Where to Go Ashore: 15 Argentina Shore Excursions

1.Shore Excursion – National Park Tierra del Fuego

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 169 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $60Our pick

From Ushuaia’s cruise pier, visit Tierra del Fuego National Park, Lake Roca, Zaratiegui Cove, and Bahia Lapataia, the end of the Pan-American Highway. Expect a 4 to 5-hour guided outing with air-conditioned transport, park admission, and ship drop-off. Guides such as Patricia and Vanessa have earned strong praise, but group size and scheduling can vary.

“The tour bus was not in the best of shape. The windows were foggy for the first portion of the tour so we couldn't see much. The sound system was not working very well so we had trouble hearing the guide and her accent was very marked and combined with the broken sound system we had trouble understanding her. The park itself was very nice with some beautiful vistas.”

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2.Tierra del Fuego National Park, Ushuaia City Tour Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 154 reviews · 5 hours (approx.) · from $119

Spend five hours exploring Tierra del Fuego National Park and Ushuaia in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide. Expect lake walks, forest roads, mountain and harbor photo stops, a snack, and the End of the Pan-American Highway sign. Guides have included David, Gabriel, Marcelo, Gastón, and Florencia.

“Our guide Gabrielle and driver were both friendly,, helpful and exceptional exceptional. We learned a lot and were able to have several beautiful, easy safe walks in Terra del Fuego. The van was kept secure and cleaned the entire trip. Highly recommended.”

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3.Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes – Pto Madryn – Patagonia – Argentina

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 111 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $95

From Puerto Madryn, ride into Peninsula Valdes with an English-speaking guide such as Carolina, Mary, Nora, or Santiago. Visit the interpretation center, Caleta Valdes, elephant seal colonies, penguins, and perhaps sea lions or guanacos. The full day includes a boxed lunch, air-conditioned transport, and port pickup, but expect many hours on the road.

“We got to see exactly what we wanted to see. There is a lot of travel but that is the nature of the beast. We were within feet of the penguins which was a pleasant surprise.”

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4.Cruise Shore Excursion Punta Tombo with Boxlunch from Pto Madryn

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $120Top rated

Travel from Puerto Madryn’s cruise pier to Punta Tombo, South America’s largest Magellanic penguin reserve. You’ll walk a 1.5-kilometer trail toward the coast, with time for photos and possible sightings of guanacos, rheas, flamingos, and armadillos. Guides such as Mariana, Roy, Pitu, and Marcela have led past departures, though the guide varies.

“This was great. We were fortunate that the weather was great, the many, many penguins were out and about. We also saw many guanaco, Rhea and flamingos. Our guide and driver were great. The lunch was good and we even had a short drive through town as we made good time returning. Highly recommend”

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5.Ushuaia Shore Excursions Tierra del Fuego National Park

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 66 reviews · 4 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $120

Travel from Ushuaia’s port into Tierra del Fuego National Park in a small group of up to 18 people. Visit Lapataia Bay, Lake Acigami, Ensenada Zaratiegui, and Cañadon del Toro, with local alfajores, mate, and glacier water included. Guides such as Federico, Maru, and Guillermo add local history and flexible pacing.

“I did not have internet onboard and did not get meeting instructions until in port. We missed the pickup but Frederico waited to see if we would arrive. When we did he provided us an exceptional tour. We got to see everything because we were able to move at our own pace. We even had a wonderful local snack in an amazingly scenic location.”

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6.Shore Excursion Punta Tombo cruise passengers Puerto Madryn

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $125

Travel from Puerto Madryn to Punta Tombo in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English and Spanish-speaking guide. Walk among thousands of Magellanic penguins, look for guanacos and Patagonian hares, enjoy a boxed lunch, and possibly stop at a giant dinosaur replica and in town. Small groups are advertised, with guides such as Marianna, Hugo, Laura, and Marcelo.

“Excellent excursion- from our cruise with limited time - easy pickup from the cruise port, smaller group of 15 max in an AC very comfortable van and a 2.5hr to/from drive to Penguin area. Our guide was so knowledgeable, friendly and entertaining she provided excellent information along the way and our driver, as well as our guide spotted unique animals along the way and pulled over for us to enjoy. The location was beautiful, the boardwalk easy to navigate, the penguins plentiful plus wild “llamas” everywhere!! Plenty of time to explore the nesting area and viewing the beach and lagoon area! There was a hearty & delicious box lunch and…”

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7.Cruise Shore Excursion Ea San Lorenzo Peninsula Valdes – Patagonia – Argentina

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 43 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $159

From Puerto Madryn, you travel across Peninsula Valdés to San Lorenzo sheep ranch and its huge Magellanic penguin colony, then visit Punta Norte for sea lions and elephant seals. Expect about seven hours, a small group of up to 17, long stretches in the vehicle, gravel roads, and an excellent chance to see wildlife close by. Guides have included Beto, Martin, Fernando, Lucia, and Mary.

“Walking among the penguins and see the guanacos roaming free. And, the elephant seals and sea lions are great, too. We had a great lunch at the San Lorenzo farm with fire roasted lamb. We were concerned about the long car ride but the scenery, the good weather, and good conversation with our guide, Beto, made it enjoyable.”

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8.Buenos Aires City Tour with Pickup at Cruise Port

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 38 reviews · 7 to 8 hours (approx.) · from $300

Spend 7 to 8 hours seeing Buenos Aires between your cruise and flight. A bilingual guide and driver collect you at the port, store your luggage, and cover Recoleta Cemetery, La Boca, Plaza de Mayo, San Telmo, Palermo, the Obelisk, and more. Guides such as Pablo, Paula, Patrick, and Flavia are known for flexible routes and strong city knowledge.

“Flavia (guide) was great! She took us to fascinating sites! Pick up at cruise terminal was overwhelming too many people and much confusion”

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9.Tierra del Fuego Park & Train Tour for Cruisers (no tickets)

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 35 reviews · 5 hours · from $120

Meet Yellow Penguin at Ushuaia Port for a five-hour visit to Tierra del Fuego National Park. You’ll ride the End of the World Train, hear about prisoners and the Yámana people, then see Macarena Falls, Lapataia Bay, Laguna Verde, Lake Roca, and Zaratiegui Cove. Park admission and train tickets cost extra.

“Communication with the tour company was unsatisfactory. On the day of the tour we were told to meet near the tourist information centre, we were told to be there by 7am. We were there at around 6.50am, in the freezing cold and waited and waited but no one appeared (there was also another couple from another ship waiting). We then contacted the yellow penguin tour group and they said that they sent us a message saying they had moved our tour to 12pm, we did not get this message due to issues with wifi….so after waiting for 2hrs in the bitter cold, we had no choice but to wait until…”

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10.Puerto Madryn: Punta Tombo Shore Excursion for Cruise Guests

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 25 reviews · 6 hours · from $90

Meet your bilingual English and Spanish guide outside Piedrabuena Pier, then ride 180 km south to Punta Tombo. You get about 90 minutes in the reserve, walking among wild Magellanic penguins and watching for guanacos. The tour adjusts to your ship schedule, but the long drive and reserve entrance fee are extra.

“We had a great time in Punto Tombo, it was really nice to see the Magellanic penguins in their natural habitat! Our guide/driver was also very good. The only downside was the car itself; four adults spent four hours in a Dacia Duster, which was really uncomfortable. Otherwise, it was a great day.”

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11.Punta Tombo Cruise Shore Excursion – Walk among penguins

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $120

Travel 170 km from Puerto Madryn to Punta Tombo, where a 1.5-kilometer trail crosses the Patagonian steppe and penguin colony. Guides such as Mariana and Maria explain the penguins’ life cycle, while the small group, packed lunch, and return-time guarantee suit cruise passengers. Expect a long road trip, but an extraordinary wildlife encounter.

“Arranged at last minute due to schedule change by cruise company. Reasonable when compared with cruise company's own excursions (horribly expensive).Decent transport, enthusiastic guide and enough time at Punta Tombo to see all of the wildlife. Happy to recommend, they were very efficient.”

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12.Puerto Madryn: Punta Loma Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 22 reviews · 3 hours · from $50Best value

Meet your bilingual guide outside Piedrabuena Pier for a short Puerto Madryn tour, then ride to Punta Loma Provincial Reserve. Walk a 500-meter nature trail, reach panoramic viewpoints, and watch sea lions, cubs, cormorants, and other birds. The $50 price covers transport and guiding, but not the reserve entrance fee.

“The main theme of the tour is to see sea lions, but we can see the sea lions even at the pier”

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13.From Puerto Madryn: Peninsula Valdés Shore Excursion

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 19 reviews · 7 hours · from $112

Meet Yellow Penguin at Puerto Madryn port for a 7-hour guided trip around Peninsula Valdés. You’ll ride with a Spanish, English, or Portuguese-speaking guide, visit viewpoints and wildlife sites, and look for elephant seals, sea lions, penguins, guanacos, maras, rheas, and possibly orcas. Guides such as Mariano and David have led especially informative outings.

“We went to the national park and had to pay a separate $30 pp fee to enter. We saw a few land animal on the way and the driver would slow down or stop so we could get pictures. Unfortunately where we went on the Valdes peninsula is not where the bulk of the sea animals nest or hang out. We stopped to see penguins: there were a few nests and perhaps this was home to maybe 1k penguins (being generous), but in early March there were none. Farther north where we didn’t go, there is purportedly a colony of 600k Magellanic penguins. No whales to see, no orcas. It’s…”

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14.Cruise Shore Excursion Peninsula Valdes – Box Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★3.7 · 14 reviews · 7 hours · from $105

Meet the guide by the blue balloon at Puerto Madryn’s pier for a seven-hour drive into Peninsula Valdés. You’ll stop at El Desempeño’s visitor center, continue to Caleta Valdés for elephant seals and penguins, and return aboard time. Guides may include Janett or Yanet, with Nelson among the drivers.

“very pleasant guide and driver. much cheaper than cruise price. it would have been a higher score if they had provided a veggie option for packed lunch”

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15.Peninsula Valdes: Shore excursion for cruise passengers

★★★★★★★★★★3.6 · 8 reviews · 6 hours · from $150

From Piedrabuena Pier, travel by air-conditioned van to UNESCO-listed Peninsula Valdes. Visit the Ameghino Isthmus center, then Caleta Valdes for elephant seals, sea lions, and Magellanic penguins. English and Spanish guides, including Daniel on some departures, adjust departure times to your ship schedule.

“A lot of travel time but our guide and driver were great.”

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