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Welcome to Peninsula Valdes. This is one of Argentina's greatest wildlife destinations and it's a side of Patagonia that surprises a lot of people. Forget the mountains, we're talking about rugged coastlines covered in fossils, pebbly beaches, and more animals than you can imagine. We spent 3 days exploring the peninsula and saw penguins, sea lions, elephant seals, and guanacos galore. In this video, we're going to share the logistics of traveling to Peninsula Valdes including where to stay, where to eat, what activities are worth doing, and what we do differently. This is our travel guide to Peninsula Valdes in Chubut, Argentina. So, first let's talk about how to get to Peninsula Valdes. If you're flying in,
you have two airports to choose from, Puerto Madryn or Trelew, which is a bit further. From Puerto Madryn, it's an hour and 10 minutes to Puerto Piramides by car. This is the main town on the peninsula and from Trelew, it's an hour and 45 minutes. We arrived in Puerto Madryn on an overnight bus, which is another option if you prefer overland travel. Your next decision is where to stay. Most travelers use Puerto Madryn as their base for visiting Peninsula Valdes. This coastal port city has loads of accommodations for every budget. However, it is also possible to stay on the peninsula either in the town of Puerto Piramides or at one of a handful of estancias if you want something even more remote. We
got to experience both and I would say Puerto Madryn gives you more bang for your buck, but the wildness of the peninsula is hard to beat even if it's a bit pricier. Today, we are going on an exciting day trip. We're going to be driving out to Peninsula Valdes. We're just sitting outside our hotel waiting for the tour bus to arrive and then we'll be on our way. The drive from Puerto Madryn to Peninsula Valdes Natural Protected Area is just under an hour, but the journey honestly flew by. We were so amazed by all the local wildlife, especially the guanacos jumping fences. Our driver half-jokingly told us that we wouldn't
even bother reaching for a camera by the end of the day because we were going to see countless guanacos, and they were right. The landscapes have been really cool so far. We're driving through Patagonian steppe, which is basically kind of flat, dry, arid land. The vegetation, it's kind of like small shrubs and bushes, and this is because we are surrounded by ocean, so the air is very salty. They were telling us the only trees that grow here are around the estancias, and they've been planted, and they also have to be watered. And right now, we've just stopped at a museum, so we're going to go check it out. There's also a lookout point we can climb, so that is our first official stop of the day. Our first stop was the Carlos
Ameghino Isthmus Interpretation Center. This space serves as an introduction to the local wildlife, and there were two displays that caught my attention. The massive skeleton of a 2-year-old whale, which was much bigger than I imagined, and the skull of an orca, better known as the killer whale. We then hopped back in the van and continued the drive to the northern part of the peninsula. We reached Punta Norte and followed the boardwalk to the edge of the bluffs. Before us lay countless sea lions basking in the sun. We visited in mid-February, so there were lots of pups playing in the water and familiarizing themselves with their surroundings.
There was also a group of elephant seals a bit further down the beach, but it was a much smaller group as it was towards the end of the season for them. As a tip, if you enjoy photographing wildlife, this is one place where you'll want to bring a zoom lens as you view the animals from a bit of a distance so as to not disturb them. All right, guys. So, we have now made it to Punta Norte. It's a bit windy out here, but we have come to see elephant seals and sea lions. We can only view them from a cliff because they are protected species, but they're down at the beach. We're going to use Sam's lens to get a better look at them.
We then continued on to Estancia San Lorenzo for lunch, something that Sam and I had been very much looking forward to. Since we were in Patagonia, we decided to order the Patagonian lamb that had been highly recommended. Our guide explained that the lamb from the peninsula has a very distinct flavor. Because the salt air permeates the vegetation the sheep feed on, that gives the meat a subtle saltiness. Now, I couldn't tell you how much salt was added while the lamb was being cooked, but it definitely was salty, juicy, and flavorful. We opted for the set meal which came with empanadas as a starter, followed by a platter with
various cuts of lamb alongside a salad, and then a flan with dulce de leche for dessert. Now, the lamb has arrived. We have a mix of different cuts of meat. Yeah. As you can see here on this massive platter. You got a little bit of everything. I'm just going to get a little piece so we can try Patagonian lamb. How is it? Very nice, juicy, tender. We've also got these little bones, these ribs, I believe. I'm just getting there. Get in there. After that meal, it was time to hop aboard the bus and go in search of penguins. Thankfully, we didn't have to
drive very far as the penguin colony we were visiting is located on private land belonging to Estancia San Lorenzo. We followed a dirt trail out towards the coast and it wasn't long before we started seeing penguins out the window. Our guide pointed out a carefully marked trail running through the penguin colony. The path to follow was marked with white stones, but we were reminded that penguins always have the right of way and that we needed to keep at least a meter's distance as they waddled about. Once we got on the trail, we saw so many penguins in their nests, which they build in burrows and under bushes. We learned that this is currently the biggest penguin rookery in the world. Punta Tombo had the title for
a while, but recently up to 150,000 Magellanic penguin nests were counted on these shores. So, that means 300,000 mating penguins and that doesn't even take into account the younger penguins who need to reach the age of 4 to 5 years old before they begin mating. We are now walking down to the beach. But, all around us penguins are just marching, going about their business. They're not scared of humans.
Look at this, guys. Thousands of penguins all along the beach. Back on the bus, guzzling water. What did you think of the penguins? It was so gorgeous out there. All the penguins were fantastic. It was so cool to see them kind of in their natural environment like this. It was fantastic. And you have them by the thousands here. They're all hanging out right by the water. We could have easily returned to Puerto Madryn at the end of this tour, but we wanted to stay on Peninsula Valdés, namely the beach side town of Puerto Pirámides. So, we checked into Oceano, a
boutique hotel with rooms that open right onto the beach. Our room was a mix of modern meets rustic with floor-to-ceiling windows, recycled wood furnishings, and an off-white color palette that made the place feel bright and airy. The property is also very eco-conscious. They use geothermal heating and cooling, have solar panels to meet part of their electric needs, and recycle water since they are in a desert climate. Our room was perfect for a self-catered holiday. We had two heating elements, an electric kettle, a coffee maker, plus they also left us a fridge stocked with breakfast items like orange juice, milk, butter, cream cheese, jam, dulce de leche, fruits, and a fresh loaf of artisanal
bread delivered fresh every morning. Our favorite part was the resident cats who would nap in the lobby and sometimes come by for a visit on the outdoor terrace. Come on, meowzies. Oh, they eat it. Oh, look at something, meowzies. Is it tasty? Got to be really to catch sunrise. What did you think? Well, it's been amazing. Like, the views and just the way that the light has been revealing different parts of the peninsula has been incredible. I almost didn't make it. I woke up this morning, I was like, I want to sleep in. I'm so glad we came
and did the hike. And the higher you get, the views just become even more spectacular because you can see a part of the beach that isn't even really used by the public. There's a second beach just to the left of the main one. It's like a secret beach. a secret beach, guys. It's pretty incredible. The following day was all about exploring the beach side town of Puerto Piramides. After an early start to catch sunrise, we decided to explore the loberia or sea lion colony. We decided to walk to the loberia, which in retrospect was not a good idea and a sure way to get heatstroke. If you're visiting in the middle of summer like we were, try to start even earlier in the day or better yet, try to arrange transportation because it was so hot
with little to no shade along the way. The walk took us an hour each way. Sunblock, a hat, and lots of water to get you there and back are necessary. Guys, it is hot is all I can tell you. Wowee. We are currently on our way to the loberia, which is a place by the water where the sea lions and elephant seals have their babies. Apparently, that's where they teach them how to swim. So, we want to go see that. They told us it's a bit of a walk up the hill between 5 to 7 km. The information seems to vary. So, we figured, let's do it. What time of day is it right now, Sam?
9:00 in the morning, but it feels like midday already. I don't know if you can hear that. 9:00 in the morning, but it feels like midday. So, if you come here, lather up with your sunscreen, bring lots of water, a hat, cuz like we're walking through the desert. Woo. Once we reached the loberia, we could hear the sea lions before we could even see them. It amazes me that sometimes they can sound like sheep and other times they sound like baby dinosaurs. Quite the vocal range. We followed the path downhill where there were two viewing platforms. Here we saw sea lions swimming in crystal clear waters, others sunbathing, and countless pups practicing their skills in the small pools of water.
One of the perks of visiting in February is that you get to see all the newborn pups playing around. And after that adventure, we stumbled back into town ready for lunch. We made a beeline for La Cueva which serves up some mouth-watering seafood dishes. You seriously can't go wrong ordering their giant ravioli stuffed with shrimp in a buttery mussel sauce with calamari a la provencal. There were even some scallops in there with their shells which just added to the overall presentation. Tell us, what did you order? That is one heck of a big burger. So, I got the Patagonia burger. Wow, let me look the hood.
Ooh, look at all the baked cheese on top, guys. That is a big patty and underneath stuffed with greens. And look at this. Sun-dried tomatoes. Also came with some wedges here. So good. Just the meat is what makes it, man. Wow. It's done to perfection. Excellent. All right, guys. So, now we are walking around town. We are currently on Avenida de las ballenas. That means Avenue of the whales. It's the main drag here in Puerto Piramides.
It is hot. How are you doing? It's hot, but it's so colorful. There's some fascinating murals. There's some really colorful looking cafes and restaurants. Perfect way to spend an afternoon here in this town. If you're asking yourself, "Where is everybody right now? Why is this town so empty, so dead?" It's because everyone is at the beach. It's also siesta time. It is. What time it? It's literally it's it's in the thick of siesta time. It's 4:30 in the afternoon. 4:30. It's the hottest time of the day.
Everyone's chilling out at either at the beach or sleeping. It's awesome because walking down this little stretch of town a few blocks away from the beach, we kind of have it all to ourselves. Mhm. Love it. The beach was packed. This is one of the main draws to Puerto Piramides and the waters are surprisingly nice for the Atlantic Ocean. Still cool and refreshing, but not icy cold like in some other places down the coast. The water is also fairly shallow, so you can walk out quite a ways from shore and still not be in very deep. That afternoon, we went for a coastal walk that made us feel like full-blown archaeologists. The whole area is made up of old ocean floor and that means
lots of clay and countless marine fossils that take you millions of years back in time. There are so many of them that there's no stepping around them or avoiding them. Just remember that removing any fossils from Peninsula Valdes is strictly prohibited. Enjoy them on your walks and snap some photos, but they stay where they belong. Well, good morning. Good morning, guys. Today is our last day on Peninsula Valdes and we're going to be doing another tour. Super pumped. More nature, more wildlife. The plan is we're going to be heading out to Punta Delgada, visiting a lighthouse, having some lunch. There's an option to do a boat tour. So, yeah, it's going to be another fun day. Another thing to do in
Puerto Piramides is to go on a boat tour. Even though we had already walked to La Loberia the day before, we decided to hop on a zodiac and go see the sea lions once more. This is our ride. Baby penguins swimming around. First thing we noticed as soon as we got in the water. It was a beautiful day to be out on the water and the hour and a half long excursion was the perfect length. This looks like a little tunnel. A cave of sorts. In we go. Ooh. Oh my. What are we looking for is the question. [bell] The sea lions were being their sleepy selves on the rocky outcrops and we also encountered a surprising amount of sea
birds, especially cormorants, which are easy to confuse with penguins from a distance. Whale watching tours are another popular option if you're here at the right time of year, which is June to December. It's good to know that with the whale watching tours, the law dictates that outfitters may not chase the whales and they must cut their engines within a 100 m of them. Once we finished the boat excursion, we met up with the rest of our group and drove to our next destination, Caleta Valdes.
Caleta Valdes is referred as a geographic accident. It's basically a long and narrow body of water that's been naturally closed off by a strip of land with only a small opening connecting it to the sea. Here we came across penguins who made their nests on the bluffs, a rather steep location, but they didn't seem to mind as they waddled up from the beach. This is a much smaller rookery than the one we had previously visited at Estancia San Lorenzo, but there were still lots of penguins to see.
Lunch that day was at Punta Delgada Lighthouse, a former post office and military building turned sheep farm, countryside hotel, and restaurant. The lighthouse on this estancia can be seen from 40 km at sea and was painted red and black to stand out from the landscape. All right, guys. So, we have arrived at Faro Punta Delgada. They have a restaurant here, so this is where we're going to be eating lunch. We are starving. What a busy day. So, let's go in and see what's on the menu. We ordered some baked empanadas as a starter, followed by a hearty Patagonian stew with melt-in-your-mouth chunks of lamb, carrots, onions, rice, and parsley. It looks simple, but it smells wonderful.
I'm going to try and grab a little bite of everything. Get it all. All the flavors mixing, combining. Mhm. Oh, wow. Now this is very nice. Meat is nice and tender. It just like melts in your mouth. Very hearty food. This would be like perfect in the fall winter kind of weather. Yeah. Of course, we couldn't resist having some more flan and dulce de leche. And then it was time to get back on the bus and continue to our final stop of the day. So, this next place is called El Arenal and we are going to be hiking
halfway down a cliff to get a closer look at elephant seals. It is super windy out here. So, come along. El Arenal at Punta Delgada is a beach with steep sandy cliffs and it typically witnesses a high concentration of elephant seals during mating and molting season when the seals shed their hair, but also the upper layer of their skin. We were visiting towards the end of the season, so most elephant seals had already gone out to sea, but there were still a few left on the shores. Oh, yeah. I'm getting it. Go. Well, we saw the elephant seals. We did. What did you think of our friends, the elephant seals?
It was great. I mean, it was quite the climb to get down there. It was uh the descent. Yes, it's very hilly and very sandy. We were like slipping a bit, but once you got down there, you were pretty close. Yeah, and it was fun watching the elephant seals because they don't really move around a lot. They just like flop, advance a little bit, rest. They're like us after a big lunch in Argentina. They're lethargic. A big siesta. But anyways, I think that was the last stop of the day. We're getting back on the bus now and we're going to start driving towards Puerto Madryn.
Indeed. Yeah, it was really cool. I had lots of fun. And that brings our Valdes travel guide to an end. After 3 days of exploring this incredible corner of coastal Patagonia, we can honestly say this is one of the best places in Argentina for wildlife lovers. From walking among penguins and watching sea lion pups play in the water to spotting elephant seals, guanacos, fossils, wind swept beaches, and enjoying some seriously delicious Patagonian lamb and seafood along the way, this peninsula completely exceeded our expectations. We hope this video gave you a better idea of what there is to see and do, where to stay, where to eat, and how to plan your own visit. As always, thank you so much for watching
and we'll see you soon with more adventures.
