!
Reviewer: Pierre Boucher
5 Stars
Punto Tombo Penguins
March 17, 2017
Nice small group. Good, fun guides, good English. Well done. Caution: Clear accurate description of time and meeting place is critical!!
Reviewer: Hugh Trumbull
4 Stars
Fantastic
March 09, 2017
This venue is over the top. I was expecting to see Penquins, but the amount of them (over 5000+) all in one place was over whelming. The quide was wonderful full of information & explanations. She had numerous visual aid as well that were passed around. Since we were a tour of 12, we had plenty of time with the Penquins to see everything at the site, including time to get a snack & drink & also to shop.
Reviewer: Lynn Atkins
5 Stars
Nice ...
February 27, 2017
This was the excursion that made our cruise be worth the expense.
Reviewer: Rosa Valencia de Estrada
4 Stars
Penguins
February 26, 2017
The tour was fabulous. My husband & I were in a group of only 10 people. the ship excursion had many buses with over 40 people ea. Our guide was very knowledgeable. She had many ,many pictures of hand around to the group. Being in a small group & in a small tour van rather than a huge bus, the driver (separate from the guide) was able to make great time on the drive to the venue & return to the ship giving us extra time at the port city to shop & explore. I would recommend this tour to my clients.
Reviewer: Lynn Atkins
5 Stars
enjoyable
February 26, 2017
We had beautiful weather, which is never guaranteed. We were not on a huge bus, but a smaller "bus"--which we much prefer. Tombo has a great visitors center and it is a wonderful walk out to see the penguins. We really enjoyed this trip.
Reviewer: Pam
5 Stars
Dream come true!
February 21, 2017
If you have always wanted to see penguins in their natural habitat, this is the excursion for you! Yes, it's over two hours to get there from the port, but most of the roads are great, so it's not a bad ride. We had about two hours at Punta Tombo, and I loved every minute of it. Yes, there are tons of other people there, but there is so much space and so many penguins that it's not much of an issue - the only places that were really crowded were the viewing decks overlooking the two swimming areas. Easy walking, mostly flat, either crushed stone path or boardwalk depending on where you are.
Reviewer: Cindy Guendert
5 Stars
Half a million penguins
February 12, 2017
Long bus ride to and from. Almost 3 hours each way but the 2 hours with the penguins was worth it. The chick's were 2 months old in January and because of the food abundance this yeas almost all nests had 2. The best place in Patagonia to see Magellan penguins.
Reviewer: Rick Carlton
4 Stars
Amazing!
February 08, 2017
As we traveled to the rookery, our guide gave us an overview of the region, it was both interesting and informative. When we arrived at the rookery it was truly amazing! Not at all what I expected. You may have seen penguins in a zoo, but seeing them in their natural habitat is totally awesome! The fact that they travel a great distance to the water to gather food for their young and know exactly which nest is theirs out of thousands! It is truly amazing, a tour not to be missed!
Reviewer: Barbara Lee
5 Stars
Punta Tombo Penguins--Amazing!
February 07, 2017
This was an amazing trip and with the long 2.5 hour ride each way to see them, we were happy we were in a small van ahead of the large busses from the ship. We saw the penguins and it was worth the trip being there virtually alone to see them in their environment. Great trip!
Reviewer: kent francis
5 Stars
Great tour
January 28, 2017
It was a small tour of four people and we arrived at Punta Tombo well ahead of the swarms of tour buses and we really had some quality time at the park.
Reviewer: Warren Westall
5 Stars
Penguins were delightful
May 17, 2016
We missed our original tour-had the wrong time in mind; Representative at the pier arranged to put us on this tour, which we very much appreciated.
Reviewer: Jua nalaloca
4 Stars
Everything was great
May 03, 2016
That cruise was my 95th and I have to say this was one of my favorites stops. The weather was great, service was great, everything went smoothly. I'm booking my 96th and 97th cruise and using this company for my excursions. Highly recommend.
Reviewer: Panama Jim
5 Stars
quite thrilling
April 27, 2016
nice to see over 1/2 million penguins. Buttttt, the bus ride was VERY long....2.5 hours ....each way
Reviewer: g
4 Stars
Amazing amount of penguins!
April 13, 2016
I use excursions that teach me something about life.
Reviewer: S.A.CHICA
5 Stars
They estimated that half a million where there.
April 13, 2016
Different than anything I have done or seen before.
Reviewer: Van
5 Stars
Lots of Penguins
April 12, 2016
Seeing Magellanic penguins in their habitat was a unique experince.
Reviewer: Ruth
4 Stars
Would have been better before March
April 08, 2016
We went near the middle of March. Lots of the Penguins had left already. It was a long drive with not much to see.
Reviewer: Donna
4 Stars
I will definately do this again. What a fantastic
April 01, 2016
The trip was great. Everyone seemed to enjoy it . We were glad that we were able to beat the crowds .
Reviewer: S. K.
5 Stars
Penguins Galore
April 01, 2016
It's about 2 and 1/4 hour drive each way (a short portion over dirt roads) and you get approximately 1 hour to walk a trail through the rookery. There are several 'overlook' sites, and the trail goes right through their habitat. You can't help but see Penguins
Reviewer: gypsy1711
4 Stars
Interesting and Educational
March 30, 2016
Nothing special but worth seeing.
Reviewer: Maryland Bob
5 Stars
Cool place to visit
March 28, 2016
There are 3 of us in a private car, the drive/guide was very nice and gave us a detail tour in the museum. And help us take pictures and allow us to take as much time as we wanted to go through the 2.5 mile reserve. We enjoyed the well organized of the Tombo reserve.
Reviewer: ac555us
4 Stars
Way better than cruise ship excursion!
March 26, 2016
This was way cheaper than the same excursion on the cruise ship. It was a smaller van so we got there an hour before the hoards of crowds. Much better experience and they ensure you get back on time.
Reviewer: JDS
5 Stars
It's well worth the drive!
March 19, 2016
This tour provides an opportunity to see and walk among thousands of Megallanic penguins. Lots of fun watching them swim and waddle around in their natural habitat.
Reviewer: Lovestotravel
5 Stars
Guide was knowledgeable about Punta Tombo and peng
March 17, 2016
Product cost was reasonable compared to ship tour price.
Reviewer: WC
4 Stars
incredible -- penguins all around!!
March 15, 2016
Great opportunity to see lots of penguins in their natural habitat.
Reviewer: Denim
5 Stars
Lots of penguins
March 11, 2016
A long rough road to the Penguins.
Reviewer: Jan
4 Stars
Highlight of the cruise!
February 29, 2016
One of our best tour days ever, better than imagined.
Reviewer: Rick
5 Stars
I woul buy this tour ag
February 29, 2016
Loved the wifi on the bus
Reviewer: Misse
4 Stars
Trip of a lifetime !!! A dream came reality
February 27, 2016
excellent product
Reviewer: UBI
5 Stars
Thousands of Penguins
February 26, 2016
It was a long trip from the cruise terminal, but well worth it. Saw so many penguins as well as other animals and birds. The guide escorted us thru the penguin sanctuary and pointed out nuances about the area and the penguins.
Reviewer: Ed
5 Stars
The most amazing shore excursion we have ever take
February 22, 2016
This is a once in a lifetime experience that is quite expensive, but well worth it.
Reviewer: Gremlinshotel
5 Stars
Long bus ride but was very rewarding at Punto Tumb
February 19, 2016
Great trip
Reviewer: Punto Tumbo
5 Stars
200 thousand pairs of nesting penguins -- need I s
February 17, 2016
We loved our excursion to see the Magellanic penguins at Punta Tombo. The babies were born in late November and we were seeing them at about 6 weeks of age. They looked like fuzzy basketballs with feet -- so adorable! It was sunny, windy and cool, and the penguin parents were doing their best to keep up with the feeding demands of their little ones. There are over 200 thousand nesting pairs here, and I think we saw most of them. Just amazing to see them swimming, diving, walking, feeding little ones, etc. An amazing and rewarding adventure!
Reviewer: D&D
5 Stars
The penguin preserve was amazingly unique!!!
February 16, 2016
Walking around in a nature preserve with thousands of penguins in their natural habitat was incredible, especially since the weather was nice and the coastal location allowed us to photograph the penguins on both land and water.
Reviewer: Rick
5 Stars
i would buy this product again
February 15, 2016
very fun experience
Reviewer: ann levesque
5 Stars
Many penguins in natural habitat
January 26, 2016
After a 2+ hour drive, we arrived in Punta Tombo, which is very nice and well preserved. There were so many Magellanic penguins there (we saw tens of thousands, but they said that there were more than half a million!) and we were able to watch them quite close (sometimes less than a few feet). Although it is pricey, we thought that this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Reviewer: SeaPro
4 Stars
Definite Advantage Over Ship Excursions
January 16, 2016
The excursion we took had about 15 people as opposed to the ship having 35 or more per bus. We we able to get to the location quicker, spend more time and be back at the ship faster thanthe ship's tour
Reviewer: Stevesol
4 Stars
Lots of Penguins
March 11, 2015
I loved that it was such a small group and a small bus. It was a long ride but worth it. We were there at least 45 minutes before the ships buses which was nice to avoid the big crowds. Don't miss this trip!
Reviewer: Dee
5 Stars
Punta Tombo is the way to see Penguins
March 05, 2015
We were told how close we could get to penguins, but did not really believe it until we got there. A spectacular experience. Thousands in any direction.
Reviewer: jjthetravelguy
5 Stars
Penguins
April 01, 2014
The tour provided opportunity to see penguins close-up and to see how they nest and raise their young. Our tour was in early March and the penguins were just beginning to migrate back up north to Brazil.
Reviewer: Ned
5 Stars
Fantastic!!!!!! Super guide
March 30, 2014
Keep up the good work. Enjoy touring with your company
Reviewer: Olivia
5 Stars
Great Experience
March 25, 2014
This is a once in a life time experience. We were surprised at how close you actually get to the penguins. We have one picture where we were about 5 feet from a penguin. The site is very well laid out. Since the site takes a while to reach, and the land getting there is flat and full of scrub brush, bringing along a book to read and something to munch on would be helpful.
Reviewer: Genie
4 Stars
Excellent Viewing of the Penguins
March 18, 2014
We really enjoyed our tour to see the penguins. It was a once in a lifetime experience. It was great to see how the penguins live in their natural habitat instead of in a zoo or sea life park. We would definitely recommend your tour because we were allowed a good amount of time to see the whole area without being rushed.
Reviewer: Cheryl
4 Stars
Excellent tour. Very well organized
March 07, 2014
GREAT TIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Reviewer: LINN THE ADVENTURER
5 Stars
A wonderful way to see the penguins
December 22, 2013
A wonderful day which will we will remember for a long time. It was lovely to be able to walk as far as we wanted. As I'm disabled I could watch the penguins as I wait around halfway, while the others completed the extended walk.
Reviewer: Panda
5 Stars
Educational and exciting!
April 13, 2013
This is another great tour by Shore Excursions Group. Visiting the Penguin Colony, learning their habits, watching them: what fun! We also learned about other local animals, such as the Guanaco. A worthwhile tour.
Reviewer: me
5 Stars
Wonderful
March 29, 2012
Loved viewing this attraction in a smaller group. We had the preserve all to ourselves until the cruise ship buses arrived with their 30 to 40 passengers per bus. Saw penguins, guanacos, mara, and a rhea in their natural environment without a lot of people to scare them.
Reviewer: travelling woman
5 Stars
Wonderful Viewing of Penguins
March 28, 2012
Absolutely fantastic.
Reviewer: Ron Delaney
5 Stars