Just a few hours south of the Valdes Peninsula of the Atlantic Patagonia in Punta Tombo is the largest colony of Magellanic Penguins.
About Magellanic Penguins
The female penguins lay two eggs every year and share responsibility equally with their male counterpart during the incubation period. One penguin goes hunting for 2-3 days and returns to the nest to relieve their partner from incubating the eggs.
Magellanic Penguins at Punta Tombo
In the hill-sides, they have built burrows into the ground. Each burrow is owned and maintained by one penguin for their whole life. They even get into fights if another penguin has tried to encroach on their space.
Our Experience at Punta Tombo
Arriving at the Reserve
The reserve opens at 8 am, and because it is a 3 hour drive from Puerto Madryn, we woke up at 5 am to try to be the first ones in the park. And we were successful! Until 9:30, we had the grounds to ourselves, being able to observe the penguins alone. After that, tour groups started arriving, filling up the area. (I know that this is early, but we found that having the park to ourselves made the experience even more special). This was part of a longer trip to the Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia region. You can read more about it here!
We first arrived at the ticket office and visitor center. Here, we parked to purchase our entrance pass and visit a small museum about the area and penguins. Then, we returned to our car and drove to the entrance of the reserve.
Walking Through the Park
As we walked through the reserve, penguins had free reign of the entire area. They walked on paths with us, fought each other in front of us, and performed their mating calls while waiting for their partner. The park asks people to stay 2 meters away from penguins. The walk itself is 1.5 kilometers long in each direction. It took us about 2 hours, stopping to take photos of penguins, landscapes, and other animals. (If you are here during busier time periods, it may take you longer.) The walk is on gravel and elevated boardwalks, allowing us to meander through the landscape without disturbing the habitat.
Because of the sheer number of penguins in this colony, there were penguins everywhere we looked. Many were laying in their burrows covering their eggs. Some of these burrows were even right next to the designated pathway. It all culminated on a viewpoint of penguins entering and exiting the ocean to go hunting in packs.
Wrapping up our visit
We then returned back on the same path we came down. There are restrooms at the end of the path and places to grab food and drinks at the parking lots of both the visitor center and the start of the reserve.
We had never had the occasion to see penguins in the wild. Having the chance to see the sheer quantity of penguins and the conservation efforts of the Punta Tombo region made the long drive worth it.
We also did an incredible whale watching tour during this trip. Click here to learn more about that experience.
Click here to read about the rest of our trip to the Atlantic Patagonia region.
