Gable Island & Penguin Colony
with Canoeing
A matchless adventure in protected areas of Tierra del Fuego.
Explore pristine and secret areas of the Beagle Channel as done for the last 7000 years: in canoes.
Key Details:
Duration: 8am to 6:30pm*
Beginning and ending at your accommodation
Lunch and drinks included
Open group: up to 20 passengers + 1 guide*
Medium-difficulty hike (4,5 km. 2:30 hs. Altitude gain: 50 mts. Cumulative elevation gain: 90 mts), Medium-difficulty canoeing, Motor boat navigation, Penguin watching
Bahía Brown, Estancia Harberton, Isla Gable, Isla Martillo
*Available also as a private tour, for a flexible itinerary
Mountaineering clothing and footwear required
The most comprehensive full-day tour in Tierra del Fuego. Much more than just watching penguins (included), a genuine approach to History and Nature.
Full -Day
Lunch and drinks included
Available in open groups
and in private, exclusive services!
*30% discount for childen aged 5 to 11
Description
In 2001, we created the most comprehensive full-day exploration of Tierra del Fuego: We will drive East, through a glacial valley, and after following the course of the longest river in Tierra del Fuego, in canoes we will find its end at the Beagle Channel, and -from the sea- we will enjoy the unique views of the ragged shorelines of remote beaches.
Once at Harberton Ranch, we will embark on a motor boat to visit two of its private natural reserves: Gable and Martillo islands.
We will explore the intact and amazing nature of Gable Island by foot, after a great lunch, surrounded by the history of this "uttermost part of the Earth".
Also, we will see the Magellan and Gentoo penguins that arrive in Summer to nest at Martillo Island.
We suggest wearing high-top hiking boots for ankle stability.
We recommend:
Polar or micropolar jacket or sweater
Skiing jacket
Small backpack to carry a camera and an extra pair of socks
Sunglasses and sunscreen.
Itinerary:
8am to 6:30pm *
*08:00 - From the hotel we travel East, towards Harberton Ranch.
Ushuaia is far away behind, after crossing the Tierra Mayor Valley and the primeval forest along the Lasifashaj River, and we've reached one of the most beautiful views of the Beagle Channel: Bahía Brown.
*10:15 Lashifashaj River & canoeing on the Beagle Channel.
After a technical and safety briefing given along with the equipment (rubber boots, splash pants, life jackets and a paddle), we are now ready to go downstream to reach the Beagle Channel!
At the Beagle Channel, the horizon widens enormously, and brings back the stories of the first inhabitants of this land, and the adventure of the first Europeans.
Leaded by experienced guides, with the adequate logistics -hewn over two decades- this safe exploration of the Beagle Channel's Nature and history is as relaxed as it is exciting!
*12:15 - Transfer to Harberton Ranch's main house area.
From an approach that connects the two initial cultures of Tierra del Fuego: that of the Yámana and that of the Anglican settlers, we arrive at Harberton ranch and its port.
*12:30 - Motorboat navigation to Gable Island.
We will reach two private nature reserves of Estancia Harberton: the Martillo and Gable Islands, at one of the most distant points East from Ushuaia.
*12:50 - Arrival at the Martillo Island penguin colony.
Our approach to the penguins of the Beagle Channel privileges respect for their space and their tranquility and peace on land. We will see them from the coast: where they are most active, without disturbing them.
13:30 Arrival to Gable Island.*
We reached the highest point of the excursion: the private natural reserve of Gable Island, where -with our specialized guides- you can relive the history of this area before tourism.
*13:45 - Lunch with drinks included.
The menu includes snacks (pickles, olives, cheese). The main course is hake en papillote with rustic potatoes. For dessert, panna cotta. Drinks, coffee and tea are included. Vegetarians and coeliacs can count on an alternative menu if requested in advance.
*15:00 - Hike around Gable Island
Gable Island, our favorite place in Tierra del Fuego, comprehensively represents the first history of Tierra del Fuego, prior to the founding of Ushuaia.
Already on the southern coast of Gable Island, we will have a totally unusual panoramic view of the Beagle Channel from the viewpoint at the height of the "gables", a glacial formation that inspired the metaphorical name given to it by the Anglican settlers, the first "white men" to settle here.
From the height of the cliffs at Gable Island, we have an immense view of the Beagle Channel, in the direction of Ushuaia and very close to Puerto Williams.
*17:00 - We start heading back...
With unique views of Nature that vary between October and April, we reach the end of the tour. The motor boat that take us back to Harberton port to hop on the bus.
Full -Day
Lunch and drinks included
Available in open groups
and in private, exclusive services!
*30% discount for childen aged 5 to 11
We can make this experience a “tailor-made trip”! With the exclusive attention of guides specialized in serving any number of passengers from all over the world, we can adapt the itinerary and the activities to your prefence.