Patagonia

After spending the night at Santiago airport, it was a short flight south to Punta Arenas. I had come to ‘Patagonia’s Capital’ for penguins, but I wasn’t expecting to see colourful lupins lining the shore or to learn so much on an afternoon walking tour about the history of the city, particularly the four hunter/gatherer tribes that once called Patagonia home. As well as the walking tour I visited the museum, walked along the waterfront and up to the viewpoint over the city. 

The highlight of course was a day trip visiting Isla de Magdalena to see hundreds of Magellanic penguins including one month old chicks still with their fluffy, grey feathers. Cute! As well as the penguins, I saw black faced Ibis and herring gulls, also with chicks. On the way out, dolphins jumped alongside the boat and on the way back, sea lions swam. It was such a brilliant day, full of wildlife!