Destinations-Madryn and Valdez

Your excursion begins early in the morning around 8 am, when you head out for the Peninsula. Once there you will visit a small museum with pictures and additional information about the area. Following this, the trip continues to Puerto Pirámide; the ideal place to observe the majestic southern right whale which swims in to the coast between June and September to feed and mate.

The next stop is Punta Delgada, 80 Km / 50 miles from Puerto Pirámide. Its lighthouse, sea elephant colony and impressive cliffs, are the most distinctive features of this very special tourist spot on the Atlantic Ocean. Caleta Valdés has the most spectacular panoramic views of the Valdés Peninsula. It is a sheltered inlet, which is especially important for its biodiversity.

There will be a stop for lunch at Punta Cantor, not far from a farm called " La Elvira". A walk around the inlet will allow you to learn more about the wildlife in the area.

Punta Norte, where one of the few continental colonies of sea elephants resides, is your next destination. These huge elephants can weigh as much as 4,000 kilos / 8,800 pounds and their raucous fights are interesting to watch. Orcas, also known as killer whales are sporadically seen in the area. On the way back to Puerto Madryn, we make a stop at Isla de los Pájaros (Island of the Birds) on the San José Gulf, where you will be able to watch a great variety of birds. Your journey will end at around 6 pm when you'll be taken back to your hotel.

• Included: transport, bilingual guide, all entrance fees.
• Time: Full Day.
• Type: this can be booked as a private and as a pool excursion.

This tour starts at 8:30 am, when you'll be taken on a trip over 120 km / 75 miles of dirt road through the desert. The possibility of seeing birds, armadillos, guanacos, choiques, grey foxes and other wild animals makes this trip especially interesting.

Punta Tombo is one of the biggest continental magellan penguin colonies with more than 500 thousand birds from September to mid April. Penguins build their nests under the bushes, in caves and in open spaces. Most of the caves are found near the coast, where the soil is softer for digging. They usually return to the same nests. The male is sometimes bigger and has a thicker and longer beak than the female. Both incubate the eggs and feed the nestlings with fish and squid. Located on a privileged area, hundreds of couples compete amongst themselves looking for a good nest, the best position, the best partner or simply for territory space and protection. Penguins spend most of their lives in the sea; they even sleep in it. In winter they usually reach Rio de Janeiro, after a 3,000-kilometer journey. They are able to swim at a speed of 8 km an hour and they use their fins as propellers and their feet as rudders. In February thousands of young penguins can be seen upon on the beach. Marine predators, such as the giant petrel and the orcas, wait to feed on the young and sick penguins.

Following this you will undertake a visit to Gaiman, a town founded by Welsh settlers in the 19th century. There, a short city tour in the downtown area will be enough to introduce you to this ancient culture. You have the option of visiting the famous "tea houses" to enjoy the delicious cakes, bread and butter, and regional jams from the Chubut Valley . Welsh music and lovely gardens complete the scene. Not to be missed: a visit to a Welsh Chapel.

Next on the list is Trelew City where you will visit the Paleontology Museum Egidio Feruglio (MEF). The richness of the materials being exhibited here is known worldwide since many on display are original pieces instead of copies. It features several rooms, chronologically ordered, each one featuring a distinct environment according to the characteristics of the period during which the existence of the animals whose fossils are being shown took place. The MEF is not just a museum; it is also a center of scientific activities in South America. Your tour will end in the late afternoon.

• Included: transport, bilingual guide, all entrance fees.
• Time: Full Half.
• Type: this can be booked as a private and as a pool excursion.
• Important: the teahouse service and the museum are optional; they are not included in the excursion price.