Patagonia: The Arrival of the Magellanic penguins to Punta Tombo
Story by Say Hueque | Argentina & Chile Journeys
Most visitors to Argentina do not realize how diverse and vast the Patagonia region is; it encompasses snowy glaciers, staggering mountains, and rugged coastline. Along this coastline lies Puerto Madryn and the area of Peninsula Valdes, known for its magnificent wildlife spotting.
Peninsula Valdes is a UNESCO World Heritage site focused on the conservation and preservation of different species of animals – especially marine mammals. Depending on the time of year, the southern right whale and the spectacular black and white orca can be seen cruising in these waters along with elephant seals, several varieties of dolphins and thousands of penguins.
As is common during the early spring, the swimmer birds reach the coasts of Chubut to participate in the cycle of reproduction, hatching & training chicks. In this period, the young penguins also change plumage, signifying the change into adulthood. It is expected that at the end of the season, the colony will exceed one million members.
This is a very important event for the country and because of that the Secretary of Tourism developed “The penguin’s vigil” – an uninterrupted, 72-hour live-stream video of the arrival of Magellanic penguins. Now, this amazing and natural eventcan be shared with the rest of the world. Check the videos here.
The perfect season to visit this region has started: While the sea lions and the sea elephants stay in the region for the entire year, the colony of penguins will stay only until the middle of April and whales until the middle of December.
Celebrating the arrival of the Magellanic penguins, Say Hueque introduces the itinerary Impressive Wildlife & Cultural Heritage of Patagonian Pioneers, which is focused in offering the possibility to discover the off the beaten path regions of Patagonia and experience the amazing local wildlife.
This tour gives the chance to understand how pioneers arrived to this remote land, looking for a better, more peaceful place where everyone can enjoy the unique wildlife found in this corner of the world, explore working ranches, see a wide variety of bird species and marine wildlife and enjoy the unforgettable sunsets of Patagonia. Combined with the Franca Austral whales of Peninsula Valdes, it’s also possible to go swimming with sea lions and walk among penguins.
One way to describe this itinerary? Incredible diversity and breathtaking landscapes everywhere you look.