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The tail of a southern right whale lifting above deep blue water off Península Valdés

Sample journey · 7–9 days

Atlantic Patagonia: whales, penguins and Welsh tea

Puerto Madryn, Península Valdés, Gaiman & Punta Tombo

Photo: Rosa Ferreira / Unsplash

Illustrative journey ideas — not bookable packages. No prices, dates or accommodation are implied.

Most journeys to Patagonia head west, to the Andes, the glaciers and the trails. This one turns the other way, to the Atlantic coast, where dry steppe ends in cliffs and long beaches. Here, in the sheltered bays of Península Valdés, southern right whales arrive each year to mate and give birth. Elephant seals and sea lions live along the peninsula's shores, and further south, at Punta Tombo, nests one of the largest colonies of Magellanic penguins in South America.

Between the wildlife days comes an unexpected chapter of history: in 1865 Welsh settlers landed at Puerto Madryn, and their chapels and tea houses still stand in the Chubut valley. The journey is short, drives run from one to two and a half hours, and every stop has two or three nights, so it suits families with children and couples who have only a week in South America. Stays could be a comfortable house above the bay or a sheep farm out on the peninsula's steppe, chosen around what you'd like.

The route

The journey

  1. Trelew
  2. Puerto Madryn
  3. El Doradillo beach
  4. Puerto Pirámides
  5. Península Valdés
  6. Gaiman
  7. Punta Tombo
  8. Trelew
  1. A rocky coastline with a small cove and clear water under a blue sky near Puerto Madryn

    01Days 1–3 · Puerto Madryn

    A bay the whales return to

    A flight via Buenos Aires to Trelew, then about an hour by road to Puerto Madryn and two nights in the town on the wide Golfo Nuevo. On the first afternoon it's worth simply walking the seafront and visiting the nature centre on the headland, which tells the story of this sea. The next morning, about twenty minutes north to El Doradillo beach. In season, whales often come within a few dozen metres of the shore: you can hear them breathe and watch mothers with calves, all while standing on the shingle, without a boat. In the afternoon, families can choose guided snorkelling among curious sea lions near Punta Loma (with a guide and only in calm weather) or a short walk along the coastal cliffs. Evenings are long, with seafood and a light that fades slowly here.

  2. A group of elephant seals on a shingle beach by the ocean on Península Valdés

    02Days 3–6 · Península Valdés

    A steppe that ends in the sea

    About an hour and a half across a narrow isthmus, then three nights on the peninsula: in the little village of Puerto Pirámides by the water, or on a sheep farm in the middle of the steppe. Whale-watching boats leave from Puerto Pirámides: small vessels approach slowly, the engine falls quiet, and the huge animal sometimes comes over to inspect the people. The other days belong to the peninsula's shores. The roads are long and gravel, so we travel with a local guide and without hurrying. At Punta Delgada and Caleta Valdés, elephant seals lie on the shingle beaches; guanacos graze the steppe, Patagonian maras bound away and birds of prey hang over the cliffs. At Punta Norte, in March and April at high tide, orcas sometimes surge onto the beach to hunt sea-lion pups. It's a rare sight that can mean hours of waiting, and we never promise it.

  3. A life-size model of a long-necked dinosaur against a streaked sky in Trelew

    03Days 6–7 · Gaiman & the Chubut valley

    A Welsh valley in the steppe

    About two and a half hours south to the green valley of the Chubut River, and three nights in or around Gaiman. Welsh settlers dug irrigation channels here, built brick chapels and kept their language, which you can still hear and which some schools still teach. In the afternoon, tea at one of the old tea houses: several kinds of cake, bread with homemade jams and the dark fruit cake the settlers baked for long journeys. The next day, a slow loop of the valley: modest chapels among the poplars, the small town of Dolavon with its old mill by the canal and, in Trelew, the palaeontology museum. Remains of one of the largest known dinosaurs were found in Chubut Province, and for children this museum often becomes the surprise of the trip.

  4. A small group of Magellanic penguins on the shore at the Punta Tombo colony in Chubut

    04Days 8–9 · Punta Tombo

    Among the penguin burrows

    The last full day brings a drive of about two hours, the final stretch on gravel, to Punta Tombo. In spring and summer (roughly September to April), hundreds of thousands of Magellanic penguins nest on this stony headland. Boardwalks and marked paths lead right through the colony: penguins stand at their burrows beneath the bushes, cross the path in front of you, head down to the sea and come back with fish for their chicks. They aren't afraid of people, so you'll see them very close, but we keep our distance and stay on the path. Chicks usually hatch in November and December, and by February and March the young birds are learning to swim. Then a last evening in the valley, and on day nine about half an hour to Trelew airport and the flight to Buenos Aires.

Experience highlights

  1. 01

    Whales from the shore

    At El Doradillo in season, southern right whales often come remarkably close; you can hear them from the shingle.

  2. 02

    The shores of Península Valdés

    Elephant seals, sea lions, guanacos and, very rarely, orcas at Punta Norte, with a local guide and time for patience.

  3. 03

    The Punta Tombo colony

    Paths through one of the largest Magellanic penguin nesting sites on the continent.

  4. 04

    Tea in Gaiman

    Welsh tea houses, chapels and a language that has survived in a Patagonian valley for more than 150 years.

First, we listen. Then, we explore what's possible.

Make it your own

  • With children

    Instead of long gravel days on the peninsula, more time at El Doradillo, on the whale boat and at the dinosaur museum; shorter drives and more breaks.

  • Choosing the season

    September to November often brings everything together: whales, elephant seals and penguins. In March and April the whales have gone, but there's a slim chance of orcas.

  • At a slower pace

    One more night on a sheep farm out on the peninsula, for the starry sky, life on the farm and a second boat trip to the whales.

  • With the glaciers or the falls

    Via Buenos Aires, the journey combines easily with the Iguazú Falls or a flight to El Calafate and the Perito Moreno Glacier, stretching it to two weeks.

Practical considerations

  • Whale season usually runs roughly from June to December, often peaking in September and October. Penguins are at Punta Tombo roughly from September to April. Timing varies from year to year, and wildlife sightings are never guaranteed.
  • The coast is almost always windy and the weather changes quickly: a windproof jacket, a hat and sunscreen are worth having even on a cool day.
  • The peninsula's roads are mostly gravel, distances between sites are long and fuel stops few, so we travel there with a local guide-driver. Boat departures depend on the wind and local rules.
  • We check current entry requirements for Argentina and the rules for visiting the protected areas before you travel.

General guidance only. Seasons, weather and wildlife are never guaranteed, and travel requirements are always worth checking before you go.

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