PUERTO MADRYN

Leaning on the shore of Golfo Nuevo (New Gulf), surrounded by enchanting natural landscapes, it is characteristic for the contrast of colors and the steep cliffs interrupted by wide beaches.  From the main avenues of the city, you can see the whales jumping, or simply swimming near the shore.

In Puerto Madryn also is the Ecocenter, first interpretation center devoted to the maritime ecosystem, which combines, in an original way, science, education, and artistic expressions.

Sights of Whales at El Doradillo

From El Doradillo beach (15 km. from Madryn) you can watch the first whales.  The main characteristic if this beach is that you can see from the shore one of the biggest mammals in the world.

Visitors and locals spend hours enjoying this one of a kind show, since there is no other place of these characteristics from where you can see the whales.  El Doradillo is a privileged place to watch these 15 meter mammals as they behave naturally.  In a completely natural environment, about 8 meters from the shore.

---------------------------------------------------------------
Distances from Puerto Madryn
Puerto Piramides: 104 km
Punta Tombo: 181 km
Gaiman: 81 km
Buenos Aires: 1450 km
El Calafate: 1388 km
Trelew: 67 km
---------------------------------------------------------------

PENíNSULA  VALDÉS

It is located in the province of Chubut.  This peninsula is joined to the continent by the Carlos Ameghino ism, which divides the sea in two gulfs, San José (Saint Joseph) to the North, and Nuevo (New) to the South.  It is in the Atlantic Patagonia, it was declared estate of mankind in the year 1999, because it hosts very important habitats for the preservation of marine mammals.  The peninsula is the habitat of several species of marine birds, killer whales, sea lions, elephant seals, and above all the Franca Austral whale.   The protected area comprises, among others, the fauna reservations of Puerto Pirámides, Punta Tombo, Isla de los Pájaros, Punta Norte, Punta Loma and Caleta Valdés (Valdes Cove).

Between May and June, the Franca Austral whales go to the Nuevo And San José Gulfs to comply with the yearly mating ritual.  The arrival of the whales to the waters of both gulfs is an awesome spectacle.  Impelled by the strength of its powerful tail this whale can do incredible somersaults, splashing tons of water and foam while playing with the sea. In groups of over 400 whales, they stay in the waters around the peninsula Valdes up to November or December.  All along the 400 km. of the shore of this peninsula, it is possible to find all kinds of the marine animals of the Patagonia.  Apart from the Franca Austral Whale, you can see dolphins, elephant seals (the biggest of the world), sea lions and sea leopards.

The killer whale deserves special attention, it is a cetacean mammal, with a black back and a white chest, that can be up to 10 meters long.  It appears between February and May in the North corner of the peninsula Valdes, and it is an impressive show to see them go out to the shore to hunt a careless sea lion.

Among the birds that inhabit the peninsula, you can find penguins, seagulls, albatross, cormorants, and Antarctic pigeons.

PUERTO PIRÁMIDES

This little town is on the Valdes Peninsula, 97 km. away from the city of Puerto Madryn.  It is on the Golfo Nuevo, and has a population of about 200 inhabitants.  The surroundings are formed by a dessert landscape, typical of the Atlantic Patagonia.

It has a beach protected by pyramid-shaped cliffs (from which it takes its name), and one of the biggest attractions of the Patagonia, the Franca Austral Whale, that come to these shore every year in groups to have their offspring in these crystalline and protected waters.

The boat excursions to see the whales depart from Puerto Pirámides (Pyramids Port).  You can see them from the shore, but on a boat excursion you can get overwhelmingly close.

The entrance to the Valdes Peninsula Integral Reservation, is located in the thin Carlos Ameghino ism, there you will find the local flora, fauna, and history Interpretation Center.

PUNTA TOMBO

One hundred and eighty kilometers away from Puerto Madryn, and 120 km. away from Trelew, you can find the biggest Magallanes penguin colony in the world, with more than 250,000 couples.

In this fauna reservation you can walk among these elegant birds, watch their lifestyle, follow their steps, see the way in which they preserve their nests and offspring among the bushes, and see how they swim in the sea.

Punta Tombo is a narrow and stony zone that goes about 3,5 km. into the sea; its wide beaches are slightly sloped, and so the penguins build their nests there.  The birds came here every year, to build nests, mate, have their young, and mutate, to then, set off back the North West of South America, and come back the following year, in a cyclic way.

The visitors are surprised by the way in which they go about looking for their nests, or running after their young.  The penguin is a sea bird.  It has wings, but can not fly: they are adapted to swimming.  This bird spends most of its life in the water, it even sleeps there.  Swimming, it can go 8 km per hour, although it can go faster jumping over the water for short distances.

An adult penguin is about 20 cm. high, and weighs 5 km.  The characteristic feathers of the species are with in the chest, black in the back and a double black and white collar.  Their voice is similar to that of the donkeys.  They use it to make strangers go away, and to attract their partner. Instead, the young, claim to be fed, with a sound similar to the one made by chickens.

What you can see according to the time of year.

August or September: You can see the arrival of male and female penguins, the fights for the territory, and the way in which they build their nests.

October: Incubation period of the eggs.  Between 30 and 45 days.

November:  Birth and first cares of the pigeons.

December:  Growth, an intense activity on the beach, and the seagulls and skuas lie in wait around the nests.

January: The pigeons get out of the nest, they change their feathers, and begin getting into the sea.

February: Young penguins change their feathers, take over the beaches, it becomes difficult to reach the sea.

March or April: Mutation of the young penguins ends, and the one of the adults, begins, and they start migrating to the North.

May, June, July and August: During this tome of the year you can not see the Magallanes penguins, because they are permanently eating in the sea.

GAIMAN

It is 17 km. away from Trelew, in the province of Chubut.  Basically, it is well known for its Welsh tradition evidenced in the Welsh Tea Houses. It is characteristic for its stone and brick constructions.  It was the first town in Chubut, and for decades, the most prestigious center of the colony for its  agricultural and livestock production.  Very near this town, is the First Paleontologic Park in South America, where you can see fossils in the strata corresponding to different geological eras, comprising 40 million years, and completing a unique attraction.