| Valdes Peninsula Península Valdés | |
 | |
| Area type | Natural reserve |
|---|---|
| State | Argentina |
| Region | Argentine Patagonia |
| Surface | 3,625 km² |
| Institutional website | |
Valdes Peninsula (Península Valdés) is a protected area located in Argentina.
To know
The Valdés Peninsula is a peninsula located along the Atlantic coast in the Chubut Province of Argentina. The only inhabited nucleus is the village of Puerto Pirámides, while the nearest city is Puerto Madryn, about 50 km away.
It is an important nature reserve and in 1999 it was listed by UNESCO in World Heritage.
Geographical notes
Much of the peninsula is made up of arid land with some salt lakes. The largest of these lakes is located at an estimated altitude of 40 meters below sea level, and was until recently considered the lowest point in Argentina and all of South America.
Flora and fauna
The coast is inhabited by marine mammals, such as the South American sea lion, the sea elephant and the South American seal. The right whale can also be seen in the Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San José, protected bodies of water, located between the peninsula and the mainland of Patagonia. These whales migrate to these waters between May and December, for mating and calving, as the waters in the gulf are calmer and warmer than in the open sea. The orca is also visible along the coast, in the open sea beyond the peninsula. The interior of the peninsula is inhabited by rheas, guanacos and maras. There is also a large variety of birds on the island: at least 181 species, 66 of which are migratory, live in the region, including the Antarctic pigeon.
When to go
The climate is temperate and dry. In summer temperatures around 27 ° C and almost always the sun, but often a cool wind blows Patagonia. In winter, it is cool, but less windy with 12 ° C during the day.
How to get
Valdes Peninsula: full screen map.The city of Puerto Madryn it is the entrance to the Valdes Peninsula.
By plane
The nearest airport is at Trelew, 60 km southwest of the peninsula, 140 km from Puerto Pirámides.
By bus
There are buses that go to Puerto Pirámides or book a tour to Puerto Madryn.
Permits / Rates
Fees are graduated according to origin (2008):
- Foreigners AR $ 40 (approx. € 8 Children 6 - 11 years AR $ 20, children under 5 years free
- Argentines and foreigners residing in Argentina: $ 12 children, retirees and students of Groups $ 6 / person
- People residing in the province of Chubut $ 2
How to get around
Except for the small town of Puerto Pirámides, the peninsula is practically uninhabited.
Most people visit the peninsula on a day tour organized from Puerto Madryn. Tours usually start at 7:30 am and return from 6:00 am to 7:30 am depending on the tour operator. The destinations are typically the visitor center, Puerto Pirámides (for whale or marine fauna to see depending on the season), Caleta Valdes and Punta Norte. The guide speaks English on the tour.
For more independence, rental cars are available to explore the peninsula. The entrance ticket is valid for a single entry and not depending on how many days you stay.
If you are only interested in whales, just take a bus to Puerto Pirámides and choose a tour boat from there.
What see
- Whale watching (From June to mid-December).
What to do
- Diving and snorkeling.
- Go mountain biking
- to fish
Shopping
Where to eat
The Valdès Peninsula has several dishes to choose from. It is characterized by a great variety of fresh fish. You can find a number of gourmet restaurants with international menus or fast food shops, with fairly low prices. There are several restaurants in Puerto Piramides, a restaurant in Punta Cantor and at the Puerto Delgado lighthouse there is a self service restaurant that serves extremely good asado for that remote area. If you are going to go during the off season, make sure they are open. In Puerto Pirámides there are several restaurants based on fish caught daily.
Where stay
Visitors should note that the entire peninsula is privately owned and people do not grant permission to explore on their own or to camp wherever they want.
Book in advance, especially in the summer and on weekends, as this is a tourist area.
- Estancia San Lorenzo (Near Punta Norte.), ☎ 54 280 445-5888. Hotel inserted inside the Peninsula. There is a community of penguins within the perimeter of the hotel.
Safety
When camping, make sure the tent is windproof. Also, you shouldn't get comfortable with sea lions - they can easily be aggressive if you get too close.
How to keep in touch
Around
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Valdes Peninsula
Commons contains images or other files on Valdes Peninsula
