With the marine fauna as protagonist, we detail all the activities to do in Puerto Madryn with children with tips.
Undoubtedly the main reason to travel to Puerto Madryn with children is nature, more precisely the diversity of wildlife that you will find in the place. The good thing about the trip is that the animals are seen in their natural habitat.
Although the main attraction are the southern right whales, in the vicinity and depending on the time of the year you can see penguins, orcas and dolphins.
At any time of the year you are sure to see other animals such as guanacos, maras, choiques, sea lions and elephant seals. As you read, the diversity in terms of fauna is very wide.
Based on our experience traveling with our child, we detail all the activities you can do in Puerto Madryn and surroundings.
Check out our guide to travel to Puerto Madryn: how to get there, best time of the year, tips and information to plan your trip.
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How many days are needed to travel to Puerto Madryn with children?
To do the main attractions such as whale watching, seeing penguins, sea lions and elephant seals, we recommend at least three days.
If you want to extend the tour by visiting the paleontological museum of Trelew or sailing to see dolphins, you should add at least one more day.
1) Whale watching in Península Valdés
Logically, if you go to Puerto Madryn with children this is a must do activity. Embarking in Puerto Pirámides is the main excursion to see the whales meters away in the sea. You can get to Puerto Pirámides by car or with an excursion from Puerto Madryn.
There are two navigation options:
- Traditional: in a boat that goes into the Nuevo Gulf. You will see the whales meters away from the boat from the surface of the boat.
- Yellow Submarine: more expensive navigation than the previous one, but for children a better experience for whale watching in Puerto Madryn. The main feature is that it is a semi-submersible that has windows in the submerged part of the boat, which allows you to see the whales under the sea.
To see whales in Puerto Madryn you must take into account that the whale watching season starts in June and ends in November. Outside these dates it is not possible to make the excursion.
2) Touring Península Valdés to see typical fauna
This is another activity that children will love. Peninsula Valdes is a protected area where not only whales are seen, but there are other fauna characteristic of the place that can be appreciated.
At the entrance to Península Valdés, you will find the Visitor’s Center, where it is worth stopping for an hour. Here there is a lot of information about the peninsula (flora, fauna, history), a space for children and even a skeleton of a southern right whale. It is a way to get ready for what you will see in the interior of the peninsula.
In addition to the aforementioned Puerto Pirámides where the boats leave, there are other places of interest in Península Valdés:
- Punta Pirámide: a few kilometers from Puerto Pirámides, there is a colony of sea lions.
- Caleta Valdés: on the central coast of Península Valdés, elephant seals can be seen from the cliffs. Two kilometers away there is a penguin colony, which can be observed from October to April.
- Punta Norte: on the northern end of Peninsula Valdes, is reached by gravel road. You can see sea lions and elephant seals. During the months of March and April is the perfect place to observe killer whales, if you are lucky, when they strand on the seashore to feed their young.
- Isla de los Pájaros: only five kilometers from the Visitor’s Center. It is not accessible, but from a distance you can see different species of birds.
- On the gravel roads in the interior of Península Valdés you will surely come across guanacos and choiques, we saw several. Maras are a bit more difficult to see.
If you do not want to go around Peninsula Valdes in your own car or a rental car, there is an excursion that combines whale watching with a tour around Peninsula Valdes.
Tips for visiting Península Valdés with children
- You can do the whale watching boat trip from Puerto Pirámides and drive around Península Valdés in one day, but keep in mind that most of the roads are gravel, so you will have to drive slowly.
- If you are going to spend the whole day, bring a drink and some snacks. There are restaurants in the area of Puerto Pirámides (they are expensive). In Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes there are paradores, to have a drink overlooking the sea.
- Check the weather conditions the day before, boats do not go out in stormy weather and rough seas.
- Do not take a baby stroller if you go with small children, the terrain is very uneven. It is best to carry a backpack.
- If you make the trip by car, fill up with gasoline before entering Peninsula Valdes, as there is only one gas station in Puerto Piramides.
Useful information:
- Opening hours: Every day of the year from 8 am to 8 pm.
- Admission: Península Valdés access fee must be paid (people and car). See updated rates here.
3) Going to the beaches outside Puerto Madryn
There are two very characteristic beaches outside the city center:
- El Doradillo: if you don’t want to pay to embark at Puerto Piramides, El Doradillo is the other ideal place to see the whales for free. This wide stone beach located about 25 kilometers from downtown Puerto Madryn is accessed by a gravel road. In whale season, you will see them at a very short distance, practically on the shore of the beach. There are also excursions that leave from Puerto Madryn to El Doradillo beach.
- Paraná Beach: a wide stone beach where children can play. In addition, it has a peculiar characteristic, there is a ship that ran aground many years ago near the shore.
4) Visit the Pampa Azul Ecocenter
Another ideal place to go with children in Puerto Madryn, especially on a rainy day. This site is a cultural center, where the Patagonian marine fauna is the main protagonist.
For the little ones, the center is very well prepared. It has information with drawings and a room dedicated to the southern right whale. In the lower part, there are several activities for children, whose purpose is the knowledge of the marine fauna and its preservation.
Finally, do not forget to climb up to the tower of the center to contemplate the sea views. If you want to know opening hours and access prices, see our article about visiting the ecocenter in Puerto Madryn.
5) See the sea lions in Punta Loma
If you want to see an important colony of sea lions present all year round in the vicinity of Puerto Madryn, then you have to go to Punta Loma.
The sea lion reserve is located about 15 kilometers from downtown Puerto Madryn, the last five kilometers of which are gravel roads in good condition.
The sea lions can be seen from the top of the cliff. There is a trail along the cliff with two viewpoints located a short distance from each other. This hike can be done with even small children without any problems.
If you are not traveling to Puerto Madryn in your own car or rental car, there is a three-hour guided tour that visits the sea lion reserve at Punta Loma. If your children are over six years old, it is an excellent activity to snorkel with the sea lions.
6) Visit Punta Tombo, the main penguin reserve
Our recommendation is that if you want to see penguins on your trip to Puerto Madryn with children, you should definitely go to Punta Tombo. It is a bit of a long drive (188 kilometers from Puerto Madryn with the last 22 kilometers of gravel road), but it is really worth it.
The season to see Magellanic penguins in Punta Tombo is from October to February, when these friendly animals arrive to nest and have their young.
The most remarkable thing about Punta Tombo is the number of penguins that can be seen, and above all, the experience of having them next to us, walking along with us. Keep in mind that they cannot be touched or disturbed and that in case the penguin crosses a path, it always has priority.
Undoubtedly, this is an activity that children will never forget. If you do not go to Punta Tombo by car, there is a guided day trip from Puerto Madryn to Punta Tombo. You can also combine the visit to Punta Tombo with dolphin watching.
If you want more information about the schedule and price of access to the Punta Tombo reserve, see our article on how to visit Punta Tombo.
7) Visit the Egidio Feruglio Paleontological Museum in Trelew
About 70 kilometers from Puerto Madryn, the Paleontological Museum is one of the most important museums in Argentina in its field and an ideal place to go with children, especially if the weather is not good for being outdoors.
One of its main features is that it houses the largest dinosaur skeleton in the world, 38 meters long and 8 meters high. In addition, there are dinosaur skeletons of different species and many activities designed for children.
If your child is a fan of dinosaurs, this is a must-see. Also, at the entrance to Trelew in front of the airport, there is a replica of the largest dinosaur in the world, the Patagotitan Mayorum. Its size is impressive.
8) Puerto Madryn with children in summer
During the summer months, you won’t be able to see whales, but you can visit the Punta Tombo reserve to see the penguins, spot sea lions and elephant seals at Peninsula Valdes or Punta Loma, and of course enjoy the beaches of downtown Puerto Madryn.
These beaches are long and sandy, which allows children to have a wide area to play. Just be aware of the tides, as there is a big difference between low tide and high tide.
Where to stay in Puerto Madryn with children
We have written an article with several options for staying with children in Puerto Madryn, based on budget. See where to stay in Puerto Madryn with recommendations.