Punta Tombo

Major Magellanic penguin colony south of Trelew, often visited as a long day from Madryn.

Punta Tombo is a long haul from Puerto Madryn, but in penguin season it is worth the effort. Thousands of Magellanic penguins nest here, and the visitor paths let you watch them move between burrows and the sea without turning the colony into a petting zoo.

The season generally runs from September to March, with chicks later in spring and summer. Combine it with Trelew only if you start early; otherwise it deserves most of a day.

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Punta Tombo's penguins nest in burrows and under low scrub, not on ice. The result is wonderfully odd: birds waddling across dusty Patagonian paths while visitors wait at roped crossings like pedestrians at a tiny penguin road.