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The Peninsula Valdes is another great classic of Patagonia, but I must admit that I never tire of returning there. Here everything is like Patagonia: disproportionate, immense, wild.
Departing from Puerto Madryn, the Peninsula Valdes: a landmark of very abundant wildlife, it is a true paradise for animals. The marine fauna is of course the best represented with among others dolphins, sea lions, sea wolves, elephant seals , southern right whales, orcas (or killer whale) and Magellanic penguins.
Watch the Patagonian whales
This is the best place in the world to watch whales. I guarantee you will see them up close. On board a boat, but also from Doradillo Beach for example. Southern right whales begin arriving at Peninsula Valdes between April and June and will stay until the end of December.
The climate is cool and arid; the peninsula is covered with rare vegetation. It feeds a poor fauna, characteristic of the Patagonian plateaus: maras, a few guanacos, gray foxes, skunks, several species of birds…
The Peninsula Valdes “Península de Valdés” has a particular climatic situation: it is sheltered from the rains by the Andes Cordillera, and benefits from its marine environment, so as to all the more important as its shape has greatly increased the length of its coastlines.
At first glance, when you enter, the atmosphere seems sterile and dreary, but on the coasts the peninsula attracts an unusual quantity of animal species. The result is a collection of ecosystems ready to amaze tourists and scientists alike. Also, and I emphasize this point, the animals are clearly visible here and their number is astonishing. The area is protected and therefore the animals feel completely safe here.
The great “star” of the Peninsula is of course the southern right whale. Observing them is astonishing because you could almost touch them. Every year in winter these whales can be seen at the time of reproduction and giving birth. Their observation has become one of the major tourist activities in the country. It is easy to observe the courtship display of males to obtain the favors of the courted female, from the beach or a boat.
The other great attraction of the Peninsula Valdes, but much more difficult to observe, is the almost unique phenomenon in the world of attacks by killer whale, risking their lives, rushing towards baby sea lions who are taking their first “steps” in the water. In 1999, UNESCO included the Peninsula Valdes in its list of Natural Heritage of Humanity.