Penguins love cold weather places, with the exceptions being Australia & the Galapagos Islands. This can make it difficult for those that want to see these interesting birds up close. Luckily, there are some places close by that offer amazing penguin encounters in the U.S. We are sharing both the best penguin encounters close to home, as well as once in a lifetime trips to go and see penguins.
The Detroit Zoo’s Polk Penguin Conservation Center
The largest penguin exhibition exhibit in the world is located right in Detroit. The 326,000 gallon exhibit features close to 100 penguins who are free to swim about in the icy waters. This exhibit is so popular that visitors have to get a timed entry pass (these passes are included in the admission price for the zoo). The exhibit was built to mimic the natural environment of the penguins. There is a waterfall and iceberg for the penguins to enjoy. The water is kept at a frigid 40 degrees with the air being 47 degrees.There’s also falling snow to give the exhibit a more outdoorsy feel. Visitors can watch as these birds swim, dive and interact with each other. The vantage point is unique as visitors can go 25 feet below the surface of the water in underground tunnels. This will offer an interesting vantage point of the penguins frolicking in the waters.
The National Aquarium Of New Zealand
The penguin exhibit at this zoo actually allows visitors to hand-feed penguins. Those ages 6 and up can go on a behind the scenes tour of the penguin exhibit. In addition to this they can watch the birds run around their enclosure and learn just what goes into taking care of penguins. The penguins are very friendly and love visitors. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and must be booked ahead of time to guarantee availability. Learn more about New Zealand tours 2021.
Malott Family Penguin Encounter At The Chicago Zoo
Visitors will get an opportunity to go behind the scenes at this penguin encounter. Lasting about an hour long, each participant can interact with the birds and see what their environment is like. They aren’t allowed to touch the penguins or do anything that could scare them, but the penguins very curious creatures so they often come up to visitors to check them out. During this 45 minute tour, participants will get to learn interesting facts about penguins, like how they mate for life, and watch them play, eat, swim and interact with one another. This behind the scenes tour at the Malott Family Penguin Encounter is only open until the end of October.
Penguin Encounter Miami Seaquarium
Learn about our African penguins at Penguin Isle and immerse yourself in their environment with the all-new penguin encounter! Providing a unique interaction with one of the world’s most beloved birds, you can experience them in an intimate setting. You’ll have the opportunity to meet and interact with a penguin one-on-one. Other similar encounters are available at Long Island Aquarium in New York, Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies, the Maryland Zoo at Baltimore and the Georgia Aquarium just to name a few. The penguin exhibit at this zoo actually allows visitors to hand-feed penguins. Those ages 6 and up can go on a behind the scenes tour of the penguin exhibit. In addition to this they can watch the birds run around their enclosure and learn just what goes into taking care of penguins. The penguins are very friendly and love visitors. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and must be booked ahead of time to guarantee availability.
If you were thinking more of traveling to a place to experience penguins up close in nature, here are a few ideas:
Patagonia: Estancia San Lorenzo & Punta Tombo – Puerto Madryn, Argentina
San Lorenzo sheep farm is located in the Natural Protected Area Peninsula Valdés, 160 km/ 100 miles from the town of Puerto Madryn. Along its coast you’ll find an astonishing Magellanic penguin rookery with over 600.000 penguins, open to visitors every year between September 7th and March 31st. Together with Magellanic penguins, San Lorenzo offers the possibility of observing elephant seals, guanacos, rheas, owls, cavies and a great diversity of birds. Punta Tombo is a nature reserve and home to the most important colony of penguins in South America with over half a million penguins each year. Punta Tombo opens in October, when the eggs are being laid, and ends by the first week of April, when the last of the chicks has grown up and swum away.
Patagonia: Camarones
Camerones and the Valdez Peninsula are the home to thousands of Magellan penguins, who harbour here on the Patagonian coast until the end of March, after which they head south for the winter. This area is unspoiled by mass tourism and has an unhurried, casual air. The local inhabitants treasure their beautiful countryside and abundant wildlife. Facilities in the town are limited as cruise ship guests and travelers are the exceptions here rather than the rule.
Chilean Fjords
The Chilean Fjords offer some of the most awe-inspiring sights of your journey. Simply look to the sky to see graceful Andean condors floating on the wind. Bring a camera to capture sights of incredible jagged walls of glacier ice rising up from the sea. And for pure enjoyment, watch the antics of the flightless, tuxedoed Magellanic penguins.
Parcas Bay – Peru
The Paracas Bay is best known for the area known as “The Galapagos of Peru” or the Ballestas Islands Wildlife Reserve. The sea bird colonies and marine mammals that inhabit these barren and desolate islands are some of the most spectacular in the world, including the Guanay, Red-legged and Neotropic Cormorants, the Peruvian and Blue-footed Boobies, the Peruvian Pelican, several species of tern and gulls, including the Inca Tern, and several species of petrel. There are also breeding grounds of South American fur seals and sea lion as well as a small colony of Humboldt penguins. Other interesting wildlife less frequently seen on trips to the Ballestas includes sea turtles and albatross. On the way to Ballestas, you will be able to see the candelabra in the coastal sand dunes – one of the many giant petroglyphs that dot the landscape. Learn more about Peru tours 2021.
Phillip Island Nature Parks – Victoria, Australia
Known for it’s natural beauty and wildlife, Phillip Island is a wonderful Australian destination just 90 minuted from Melbourne. Many Australia 2021 tour packages include this experience in their itinerary. Meet the world’s smallest penguins (fairy penguins,) at the world-famous penguin parade. You will be just steps away watching a beautiful sunset and then suddenly you will see hundreds of penguins making their march along the beach.
Kangaroo Island – Australia
Enjoy one of the world’s most beautiful and unique wilderness holiday destinations in which the locals include wallabies, goannas, koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, dolphins, sea lions, penguins, fur seals, eagles, whales and ospreys. Share with them the pure air and clean water that makes Kangaroo Island one of the last unspoiled wonders of the world. The people of Kangaroo Island see prosperity in tourism but know the value of what they have and are working hard to find the right balance between development and conservation.
Antarctica, the Falkland Islands & South Shetland Islands
These regions are filled with different types of penguins. Antarctica tours expeditions cruises allow you to come up close. Bleaker Island is one of the Falkand Islands. The northern half of Bleaker Island is a National Nature Reserve. This island offers visitors rare sightings of Rockhopper Penguins, as well as Magellanic and Gentoo Penguins who are also at home here. Whales and sealions patrol the coast around the island and thousands of birds can be seen hovering around the island. In Cuverville Island large colonies of orange-billed gentoo penguins can be found on this island, while humpbacks swim amid the icebergs offshore. The timid gentoo penguin values a high stone nest to protect its chicks, often stealing stones from neighboring nests. This is done with an innocent air and the finesse of a Cary Grant, the pebble presented to its mate with a courtly bow that is pure penguin. Brookes Bay is an excellent place to watch Magellan penguins, and view magestic glaciers. The Errera Channel is a scenic area located between Ronge Island and the Danco Coast in Antarctica. The Channel is full of a broad range of wildlife such as whales, birds and penguin colonies, including Gentoo and the more rare Chinstrap. In the waters surrounding Hope Bay are fantastic seascapes including giant tabular icebergs and glaciers. Hope Bay is home to a huge Adelie penguin rookery, and also a sizeable Argentine scientific station with its own mayor, post office and school. In fact, it was at Hope Bay the first child born in Antarctica was delivered. If conditions permit, attempt to reach Paulet Island and the large penguin rookery, nesting cormorants, and a long abandoned hut from the Swedish. One of the most pleasant landings in Antarctica, Half Moon Island has a sizeable rookery of chinstrap penguins as well as kelp gulls and nesting Antarctic terns. Whales are often seen patrolling the shores, and this small island offers magnificent views of the surrounding mountains.
The South Shetland Islands are a string of islands running parallel to the north west coast of the Antarctic peninsula. The South Shetlands are almost completely ice covered. About 2-3 percent is ice free, usually along the coast, where all life is found whether penguins, seals, or the human inhabitants of the various bases. The islands are frequently visited by tourist cruise ships and each has a different character. From north to south, the main islands are: Elephant Island, King George Island, Penguin Island, Bridgeman Island, Aitcho Islands, Greenwich Island, Half Moon Island, Livingston Island and Deception Island.
Galapagos Islands
The Galapagos islands are another untouched area where wildlife at not afraid of humans. In Elizabeth Bay it is a paradise for sea turtles and Galapagos penguins. Nowhere else in the world do they find themselves more at home. Bartolome has a beach near Pinnacle Rock where you can see and swim with penguins. Isabela is the largest of the Galapagos Islands. Galapagos penguins and the world’s only flightless cormorants are often visible along the shore. Learn more about Galapagos Islands cruise tours.
