Season 2023 ongoing now until early November. Book Whale Watching and Penguins Tour from Buenos Aires in Valdés Peninsula at ArG Tour!
Table of Contents
The Valdés Peninsula is a coastal landform on the Argentine Sea, in the province of Chubut, Argentina. It is currently one of the nine World Heritage Sites declared by UNESCO in Argentina. Valdés Peninsula receives the largest breeding population of southern right whales, with more than 2,000 cataloged whales. The region contains six nature reserves, and is considered one of the main and most important whale watching destinations on the planet, particularly around Puerto Pirámides and the city of Puerto Madryn. In addition, orcas, dolphins, penguins, elephant seals and a great variety of birds, among others, are sighted.
The panorama seems barren at first sight since it is flat and with predominantly bushy and thorny vegetation. However, the peninsula attracts huge numbers of animal species, and is a collection of ecosystems that amaze tourists and scientific researchers.
Adapted to the steppe environment are maras (“Patagonian hares”), some guanacos, gray foxes, Patagonian culpeos, Patagonian rheas (or “Patagonian ostrich”), skunks, and armadillos such as the Zaedyus pichiy. On the other hand, the jaguars and condors that came to roam these Patagonian coasts were exterminated at the end of the 19th century, while the Patagonian pumas only rarely incursion into the peninsula from the populations of the western steppes, without maintaining permanent populations in the area. protected. Continue reading about Whale Watching and Penguins Tour from Buenos Aires in Valdés Peninsula below.
The Southern Right Whale
Calluses can be seen, which are raised areas of skin more than approximately 18 cm thick, with a horny consistency, located in different parts of the head. The distribution, dimension and shape of the calluses vary from one whale to another but do not change with growth. Functioning like fingerprints, they identify each animal throughout life.
The Magellanic Penguin
Also known as the Patagonian penguin, it is a species of bird in the penguin family (Spheniscidae), which nests on the Malvinas Islands and on the coasts and islands of Patagonia in Argentina and Chile. They nest in colonies in certain places on the coast, selecting for this purpose soft soils where they can dig their nests, although they can also nest under bushes or other protection. About a million specimens nest each year in Punta Tombo.
The Mara
Also know as Patagonian Mara , patagonian hare , Y creole hare , although it does not belong to the order of true hares. The pups are raised in a common burrow, in which up to 15 mothers can leave their litter. They develop rapidly and can begin to graze within 24 hours of birth.
The Guanaco
It is a species of artiodactyl mammal of the Camelidae family typical of South America. It is a wild animal, as opposed to the llama (Lama glama) which is domestic. It is covered by thick double fur that protects it. The great damage caused by the overgrazing of herds of sheep and cattle in Patagonia has led to some ranches keeping guanacos adapted for meat production.
Seafood: The Southern King Crab
The Patagonian spider crab is a crustacean that inhabits the seabed of the cold waters of southern South America. The capture of this animal constitutes a lucrative resource for the towns of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago. This led to several incidents when Argentine schooners were fishing near Gable Island (today under Argentine sovereignty). This event, along with several others, led to the Beagle conflict in the 1970s.
Wildlife Calendar
The ideal time to visit the peninsula is from mid-September to early November, when most of the wildlife is found: whales, penguins, elephant seals and killer whales.
Listed below are the excursions available. Contact us to organize a bespoken trip.
- Visit to the Peninsula with the option of embarking for whale watching.
- Visit to the penguin colony in Punta Tombo.
- Visit to the colony of elephant seals in Amakáik Bay.
- Whale watching at short distance from El Doradillo beach without embarking.
- Excursion to the lower valley of the Chubut River, visiting the towns founded by the Welsh: Dolavon, Gaiman, to have tea with a traditional Welsh cake. These towns were visited by Princess Lady Di. You will also visit the Paleontological Museum of Trelew, where the largest dinosaur in the world was found.
Not interested in Whale Watching and Penguins Tour from Buenos Aires in Valdés Peninsula? Check our trip to Iguazú falls!
