What to See in Puerto Madryn Argentina — PENGUINS

If your trip takes you to Puerto Madryn Argentina you are going to love visiting all the amazing wildlife! Whether you’re exploring life on an Estancia or getting up close and personal with Magellanic Penguins at the Punta Tombo penguin rookery, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Swim with sea lions or marvel at the sight of sea lions, elephant seals, and fur seals at Peninsula Valdes – the possibilities are endless in Puerto Madryn! Let me share what to see in Puerto Madryn, a coastal town that is the jumping point for lots of amazing adventures on your next family vacation!

puerto madryn argentina

To get to Puerto Madryn, you can fly into the nearby airport of Trelew, which is about an hour away. Alternatively, you can take a bus from major cities like Buenos Aires. Most people visiti Puerto Madryn, Argentina as a cruise port on a South American or Antarctica itinerary. The official currency in Argentina is the Argentine Peso, and Spanish is the official language spoken.

Puerto Madryn is known for its stunning coastline, abundant wildlife, and clear waters perfect for diving and snorkeling. One of the main attractions is the Valdes Peninsula, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can spot whales, penguins, and sea lions.

what to see in puerto madryn

With so much to see you will wish your cruise ship stopped at Peuerto Madryn Argentina for more than 8 hours! You will need to plan carefully with your other ports to make sure you see all the types of sights and animals on your trip. We opted to spend our time at the Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery enjoying the Magellanic penguins. It was amazing and I am glad we did. But there is so much to see, I wish we had time to see the elephant seals too, but we will try to see them at the Faulkland Islands port. I also think getting a close up look at an Estancia, Patagonian ranch is a great way to get to know the culture of the area more – we will plan to do that excursion in Punta Arenas.

You can book through your cruiseline which offers the convenience of rebooking if your itinerary is adjusted and the safety net that they wont leave port without you if you are delayed. But sometimes the excursions get sold out or they are just too expensive. Here are some of my recommended Puerto Madryn shore excursions:

• Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery (our exact excurions, but for half the cost!)
• Peninsula Valdes Wildlife Sanctuary (sea lions and elephant seals, possibly Orcas)
• Snorkeling with Sea Lions

punta tombo penguin rookery

Settle in for your 2 1/2 hour drive to Peninsular Valdez. I know it is a long drive, but it is totally worth it to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery. This site is home to the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in South America. Imagine strolling among thousands of penguins as they peacefully rest in their burrows, waddle around exploring their surroundings, interact with each other in their unique social dynamics, and even take a dip in the ocean waves.

Peninsula Valdez

Curious what being a UNESCO site means. I was. It means that Punta Tombo has been recognized for its outstanding universal value and is considered important for the whole world to protect and preserve. As one of the largest breeding grounds for Magellanic penguins, it’s a vital habitat for these adorable creatures.

peninsula de valdes

You will get to spend 1.5-2 hours wandering through the rookeries of these adorable Magellanic penguins.

Magellanic Penguins

These medium-sized penguins are found in coastal South America, primarily in Argentina, Chile, and the Falkland Islands. These charismatic creatures usually inhabit coastal areas, islands, and estuaries where they can find abundant food sources such as fish and crustaceans. They are known for their distinctive black and white markings, their loud braying calls, a broad black band across their chest and a white stripe that runs from their eye to their chin. Their feet are pink in color, a stark contrast to the more common black feet of other penguin species.  Despite facing threats such as oil spills and overfishing, Magellanic penguins have managed to adapt and survive in these challenging environments.

One key difference between Magellanic penguins and their relatives is their breeding behavior. Instead of forming large colonies on ice like some penguins, Magellanic penguins prefer to nest in burrows dug into the ground. They also have a unique braying call that sets them apart from the other penguin species.

península valdés

You will be amazed to see the penguins righ next to the path, some will cross right in front of you.

peninsula de valdez

They will encourage you to go to the end for the best viewing quickly as there are thousands of these adorable penguins for you to see. I agree the end is imporessive with a beach filled with penguins, many swimming in the water or lounging in the beach. But if you are lucky enough to get here before the crowds, don’t miss some the chance to watch some of the penguins without the crowds trying to get selfies with these cute birds.

When you do get to the end, the coast you will see thousands of penguins on the beach – as far as the eye can see in both directions. They will look like little dots so make sure you have your binocular or a good camera to see them.

Penguins Swimming

Some will be swimming in the water. They look so much like ducks when they swim you may mistaken them for a duck.

But when they swim on their back they look like penguins super cute, adorable penguins!

There is a rocky area where the penguins play in the water on the mossy rocks. The bright green algae / moss with the red rocks is very striking with the cute black and white penguins. Again, you will need binoculars to see it well as you are on a raised hill overlooking the penguins. At this location you will not get to be on the beach with the penguins.

Penguins Molting

Depending on the time of year you visit you may get to see penguins with eggs, baby chicks, or adolescent chicks like we did. The penguins with brown fur are adolescents and almost full grown. You can also see in the picture above penguins molting.

Magellanic penguins go through a fascinating molting process where they shed their old feathers and grow new ones, which helps to keep them waterproof and well-insulated. Molting is an essential part of their annual life cycle, and you may see them waddling around looking a bit scruffier than usual as they lose their feathers. They cannot go back into the water until they have finished molting.

puerto madryn penguins

You will see many penguins sleeping in their burrows or laying on their stomaches.  I had never seen or heard of penguins laying on their stomach so much.

Apparently one reason for this peculiar behavior is that laying on their stomach helps the penguins conserve body heat. By pressing their warm bellies into the cold ground, they are able to keep themselves comfortable and regulate their internal temperature. Additionally, lying on their stomachs may also help protect their vulnerable underside from potential predators, as it can make it harder for them to be attacked.

I’m glad we visted Puerto Madryn first, because I learned the pretty King penguins and cuddly Gentoo penguins in falkland islands are my favorite!

This was such a fun and memorable excursion. My kids still talke about walking amidst all these cute penguins and spotting them here, there, and everywhere. We were so surprised they lived in such a dry area. We are learning so much on our family vacation!

que hacer en puerto madryn

Enjoy all the cute penguins waddling around, grab a selfie or two, and take some videos because you are going to want to show your family and friends back home how cute these penguins are!