Punta Tombo
Área Natural Protegida Punta Tombo
The largest Magellanic penguin breeding ground on the South American mainland, where hundreds of thousands of penguins nest on either side of the trail, viewable at close range.
Located about 180 km south of Puerto Madryn (via Trelew), the breeding area sees roughly 200,000 pairs of Magellanic penguins digging nests in the scrub and sand during the season. Visitors walk a designated trail about 3 km long, and penguins often cross the path. A visitor center explains penguin ecology. The site is open roughly from September to April. Entry for foreigners costs about 20,000 pesos, subject to the fee announced for that year. Keep your distance, and do not feed or touch the penguins. Day trips are often combined with the Gaiman tea houses or the Trelew dinosaur museum. The last 20 km are gravel road.
Opening hours
Sep–Apr approx. 08:00–18:00
Nearby sights
- Bryn Gwyn Paleontological Park
- Playa Unión & Commerson's Dolphins
- Egidio Feruglio Paleontology Museum
- Gaiman Welsh Tea Houses
- Cerro Avanzado
- Punta Loma Sea Lion Reserve
- Ecocentro Puerto Madryn
- Monumento al Indio Tehuelche