|
Wild,
violent and beautiful…
discover how life throbs… |
 |
|
| ............................................................................................................. |
| |
|
|
Punta Delgada (Thin Point) |
It is base of southern sea lions and southern elephant seals.
The access routes are provincial route Nº 47; from Port Pirámides, provincial route nº 2, at 42 miles by a gravel road.
Seasons: South American sea lions: the entire year. Southern elephant seals: from mid-August to April. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Caleta Valdés (Valdés Small Bay) |
It is base of southern elephant seals and it is also an area where killer whales attack. It is located at 44 miles from Pirámides, accessing by provincial route Nº 3, by a gravel road.
Characteristics: reproductive area of southern elephant seals and reproductive colonies of Magellanic penguin, kelp gull, black-crowned-night-heron, cormorant, rock cormorant, oystercatcher and great egret. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Punta Norte (North Point) |
Base of southern elephant seals and southern sea lions; the attacks of killer whales to seals are more frequent in this area.
It is located at 44 miles from Port Pirámides, accessing through provincial route Nº 3, by a gravel road.
Fauna of the area: southern sea lions, southern elephant seals, killer whales, grey foxes, Patagonian armadillo, hairy armadillos, small lizards, tuco-tucos, guinea pigs, elegant tinamous. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Isla de los Pájaros (Bird’s Island) |
This is an island connected to the continent, located at 20 miles from Pirámides. The access is by provincial route Nº 2 (asphalted), and 3 miles of detour (gravel road).
Of great biological value, this is a reproductive area of ten different species of sea birds, such as kelp gulls, Magellanic penguins, black-crowned-night-herons, cormorants, rock cormorants and great egrets, crested ducks and Chubut steamerducks. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Punta Loma (Loma Point) |
It is located at 7 miles from Puerto Madryn, to the south, by a gravel road.
This is the oldest area of Chubut and its most significant value is the base of southern sea lions and the colony of South American terns.
Seasons: southern sea lions: all the year; sea birds: South American terns and rock cormorant: the entire year. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Punta León (Lion Point) |
It is located at 51 miles from Puerto Madryn and at 55 miles from Rawson, and the access is by gravel roads.
There are reproductive colonies of 7 species of sea and coast birds grouped in a small space and it is base of southern sea lions.
Fauna in the area: sea birds: kelp gulls, royal terns, cayenne terns, imperial shags, cormorants and rock cormorants.
Other sea birds: South American terns, Antarctic petrels, snowy sheathbills, American oystercatchers, blackish oystercatcher.
Sea mammals: southern sea lions and southern elephant seals. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Punta Tombo (Tombo Point) |
Punta Tombo is the biggest reproductive colony of Magellanic penguins. There are also gulls, skuas, Antarctic giant petrels, cormorants, oystercatchers and native species of the Patagonian steppe such as maras, armadillos, foxes, etc.
It is located at 66 miles approx. from the cities of Rawson and Trelew, and the access is by route Nº1, gravel road.
This place holds a great archeological value due to the visible remains of Indian settlements.
Seasons: Magellanic penguins from September to April. Sea birds: from October to March. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Cabo dos Bahías (Cape Two Bays) |
The contrast of the navy blue and the diversity of shades in the rocks make the landscape very beautiful.
Here, an important colony of Magellan penguins concentrates, as well as colonies of southern sea lions, guanacos and a great variety of Patagonian fauna.
The access is from Camarones, traveling 17 miles by a gravel road.
Fauna in the area: in the continent: Magellan penguins; in Island Moreno: Magellan penguins, kelp gulls, skuas, blackish oystercatchers, American oystercatchers, flightless steamerducks, and rock cormorants.
Land fauna: guanacos, maras, armadillos, South American ostriches and grey foxes. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Whale Watching |
| This activity takes place in the Valdés Peninsula and the season of whale-watching goes from June to mid-December. In this beautiful resort village, there are six companies that will take you to the most thrilling meeting you will ever have: a meeting with Southern Right Whales. They visit this place because the whales choose the gulfs’ quiet waters to mate and have their baby whales. Seeing the whales with their calves is one of the most stunning shows of nature. The watching lasts approximately one hour, according to the proximity of the whales. Little boats get closer, at a reasonable distance, and humans and whales observe each other, they even swim under the boat, where you can take pictures thanks to the water’s transparency. Argentina, Chubut, Port Pirámides is the only place in the world where whale-watching is done professionally, and the access of private boats is completely forbidden, because the true owners of this bit of the sea are the whales. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Commerson's Dolphin Watching |
| Embarking in the seaside village Playa Unión, you can get in touch with the Commerson’s Dolphin, the smallest dolphin of the world. Fast and active swimmers, they can be seen from April to December, jumping at a short distance from the boat and even surfing the waves. In Chubut, the dolphins are studied and protected; this is why in many trips the tourist goes with biologists who provide interesting information. Two companies offer this activity with a license granted by Chubut’s Secretariat of Tourism and the organization Protected Areas of Chubut, both located in the port. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Dolphin Watching |
From Puerto Madryn, there are trips that offer the possibility of meeting the Dusty Dolphins, one of the most acrobat species of the world, moving in small groups of 8 to 12 in company with other groups.
The dolphins get very closer to the boat and they go jumping, together with different birds and sometimes with the company of penguins and sea lions. This behavior is aimed for feeding, as the dolphins trace the birds, because birds are the sign of the presence of big shoals of fishes, especially anchovies.
So, with circular moves, the dolphins build a carrousel, spinning round the shoal; if the shoal is too big, they start jumping, sometimes with somersaults to call other dolphins.
You can go on trips of half a day, from January to March, enjoying a show of nature, surpassing any aquarium of the world. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Southern sea lions and elephant seals |
The southern elephant seals are one of the main natural attractions of the Valdés Peninsula. It is a unique opportunity to watch them without having to travel to faraway islands, as it is the only continental base hat presents this species.
Seasons
The best season of the year to see the elephant seals active is during Argentina’s spring, especially in October; from August to November they are in the reproduction season. In the Argentine summer, you may see young examples or female adults changing skin; the big males are rarely seen in this season. The elephant seals are pretty inactive out of the reproduction season, and they spend almost all day near the breakers, not moving. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Egidio Feruglio (MEF) Paleontology Museum |
| Many scientific institutions back the protection of nature and cooperate with the province. You should visit one of these institutions, the Egidio Feruglio |MEF| Paleontology Museum, located in Trelew. It is the most important paleontology museum of South America, with a permanent exhibition, traveling back in time: from the first human inhabitants to the beginning of life in the planet. The presence of the dinosaurs that inhabited our land stands out. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Bryn Gwyn Geo Park |
The park Bryn Gwyn (in Welsh, meaning “white hillock”) represents a trip to the past, some 40 million years ago, passing by stratums of different geological formations. The park is located near Gaiman, at 11 miles from Trelew. This park is the first of its kind in South America and it has been created as a natural paleontology exhibition of the Patagonia.
The visit to the museum may take two hours approximately. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
Eco Center - Puerto Madryn (oceanography) |
This is the first interpretation center of the country, devoted to the sea ecosystem, combining science with education and artistic expression. Its exhibition, unique in the 1864 miles of the Patagonian coast strip, offers different clues to interpret nature. And the building, close to the sea, is the core and starting point of the clues.
The Eco Center can be visited the entire year. The times vary according to the season. |
|
.........................................................................................................
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
