RESERVA PROVINCIAL PUNTA TOMBO

On the barren shores of the South Atlantic, 110 southeast of Trelew, nearly a quarter million pairs of Magellanic penguins come ashore every austral spring to nest on only 210 hectares at remote Punta Tombo. Despite its isolation, 50,000 visitors a year find their way down graveled RP 1 and a dusty southeasterly lateral to the continent’s largest single penguin colony. In addition to penguins, though, there are impressive numbers of other seabirds, including giant petrels, kelp and dolphin gulls, king and rock cormorants, and shorebirds including oystercatchers and flightless steamer ducks.

Tours from Trelew (around US$27 pp) arrive at the site around 11 a.m., but the birds are dispersed enough that it rarely seems crowded. Provincial authorities have fenced off most of the nesting grounds and human visitors must stay on marked trails and boardwalks; still, since the penguins themselves do not respect the fences, it’s possible to get up-close-and-personal photographs while respecting the birds’ distance. Note, though, that penguin beaks can inflict a nasty gash.

Punta Tombo’s infrastructure is still very limited—a visitors center is in the works, but local estancieros are disinclined to part with any more property than they already have. Still, the simple confitería, while nothing special, has fresh-baked lamb empanadas and clean, modernized toilets.

At the entrance, provincial authorities collect US$5.50 pp for adult foreigners, US$2.50 for Argentine residents, and US$1 for Chubut residents. No camping is permitted; if you’re driving, penguins have right-of-way.

While it’s also possible for a group to hire a taxi for a day trip to the reserve, renting a car in Trelew or Puerto Madryn would make it possible to follow the scenic desert coastline south past the ghost town of Cabo Raso to the picturesque fishing port of Camarones and the wildlife reserve of Cabo Dos Bahías, which has both penguins and sea lions. From Camarones it’s possible to return to Trelew or Puerto Madryn via paved RN 3.