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Puerto Madryn
Reception and transfer from Trelew Airport to the hotel.
Bus Option:
This program can be performed by bus, setting off Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn, travelling around 1,450km and lasting 18 hours. In this case the departure must be the previous day near 12pm or 1pm to be arriving at 8am the following day. |
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City Tour in Puerto Madryn & Sea Lions watching at Punta Loma
Breakfast at hotel. We begin our day visiting one of the prettiest atlantic cities in Argentina: Puerto Madryn. The principal attraction in the region is the Southern Right whale watching.
We continue our excursion setting off some 17km to the south of the city, where we arrive at the Punta Loma Protected Natural Reserve. This station stands out for being the one hair sea lions chosen place for their habitat, not mentioning that many other whole communities of birds, reptiles and mammals live together, such is the case of cormorants, seagulls, etc.
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Peninsula Valdes
Breakfast at the hired accommodation. We travel around the Protected Natural Area of Peninsula Valdes located 50km away from Puerto Madryn, declared as World Heritage by the UNESCO, considered as one of the most interesting ecosystems in the world, we can find the Southern Right whales as well as killer whales (orca whales), sea lions, sea elephants and Magellan penguins, choiques (kind of rhea), etc.
Our first stop is at the Interpretation Centre watching the Birds Island, a reserve created in 1967 with the aim to protect the big bird groups that live in the place. After that we will head to Puerto Piramides, located some 28km away from the city. Between July and November there is a dinghy voyage to watch the Southern Right whale. In June and December the probability is notoriously less. If it is the watching season, we embark during a little more than an hour protected with life jackets.
From Puerto Piramides, we arrive at the sea elephant station at Caleta Valdes going through the Great Saltpetre Bed with a 35km surface. Finally we go to Punta Norte at the North-East of the peninsula if it is summer or to Punta Delgada the rest of the year so as to watch sea lions and sea elephants and luckily we could see killer whales (orca whales) in Punta Norte.
Note about the whale watching
It is performed between July and November. Waterproof clothes and windbreakers are recommended. Before the trip, elemental advice is provided. This adventure is available for adults as well as for children.
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Punta Tombo & Overa Toninas watching
Breakfast in the hotel. We will leave Madryn after breakfast towards the south to the Punta Tombo protected area, it is the biggest Magellan penguin reserve with 210 hectares. Its coasts are intangible areas and in February they are covered with penguin chicks. They arrive to mate as from October. On our return, we stray off to visit Puerto Rawson, where we embark with the aim to watch Overa Toninas.
These Overa Toninas are recognized for their similarity to the dolphins, their white and black tonalities are characteristic and they are not longer than a metre and a half. Puerto Rawson is one of the few places in the world where they can be observed in their natural habitat. These daring species usually escort ships, playing and showing their skills to the visitors who have the possibility to watch the spectacle.
Other option
Punta Tombo Penguin colony with Valle Inferior
Breakfast at hotel. Today we visit the most important Magellan penguin colony in South America: Punta Tombo, located in the south of the Valle Inferior of the Chubut River. At the beginning (more than 50 years ago), it was a natural reserve, 20 years later it was considered protected area. Punta Tombo has an expanse of almost 3,000m per 500m wide along the Atlantic Ocean. This natural accident is produced by crystalline rocky structures appearance before the Jurassic era which have beared the erosion produced by the ravages of the sea. Key factors for nest creation are the existence of boulder and compact sand. The season is from the beginning of September until April, when penguins emigrate to nest and protect their young.
Depending on the season, all their productive cycle can be observed. First males appear so as to build their nests or rebuild the previous year one, they take advantage of the natural caves for that. One month later, females lay their eggs to sit on them during 40 to 45 days. During that gestation period, males go for food. At the beginning of April, chicks are already good swimmers and feed alone. In the past, this zone was an indigenous cemetery where many Tehuelches also lived and hunted. When walking around the reserve we recommend not to divert the route.
When returning from this adventure with penguins, we go towards the lower valley, to know the industrial and commercial center of the region: Trelew. Then we continue towards Gaiman, the most important Welsh colony in Argentina. There are still traditions and customs such as the Welsh tea with Welsh Black cake, as well as the walnut cake with fruit and homemade bread. If we go back the chacras (eateries), we will observe the different Welsh Chapels and observe the farming-tourist ventures.
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Diving in the Gulf´s Waters / Discovering Snorkel
Breakfast in the hotel. Today we will have the opportunity to live an interesting experience: to dive in the gulf´s waters. We prepare for this by wearing wetsuits of 5mm thick neoprene to protect ourselves from the cold. Once ready we board the speedboat to go to the diving zone. We start descending guided by a professional. We find autochthonous marine flora and fauna such as salmon, groupers, starfish, sea urchins, winkles, crabs and mollusks at the bottom of the sea. We also watch sea lions, dolphins and whales. We can also dive with snorkel as another option. This activity is safe and easy to learn, previous training is not required and you don´t need to be well fitted. We start discovering how sea life is, learning about the flora and fauna we will find in the depth. Once with the suits on and on board, we go to the descending area. In the water we receive advice of how to swim with flippers and how to breathe with snorkel. We use compensation techniques.
Note: if you have a diving licence you can ask to dive in the gulf´s waters, a complete diving equipment is provided.
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Off Road 4x4 in Punta Loma & Cerro Avanzado
Breakfast at hotel. Today there is a very special itinerary, where we will know a big part of the Patagonian coast but from the point of view of adventure tourism. We begin by the Puerto Madryn coast, through Punta Cuevas area, learning about the city history and enjoying its panoramic view as well as the view of Golfo Nuevo. We continue through the ecocenter area up to Playa Paraná, where we divert and begin the adventure on 4x4 vehicles, crossing one of the dunes, towards Punta Este to go down to the coast from the natural hoardings..
Once in Paraná beach, we will have a beautiful panoramic view of the gulf and enjoy a downhill through the cliffs going directly to Punta Loma, to watch the one hair sea lions. Our last stop is in Cerro Avanzado, to learn about the geology of the zone. We return to Puerto Madryn along the route. |
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Back to Buenos Aires
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to Trelew Airport.
Bus Option:
This program can be performed by bus, returning to Buenos Aires from Puerto Madryn, travelling a distance of approx. 1,450km and lasting 18 hours. In this case the depart is around 12pm to arrive at 8am the following day.
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