I just got back from a South American journey that put about 3500 more clicks on my trusty Canon 5dmkII. The trip was a photographic gold mine, especially when we traveled into the beautiful Patagonian countryside of Argentina.

This photo series covers a small part of the trip where we visited Magellanic Penguins on an island just outside the port town of Ushuaia, the southernmost city on Earth that’s also known as the “end of the world.”

It’s not every day that you get up close and personal with wildlife, surrounded by thousands of penguins in their natural habitat. I never thought I would get the chance to experience this – our adventure seemed more National Geographic or ‘March of the Penguins’ than something I would do.

If you ever find yourself in the neighborhood, do yourself a favor and book a trip with PiraTour for a once in a lifetime experience. Make sure to bring a telephoto lens!

4 adults and 1 juvenile penguin on a rocky beach, near the Andes Mountains

Hundreds of Penguins on the Beach of Isla Martillo (Martillo Island) in Argentina

A Young Penguin looking out to the Andes Mountains from Isla Martillo

A Young Penguin Scratching with its leg

Adult Magellan Penguins have a black strip one their chest – this one is laying on the beach

A juvenile penguin stands tall over two sitting adults

Lost in a sea of sameness

Approximately 20 pairs of Gentoo Penguins also inhabit Martillo Island

A Magellanic Penguin stands in front of its nest \ burrow

An adult penguin cleans its wing using its beak

A Magellan penguin stands tall in the brush

A nesting pair of Magellanic Penguins

Penguin Love?

A penguin in front of tall grass

A Magellanic Penguin walks down a man made trail

This one waddles in front of me

Even though penguins are flightless, they are said to “swim” through the water at great speed

This Skua is one of the main predators of penguins – it eats their eggs

Geese also live on Martillo Island with the Penguins

Another image of the beach full of Magellanic Penguins

Humans get back on the boat while a penguins says goodbye

Penguin Island near Ushuaia, Argentina – PiraTour from Peter Tsai on Vimeo.

Penguins waddling and swimming on the beach

Penguin Waddle from Peter Tsai on Vimeo.

A Penguin waddling down a hill