Penguins, whales and more: the best time to see marine fauna begins
In these spring months there are whales, penguins arrive and you can also see other species such as sea lions and dolphins.
Whales, penguins, killer whales, elephants and sea lions, dolphins and birds from September to mid December with the coasts of Puerto Madryn in particular and the province of Chubut in general. The spring is the best sighting for those who travel to the city wanting to see and connect with the marine fauna.
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Puerto Madryn is the main gateway to Península Valdés, a natural protected area and declared a Natural World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999.
It offers real marine safaris in Patagonia, either from beaches, natural viewpoints or embarked excursions.
Magellanic penguins
Between September and March you can visit the different colonies of Penguins of Magallanes on the coast of Chubut. One of the most important is Punta Tombo, located 170 kilometers south of Madryn, with almost one million copies.
On the air bridges of the reserve you can see them in their nests, walking towards the sea in search of food or feeding their pigeons in the mouth.
Another colony of penguins that is worth visiting is in the Estancia San Lorenzo, a protected area in Punta Norte, which in turn has a restaurant, self-guided trails to get to know the flora and fauna and a shearing shed.
Franca Austral Whale
Until December, the penguins coincide with the great star of Patagonia: the Southern Right Whale. In the Doradillo Natural Area, breaths of the whales break the monotony in the bay and it is difficult to count the number of specimens in this season.
Another option to see whales, more closely, are the on-board sightings offered in Puerto Pirámides. There are catamarans, semi-rigid boats and a semisubmarine called Yellow Submarine, with windows below the water level and hydrophones to listen to how they communicate.
According to the last census conducted by CENPAT of CONICET, this season recorded a record number of whales: 185 solitary individuals and 1,420 mothers with offspring, which gives 1,605 copies in total.
Elephants and sea lions
Elephants and sea lions are seen at several points on the coast of Chubut, including the Punta Loma and Punta Pirámide reserves.
In Puerto Madryn there are several providers that offer diving and snorkeling trips with sea lions: the slogan is to jump into the water and wait for them, who are characterized by their curiosity, to approach and play with frog legs, the neoprene suit and the goggles of the visitors.
The whales
In search of prey, orcas approach the wolf colonies -especially, on the beaches of Punta Norte-.
Between September and April they wait for the tide to rise and, as soon as they see the opportunity, they intentionally lie down on the beach to capture sea lion pups and feed themselves.
Diving Capital
Isla de los Pajaros, Puerto Pirámides, Punta Delgada, Caleta Valdés and Punta Norte are some of the great attractions of the area due to the quantity and variety of marine and terrestrial fauna and birds.
It is important to note that Puerto Madryn was declared a Diving Capital by the Chamber of Deputies in Argentina. In addition, it has a wide scientific-cultural offer, among which stands out the Ecocentro interpretation center, the Municipal Art Museum and the gastronomic summer Madryn al Plato, among others (madryn.travel).
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