female elephant seal (19 K)

Península Valdés
The Valdés Peninsula is connected to the mainland by the isthmus of Carlos Ameghino (the narrowest part is only 4 km) and it is to 77 km away from Madryn. The Center of Interpretation (Visitors Centre at the entrance to the reserve) will inform you about the flora, the fauna and the history of the Peninsula and the places of interest within the Peninsula.
The landscape is arid with flocks of sheep, guanacos and maras (Patagonian hare). Their coast of cliffs is very interesting since it is inhabited by an important population of animals.
Although the peninsula is in private hands, the area has become a natural reservation.
Puerto Madryn Puerto Madryn (in the Province of Chubut) is the starting point for the trips to
1) the Peninsula and the dive in expeditions in Golfo Nuevo.
2) the Isla de los Pájaros (Birds Island) This island on the isthmus of the peninsula, on the side of the Gulf San José, is a big marine birds reservation. Here one can watch kelp gulls, olive cormorant, rock cormorants, black crowned, night herons, flamingos. Except for ornithologists, the access is forbidden, but one can observe the birds through fixed telescopes from a distance of 400m.
3)One can also visit the most important sea lion colony in Punta Norte

Punta Norte, Killer whale (27 K)

(Elephant seals colony: in summer and at low tide there is a possibility of watching killer whales as well); the only elephant seal colony on continental territory in the world)
4)Caleta Valdés, in spring, elephant seals can be seen
5)Punta Loma (sea lion rookery on Golfo Nuevo, 15 km Southwest of Puerto Madryn where one can admire the sea lion colony from the cliffs),
6) Cerro Avanzado (beach with strata covered with oysters fossils),
7) Doradillo and Las Canteras (from here, 17 km from Puerto Madryn, the whales can be watched from the coast),
8) Punta Tombo (reservation of sea lions and penguins) 200 km away from Puerto Madryn. In the northern coast of Golfo Nuevo is Puerto Pirámide where the franca-whale (Southern Right Whale), watching boat trips depart.

Penguin Colony (37 K)

Another possibility is the visit to Salina Grande, large saltflats, (35 m below sea level, the deepest depression in Latin America). Very near the Isla de los Pájaros is the Riacho San José where thousands of flamingos bathe on the beach.
The difference of tides at Golfo San José and Golfo Nuevo is very big and they are planning to bore the narrow isthmus and to build an electric factory to take advantage of this difference.