Whale watching Patagonia, a life changing experience
A close encounter with nature in one of the world’s most unique and rare ecosystems, is right at the tip of your fingers. That’s easily the shortest and easiest way to describe what whale watching in Patagonia feels like, but there’s a lot more to it.
Argentina is known for being one of the most diverse places on the planet due to its vast extension of land, in fact it’s the seventh-largest country in the world. From the tropical forest in the northeast to the mountains in the west, it hosts landscapes that seem taken out of a fairy tale. Patagonia is one of them.
Shared with Chile right on the other side of the Andes mountain range, among many other touristic attractions, Patagonia is by far the ultimate destination for whale watching in Argentina, most precisely, in the city of Puerto Madryn.
Whale watching in Puerto Madryn
Scientists estimate that thanks to the prohibition on whale hunting back in the ‘80’s, about 8,000 whales roam around our oceans. From Argentina to South Africa and Antarctica, these incredible dinosaur-like animals can also be seen even in Brazil, Uruguay, and New Zealand. But the Argentinian Patagonia is the perfect spot to do so.
Puerto Madryn is a coastal city located in Chubut, about roughly 1,300 kilometers from Buenos Aires. Nowadays is a major tourist destination both for thrill-seekers, since it’s wild weather and crystal clear waters allows practicing all kind of sports and activities, as for those who are looking to connect with nature.
It’s unique location right on the borders of the Golfo Nuevo deep-sea basin, gives it a one of a kind privilege: be the home of the Southern Right Whale. This remote area of the world with cold and calm waters are the perfect spot for these animals. Every year during the winter (between July and December) hundreds of specimens gather here to mate and also to feed their calves.
The Southern Right Whale can reach up to 14 meters in males and 16 meters in females. Both weight around 40 tons and the calves are born with 3 to meters after 12 months in its mother’s womb. Usually dark grey, this animal’s most characteristic feature is its callosities that are visible all around its head.
El Doradillo Beach
The amount of whales and the closeness of the ocean to the city, makes it really easy to witness these humongous mammals jumping and “dancing” over the sea. During the high tide, places like the Piedrabuena dock, the Indio panoramic point or simply standing on the bare shore, become amazing locations for occasional whale watching (with or without binoculars).
But if you are willing to experience a closer but still “casual” encounter the way locals do, El Doradillo beach is the way to go (they visit this spot until the beginnings of October). Only 15 kilometers away from the Puerto Madryn city center, heading north, this amazing place becomes a true sanctuary of whales and calves.
During the high tides the extreme steep slope of its shore allows the animals to swim, eat and feed very close to the dry land. During the weekends and mostly on Sundays, the place is packed of people enjoying the sunset and admiring the beauty of nature. On top of that, other animals like the Patagonian hare or sea lions can also be seen.
Peninsula Valdes whale watching
Less than 100 kilometers away from Puerto Madryn, we can find the last town before entering the vast, wild and untouched protected natural area of Peninsula Valdes: Puerto Piramides.
Puerto Pirámides is a dreamy town, with less than a thousand inhabitants, and about 3 or 5 streets. Most of it’s shops, restaurants and attractions are within walking distance. The quietness of it all and its peaceful atmosphere, are some of the perfect ingredients for the national capital of whale watching.
This town sustains itself exclusively on tourism, therefore most of the people here and touristic operators, have a very strong environmental conscious. The way whale watching is conducted is non-invasive and under safe conditions. Puerto Piramides is the best spot for whale watching navigation (you get incredibly close to the whales), and the activities run from July to early December. Actually, this area was ranked several times as one of the best places in the world for Whale Watching.
How is the whale watching navigation tour at Puerto Piramides?
During a typical Peninsula Valdes whale watching tour, you’ll spend about 45-60 minutes on a medium-size boat’s deck with no more than 20 people. The captain will sail until reaching proximately 25 meters deep waters and turn off the engine to avoid disturbing the whales, and a few minutes later, these animals and their calves will come closer to the boat to say “hi”. Believe it or not, the Southern Right Whale is very social!
Sometimes, depending on the weather, the tour guide may also surround the nearby crowded sea lion’s reservoir, while penguins and toninas (Patagonian dolphins) can also be seen in the water. Occasionally but rarely, Orca whales may also join the party.
Since Pirámides is close to Puerto Madryn, you can book an entire day dedicated only to visit it. Arriving before lunch it’s recommended to walk around town with little to no wind, later you can enjoy some sea food or grilled meat in any restaurant, and in the afternoon embark on the whale watching boat. When the sun begins to set and the cold air from the Atlantic Ocean starts to feel, it will be time to return to Madryn.
More about Puerto Madryn & Peninsula Valdes
Puerto Madryn host not only wildlife but also museums, shopping centers and typical restaurants and gastronomical events. The Argentinian “asado”, sea food and paella are among the top picks for tourist, and locals, but the regional grilled lamb clearly stands out.
Both city and country life can be combined in Puerto Madryn spending 5-7 days, always depending on weather conditions. Due to the fact that Patagonia is the windiest place on Earth, some activities outdoors can be canceled if the climate gets too harsh, this is why it’s key to check the weather forecast before making any plans.
On the other hand, in this Ocean Wild Life sanctuary of Patagonia, you can see Penguins, Killer Whales (Orcas), Foxes, sea Birds, Sea Elephants, Rheas, Maras, Dolphins, and many other incredible animals. To see the Fauna calendar click here.
If you’d like to see whales in another way than navigating or seeing them from the shore, you can go on a kayaking excursion in the San José Gulf, where you can kayak among these humongous and beautiful animals.
Whale watching in Punta Arenas: at the other end of Patagonia.
Right on the other side of the Andes, the mountain range that serves as a natural border, we arrive at the Chilean Patagonia. The climate is practically the same as in Argentina, the one big difference is that here, the coast belongs to the almighty and even colder and wilder, Pacific Ocean.
The city of Punta Arenas, on the southern Magallanes region of Chile, hosts a wide variety of wildlife as well, but here the even more exotic Hump Back Whale can be spotted during spring and summer, from November to May.
Punta arenas is about 1,400 kilometers from Antarctica, therefore its weather is rather extreme. On the Francisco Coloane marine park, only accessible by boat, we can witness the mesmerizing beauty of the Hump Back Whale (and some times even kayak with them). These species are known for being very active and are famous for jumping and singing.
Do you want to learn more about this topic or book a tour?
We offer offers tours and experiences for different travel styles, where we stand out in tailor-made vacations, designed around your interests and travel style. As a kick-off, we invite you to take a look at some of our tours in Puerto Madyrn, and combine it with some other great destinations in Argentina and Chile. Contact us, and let’s plan your next beautiful journey together!
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