Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve
Caleta Chañaral
This village is one of the two access points for a visit of the Pingüino de Humboldt Reserve. From this place, it is possible to take a tour boat to the Chañaral Island located 8 km from the coast.
The Chañaral Island is the largest and best protected of the three islands in the reserve. It is also the northernmost island and hardest to access.
Pingüino de Humboldt National Reserve
On the way to the Chañaral Island, I had the chance to observe fin whales Balaenoptera physalus. This whale is the second-largest animal on the planet after the blue whale. Its average size is 20 metres for a weight of 40 to 50 tons. A newborn baby measures about 6 metres and weight 1800 kg.
On the island, I saw cormorants, sea lions, and also the famous Humboldt penguins. The sea was really rough during my visit, and I didn't manage to use the big zoom due to the lack of stability in the boat.
