Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Peninsula Valdes: Whales, Sea Lions and Penguins from Puerto Madryn
6 days from Puerto Madryn to Trelew: sea lions, southern right whales at Puerto Piramides, elephant seals and the penguins of Punta Tombo, timed for September to December.
6 days · Puerto Madryn to Trelew · up to 12 guests
A southern right whale's tail in Golfo Nuevo, photographed in August 2007, before this trip's proposed September to December window; whale boats from Puerto Piramides run mid-June to December, and no sighting is promised Photo: Naturedata, CC0 (public domain dedication), via Wikimedia Commons, resized
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 6 days, 5 nights
- Start and end
- Puerto Madryn to Trelew
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Easy
Plan for short walks of 1 to 3 km on viewpoints and reserve paths, with long gravel-road days on Days 4 and 6. Snorkelling with sea lions is optional and requires comfort in cold, rough water. Boat trips are weather dependent. Shorter-walk options are not step-free alternatives; suitability and any extra costs need checking before booking.
- Meals included
- 5 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
- Season
- Whales, elephant seals and penguins
Highlights
Why this trip
- Snorkelling or watching the sea lion colony at Punta Loma, with a licensed operator
- Southern right whales from a boat at Puerto Piramides in season
- Sea lions at Punta Norte and elephant seals at Caleta Valdes
- A Welsh tea in Gaiman in the Chubut valley
- The Magellanic penguin colony at Punta Tombo, open September to March
- Two nights each in Puerto Madryn and Puerto Piramides
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Puerto Madryn
Puerto Madryn or Trelew airport to your hotel on the waterfront
- Dinner
- Stay in Puerto Madryn
Fly into Puerto Madryn, the gateway to Patagonia's Atlantic coast, or into Trelew, which has its own airport; flights are not included and are quoted separately. A driver is proposed to meet you and take you to a hotel in town, to be named once suppliers are confirmed. If you arrive early, the long waterfront promenade over the Golfo Nuevo is a good place for a first walk, and on a clear day you may spot seabirds or, in season, whales from the shore, no sighting promised.
Evening
In the evening your See Sight Tours guide, to be appointed, briefs the group on the six days, the wildlife calendar and how tides and wind can reorder the plan. A welcome dinner of Patagonian seafood or lamb is proposed. Wildlife sightings are never guaranteed, and the plan is a proposal pending a written quote.
Included
- Pick-up at the arrival airport, proposed
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Sea lions at Punta Loma and the EcoCentro
Puerto Madryn and the Punta Loma sea lion colony
- Breakfast
- Stay in Puerto Madryn
Morning
A morning with the sea lions. Punta Loma, a protected natural area about 17 km south of town according to the Puerto Madryn tourism office, has a permanent colony of South American sea lions on a rocky shore. We plan a visit with a licensed local operator, and if an operator offers snorkelling beside the colony we will quote it as an option; the water is cold and the sea can be rough, so it depends on weather and permits. Guests who prefer to stay dry can watch from the cliff viewpoint, and rules against touching or feeding apply.
Afternoon
In the afternoon we plan a visit to the Ecocentro, a marine science and interpretation centre in Puerto Madryn. Its press-reported hours this season are Wednesday to Sunday from 15:00 to 19:00, so we will confirm the day of the week before fixing the order of the day.
Evening
The evening is free in town.
Included
- Visit to Punta Loma with a licensed local operator; snorkelling, if offered, to be quoted
- Ecocentro visit, subject to its opening days
Easier option: Watch the colony from the viewpoint instead of snorkelling
More active option: Snorkel with the colony
Free time: Free evening in Puerto Madryn
Activity: Snorkelling is subject to weather, sea state, operator availability and permits, and is not guaranteed. Cold-water swimming skills are needed. The Ecocentro is reported open Wednesday to Sunday afternoons; the day of the week may move this visit.
Over the isthmus to Puerto Piramides and the whales
Puerto Madryn to Puerto Piramides, then a whale-watching boat
- Breakfast and dinner
- Stay in Puerto Piramides
- By boat
We drive from Puerto Madryn to the Peninsula Valdes and the village of Puerto Piramides, across the narrow isthmus, passing through the protected-area entrance. The administration says entry is paid only by card or QR code, that visitor sites open from 8:00 to 20:00, and that the only cash machine and fuel station on the peninsula are in Puerto Piramides; bring a back-up payment method. Puerto Piramides is the only village on the peninsula.
Afternoon
In the afternoon we plan to join a licensed whale-watching boat from the beach, to be quoted, to look for southern right whales that come into the sheltered Golfo Nuevo to breed and calve. The municipality lists boat watching from mid-June to December with departures of roughly two hours. Which whales are seen, and how close, is not under anyone's control, and the port can close in strong wind or heavy rain.
Evening
Dinner is proposed in the village.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Puerto Madryn to Puerto Piramides
- Peninsula Valdes entry fee, proposed
- Whale-watching boat from Puerto Piramides, to be quoted
- Dinner
Optional experiences
- A second boat trip, subject to season
Easier option: Take the shore viewpoint at the village rather than the boat
Free time: Evening free in Puerto Piramides
Activity: Whale boats run only in the whale season (mid-June to December) and are weather dependent. The park administration publishes a per-person entry fee and a separate per-vehicle fee; both can change.
Punta Norte, Caleta Valdes and the elephant seals
A full day around the peninsula's northeast coast, with the drive back to Puerto Piramides
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Puerto Piramides
A long day of gravel road, so we start early. We drive north and east across the peninsula to Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes, a long loop of roughly 80 km each way from Puerto Piramides by the municipal guidance.
Evening
The administration advises keeping below 60 km/h on gravel and not driving the internal roads after 18:00 or at night, so we plan to be heading back before that. At Punta Norte there is a sea lion colony; at Caleta Valdes elephant seal females arrive in early September to give birth, according to the municipality. We watch from marked viewpoints and keep a respectful distance. Orcas hunt here too, but the timing is narrow and tide dependent: the municipality gives late February to mid-May at Punta Norte, with the peak in March and April, and October to November at Caleta Valdes, ideally from two hours before high tide to two hours after. We cannot promise orcas, and our dates may not match. Lunch is proposed on the road.
Included
- Vehicle and driver for the day
- Sea lion and elephant seal viewpoints at Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes
- Lunch
Easier option: Stay at the closest viewpoints and skip extra walks
Free time: Evening free in Puerto Piramides
Activity: Gravel roads, tide timing and wind can change the order of the day. Orcas are not promised: the municipality notes they may not appear even when other conditions are right.
To Trelew and the Welsh tea at Gaiman
Puerto Piramides to Trelew, then Gaiman
- Breakfast
- Stay in Trelew
Morning
After breakfast we leave the peninsula and drive back across the isthmus, then on to the Chubut valley, the long road of the day, a few hours by our estimate. The valley is where Welsh settlers arrived in the nineteenth century, as local tourism material describes, and Gaiman, a small town on the Chubut river, is known for its Welsh tea rooms where tea is served with cakes and scones.
Evening
We plan an afternoon tea at a tea room, venue to be chosen with the quote; press guides say that the tea rooms usually serve in the afternoon, from about 14:30 or 15:00 until evening, but each sets its own hours, so we will confirm. If time allows we also look at the old railway station or the river bank. We then drive the short way to Trelew, where we stay near the airport to make tomorrow simple. If there is time before closing, the Egidio Feruglio paleontology museum in Trelew is open daily from 10:00 to 19:00 according to its visit page, as an optional extra. Dinner is free tonight.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Puerto Piramides to Trelew
- Welsh tea at a tea room in Gaiman, venue to be confirmed
Optional experiences
- Museo Paleontologico Egidio Feruglio in Trelew, open daily 10:00 to 19:00 per its visit page, if time allows; ticket extra
Free time: Free evening in Trelew
Activity: Gaiman tea rooms vary in opening hours; to be confirmed. Drive time is an estimate.
Punta Tombo and fly out
Trelew to Punta Tombo and back to Trelew airport
- Breakfast
An early start for Punta Tombo, a provincial reserve roughly 110 to 115 km from Trelew, per a tourism-board page, to be confirmed at quoting, home to a very large colony of Magellanic penguins. The reserve's ticket page lists the 2026 to 2027 active season from 14 September to 30 March, visiting hours of 8:00 to 20:00 with last admission at 18:00, and payment by card only. We walk the marked paths among nesting burrows, with penguins crossing the trail, and keep a distance. We then return to Trelew for departures.
Afternoon
Because the reserve opens at eight and part of the road is gravel, we cannot say how early guests can fly; most flights home would have to be from the afternoon, and we will confirm a safe earliest time before anyone books. The trip ends at Trelew airport. Penguins are present only during the reserve's active season, so a departure outside it would not include them.
Included
- Vehicle and driver, Trelew to Punta Tombo and the airport
- Punta Tombo reserve entry, proposed
- Guided walk among the penguins
Activity: Penguins are present only in the reserve's active season (14 September to 30 March this year). Flight times to be confirmed; do not book early flights.
- Puerto Madryn2 nights
- Puerto Piramides2 nights
- Trelew1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Wind is a regular feature of the Patagonian coast and spring days can be cool and bright. The Peninsula Valdes administration notes that the Puerto Piramides port can close to whale boats in heavy rain or strong wind. Sea conditions can also cancel boats and snorkelling. This is general information, not a forecast.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Wildlife lovers who want whales, seals and penguins in one short trip
- Travellers who prefer short walks and plenty of time to watch
- Anyone adding a few days to a Buenos Aires or Patagonia trip
- Solo travellers (a single-room supplement is quoted on request)
Not for you if you want
- Step-free access: boats, beaches and uneven reserve paths are part of the plan
- Travellers who need guaranteed sightings
- Anyone wanting a confirmed departure now: this itinerary is in development
- People who dislike long gravel-road days
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
5 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Puerto Madryn2 nights
- Puerto Piramides2 nights
- Trelew1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 5 nights in hotels or similar: 2 in Puerto Madryn, 2 in Puerto Piramides, 1 in Trelew
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
- Hotels are named only when dates and suppliers are confirmed
Transport
- Proposed pick-up at the arrival airport (Puerto Madryn or Trelew) and drop-off at Trelew airport (REL)
- Own vehicle and driver on all road days in the plan
- Licensed whale-watching boat, to be quoted
Activities
- Punta Loma: visit with a licensed operator; snorkelling, if offered, to be quoted
- EcoCentro, Puerto Madryn
- Peninsula Valdes entry and a licensed whale-watching boat from Puerto Piramides, in season
- Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes viewpoints
- Welsh tea in Gaiman, venue to be confirmed
- Punta Tombo reserve entry
- Fees are proposed inclusions pending confirmation
Meals
- Breakfast: 5
- Lunch: 1
- Dinner: 2
- Other meals are left free. Meal arrangements are proposed pending supplier confirmation.
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide with the group, to be appointed
- Local guides and boat crews where required
Not included
- International and domestic flights to Puerto Madryn or Trelew
- Travel insurance
- Visa or travel authorisation fees, if any apply to your passport
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities not in the plan, including snorkelling and the Trelew museum
- Hotel extensions and early airport transfers
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- Price on request
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
The proposal covers five hotel nights, breakfasts, one lunch and two dinners, ground transport, entries, a licensed whale boat and a guide. Flights are not included. The written quote sets the final price, taxes, inclusions, operator and terms; an enquiry takes no payment and confirms nothing.
Is this trip available to book?
Not yet. It is a proposed itinerary: no hotels, boats, vehicles or guides have been appointed, and no departure dates are set. Send an enquiry with your preferred month and group size and we will reply with a written quote if it can be arranged. The enquiry takes no payment and confirms no booking.
When can I see whales?
The Puerto Piramides municipal page lists whale watching from boats from mid-June to December, with departures of about two hours. This trip is built for September to December so that elephant seals and penguins overlap. Sightings are not promised, and the port can close in strong wind or heavy rain.
Will we see orcas?
Not reliably. The municipal guidance gives late February to mid-May at Punta Norte, peaking March and April, and October to November at Caleta Valdes, around high tide. It says orcas may not appear even when conditions are right. No sighting is promised on this trip.
When are the penguins at Punta Tombo?
The reserve's ticket page lists the 2026 to 2027 active season as 14 September to 30 March, though another section of the page says September to April. Visiting hours are 8:00 to 20:00 with last admission at 18:00. Tickets are listed as valid only in that period, so travel dates matter.
Do I have to snorkel with sea lions?
No. You can watch the colony at Punta Loma from the viewpoint. If a licensed operator offers snorkelling beside it we will quote it as an option; the water is cold, and weather and permits decide. We have not confirmed any operator.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip is proposed for 7 to 12 guests. Private departures for your own party are priced separately and run on dates you choose, subject to season and supplier availability.
How do I fly in and out?
Flights are not included. Puerto Madryn and Trelew both have airports, a road transfer apart; we confirm timings at quoting, and we can quote flights from your departure city on request. A safe earliest departure time from Trelew will be confirmed after we know the Punta Tombo timing. The Government of Canada advice, read 9 November 2026, mentions strikes that disrupted flights and roads.
Can I combine this with Buenos Aires or Patagonia?
No extensions are offered yet. Our Buenos Aires city break and our Patagonia trip through Torres del Paine, El Calafate and El Chalten are listed as related trips for reference only, and no extension has been designed or priced.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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