A JOURNEY TO PENINSULA VALDÉS: WHALE-WATCHING IN PATAGONIA
On the Atlantic coast of Chubut in eastern Patagonia lies Peninsula Valdés: remote, wind-hardened, and home to one of South America’s most extraordinary displays of marine life.
From the rugged coastline to the sheep-dotted steppe, the peninsula is strikingly diverse, with each season bringing a different spectacle for wildlife-lovers. Southern right whales gather in sheltered bays from June to December, offering some of the world’s best whale-watching; orcas patrol the shoreline; sea lions and elephant seals crowd the beaches; and vast colonies of Magellanic penguins nest among the cliffs.
Inland, the diversity of fauna is no less impressive, with maras, guanacos, armadillos, rheas, and more than 180 bird species roaming the steppe and salt flats.
Designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the peninsula provides an intimate window onto Patagonia’s coastal wildlife.
Set out in a small boat across Golfo Nuevo in search of breaching Southern right whales, which calve offshore between June to December. Kayak through inlets where dolphins surf the wake. or scuba dive through kelp forests alongside sea lions. Orcas are also known to hunt along the shore, timing their attacks with the tide – a rare and unforgettable sight.
Back on land, 4×4 tracks cut across dramatic headlands and ancient marine terraces, past salt flats where flamingos wade through mirrored shallows, and petrified forests where 60-million-year-old fossilised trees lie exposed to the Patagonian wind. Between October and March, the peninsula becomes a haven for birders and photographers alike.
Accommodation ranges from characterful estancias to a private clifftop lodge overlooking the wild Atlantic coast.
From the thunderous waterfalls of Iguazú to the glaciers of Patagonia, we can open doors to Argentina’s most remote corners, with the people who know them best.
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Conde Nast Traveler Specialists every year since 2017
