travel south america argentina puerto madryn punta tombo penguin rookery
Punta Tombo, about a 2-1/2 hour drive from Puerto Madryn, is a peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean with the largest colony of Magellanic penguins in Argentina.
This was our first chance to see penguins on our trip around South America and I was totally taken by surprise that they were not living on ice or snow.
I would learn that, of all the four kinds of penguins we would see, King, Magellanic, Gentoo, and Humbolt, none of them lived on or near ice.
From the starting point, we walked about two miles out the peninsula, mostly on boardwalks over rocky soil covered with medium to low brush and empty holes.
At first, as we walked further and further along the trail, I was beginning to believe we had arrived too late in the season to see the migrating penguins.
When I spotted the first penguin standing in front of his burrow under a bush, he again gave me concerns because he looked like he had been left behind by others to die.
The truth was, he was just molting, and the further we went, the more penguins we saw...some by or in their burrows, and some walking along the beach.
We also got introduced to some of their neighbors including the colorful chubut steamer duck and the beautiful, llama-like, guanaco.
LINK TO WIKIPEDIA'S WEB PAGE ON ARGENTINA
LINK TO WIKIPEDIA'S WEB PAGE ON PUERTO MADRYN
LINK TO WIKIPEDIA'S WEB PAGE ON PUNTA TOMBO PENGUIN ROOKERY
TRAVEL: March, 2024...
This location has earned an over-all three-and-a-half star (good+) rating from
Travel Fanatics Unlimited
***1/2
unless noted otherwise all images copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
View of the peninsula, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Welcome sign, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
The endless boardwalk, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Lots of strange, empty holes, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
This first penguin we saw was all alone and molting, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
This second penguin we saw was sleeping, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
I was beginning to think that these were stuffed penguins placed by the locals for gullible tourists.
Then we began to see living, moving penguins next to and under the boardwalk, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Before we knew it, we began to see penguins everywhere, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Some stayed at home while others frolicked on the beach, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
This little guy posed for a portrait, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Then everyone wanted their picture taken, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Close up portrait, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Then their friends, these colorful Chubut Steamer Ducks, wanted to join in, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
This Beautiful wild guanaco didn't want to be left out, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
Neither did junior, Punta Tombo Penguin Rookery, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina, 2024.
copyright d. holmes chamberlin jr architect llc
page last revised april 2024