Puerto Madryn: a guide for your trip

Puerto Madryn is a city located in east Patagonia in Chubut province, Argentina. It is recognized worldwide for Península Valdés, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. In this article, we are going to talk about its history and tourist attractions.

La ciudad de Puerto Madryn

The city was founded in 1865 by the Welsh settlers. The first massive settlement was created when the railway was built, in June 1889. It aimed to transport the settlers farming production from the valley to the port. The city has developed based on its railway and port activity, commerce and services. Currently, one of the main incomes is tourism, whose main destination is Península Valdés and the watching of the southern right whale. 

Península Valdés

Patrimonio Natural de la Humanidad y uno de los principales atractivos turísticos de la ciudad de Puerto Madryn y una de las fuentes principales de turismo de chubut. En ella, podemos encontrar 6 distintas actividades y experiencias que merecen la pena ser vividas.

1. Puerto Pirámides: It is the only populated area and facilities center in the peninsula. There you will be able to do adventure tourism as well as watch the local fauna. Located few minutes away from the village, you can visit Punta Pirámides where a southern elephant seals colony can be watched from December to March. 
2. Birds Island: It is located near San José Gulf. There you can find a multitude of seabirds as well as an Interpretation Center and binocular viewers. It is important to take into account that entering the island is prohibited for it has been considered an intangible area since 1974.
3. Punta Delgada: In this south extent of Península, a southern elephant seals colony is located and it can be watched from a public viewpoint. In this place, there is a ranch called Rincón Chico and a country hotel called Faro de Punta Delgada, which offers lodging, restaurant and fauna watching, among other activities. 
4. Caleta Valdés: It is an important geographical accident caused by a 30 kilometers coastal bay. Diverse fauna can be found there: elephant seals, orcas and Magellanic Penguins, all of which can be observed from viewpoints situated in the cliff. The area has restrooms, a restaurant and a store that sells regional products, in addition to a ranch called “La Elvira” that offers gastronomy and lodging services. 
5. Punta Norte: In this area it is possible to watch Orcas from October to April and this coincides with the birth season of sea lions and elephant seals. To have more chances of watching, the best time to visit the place is at high tide. 
6. Penguins Colony: The peninsula homes the largest reproductive colony of Magellanic Penguins in the world. Nests are found on the shores of San Matías Gulf from San Lorenzo Country House to Punta Norte, as well as all along Caleta Valdés shore and islands.

Conclusions

Puerto Madryn is not just Península Valdés. There are activities for adventure fans and for those who yearn to spend relaxing holidays. The main places of interest in the city are the Local Art Museum, the Museo provincial del Hombre y el Mar, the Ecocentro and the Museo del DesembarcoThe most adventurous can find activities such as baptism diving, trekking, tours on 4WD vehicles, and mountain bikes. It is a destination you should undoubtedly visit at least once in your life.