Two Penguin Drive: Rookery Bay & Yorke Bay

Two kinds of penguin in one short trip ashore. We drive out of the city in a small car, never more than four of you, to Rookery Bay for the Magellanic penguins, then on to the gentoo colony at Yorke Bay. I stay beside you the whole time, explain what the birds are doing and why, and have you back at the jetty with plenty of time before your ship sails.

Why you need a guide at Yorke Bay

On cruise ship days, everyone visiting the Yorke Bay gentoo colony must be accompanied by a guide, with no more than 16 visitors to each guide. That applies whether you arrive by car or walk in along the beach. On this trip you are always with your own guide, in a group of four at most, so you can take your time at the ropes rather than being moved along with a crowd.

Two colonies, two kinds of penguin

Magellanic penguins nest in burrows and come and go along the beach, with the black band across the chest that gives them away. Gentoos are the ones with the bright orange beak and the white patch over the eye, nesting in open groups on the dunes. From late October to early March you are likely to see eggs, chicks and a great deal of coming and going between the nests and the sea.

Looking after the birds

We stay behind the ropes and on the marked trails, keep well back from the birds, and follow the wardens’ instructions and any bird flu precautions in place on the day. You will be given a wristband showing you are with Stanley on Foot, and I wear a name tag so the wardens can see who you are with.

Good to know

There is a short walk on sand and grass at each stop, so wear shoes you can get sandy and bring a windproof layer. If the weather closes in, we shorten the stops rather than your time ashore. The price covers guiding and transport from and to the jetty.