Located on the Atlantic coast, it is one of the main cities to visit in Patagonia Argentina. So that you don’t miss out on anything, we tell you what to do in Puerto Madryn in 3 days.
🔎 Check here the quide to travel to Puerto Madryn.
Puerto Madryn is one of the main cities of the Argentinean Patagonia located on the Atlantic Ocean side. Its extensive beach in the centre of the city and all the activities in contact with nature in the surroundings attract visitors from all over the world.
The main activity to see in Puerto Madryn is whale watching, these cetaceans that come to the coasts of the Nuevo Gulf from May to November and it is quite a spectacle to watch them both from the boat and from the seashore.
So that you make sure you get to see everything, below is a recommended itinerary of what to do in Puerto Madryn in 3 days.
Table of Contents
Summary – Itinerary for Puerto Madryn in 3 days:
- Day 1: Whale watching and trip around Península Valdés
- Day 2: Visit Ecocentro and whale watching from El Doradillo beach
- Day 3: Seeing the penguins at Punta Tombo and afternoon tea in Gaiman
🔎 Check here the top 5 things to do in Puerto Madryn.
Day 1: Whale watching and trip around Península Valdés
This itinerary of what to see in Puerto Madryn in 3 days starts with the main attraction of Península Valdés. From May to November is the whale watching season from Puerto Piramides, where you can go sailing.
The boat sails several kilometres out into the Nuevo Gulf and stops its engines when it spots the whales in the near distance. You can watch these large animals pass underneath the boat and witness the spectacular leaps they make in the water – just have your camera ready at the right moment!
📷 Check out the whale watching boat trip here. Includes: Hotel pick-up and drop-off, air-conditioned bus transport, English and Spanish-speaking guide specialised in marine biodiversity, 1.5 hour boat trip along the shores of the Valdes Peninsula (Traditional and Yellow Submarine options only). Not included: Lunch and Valdes Peninsula entrance fee.
🔎 Check here the full article for Whale Watching in Puerto Madryn.
After returning to Puerto Pirámides, it is time to go to the interior of the Valdés Peninsula, a protected area with gravel roads that allow you to see the native flora and fauna. At the entrance to the reserve there is an interpretation centre that explains all the species you can see.
There are three main places inside Península Valdés, besides the already mentioned Puerto Pirámides, where you can stop, walk along the trails and have fabulous views:
- Punta Norte, where you can spot killer whales hunting from October to April;
- Caleta Valdés, to see a penguin and elephant seal colonies;
- Bird Island, where you can watch many birds flying over this small island from the shore.
🔎 Check here the quide to visit Península Valdés.
Day 2: Visit Ecocentro and whale watching from El Doradillo beach
The second day begins with a walk through the Puerto Madryn centre and the almost five-kilometre long seafront promenade, with its beaches, restaurants and viewpoints to contemplate the infinity of the sea and see the occasional whale. Pay attention that if it is the season, you may even see a whale.
🔎 Check here the article on what to see in the seafront promenade in Puerto Madryn.
At the southern end of Puerto Madryn is the Ecocentro, with several exhibition halls dedicated to both the southern right whale, the great protagonist of the area, and the Patagonian ecosystem. At its highest point there is a fabulous viewpoint. A little further south, there is the wide Paraná Beach, a place where people meet to fish and which is famous for the stranded ship close to the seashore.
🔎 Check here the quide to visit Ecocentro.
In the afternoon, the ideal plan is to go to El Doradillo beach, 25 km north of Puerto Madryn, a perfect place to watch the whales from the coast and listen to the sound produced by the water vapour they exhale through their blowholes. It is truly amazing to see these enormous animals with their calves swimming very close to the seashore. Of course, to see this spectacle you have to go between the months of May and November.
📷 Take a look at these tours to go to El Doradillo beach with a local agency. Book your place!
Day 3: Seeing the penguins at Punta Tombo and afternoon tea in Gaiman
The last day of activities to do in Puerto Madryn in 3 days we recommend visiting two of the main attractions located further away.
The first one is Punta Tombo Nature Reserve, located 190 kilometres from Puerto Madryn, which can be reached by taking an excursion or your own car along a partly paved and partly gravel road. Punta Tombo is important because it is home to one of the main colonies of Magellanic penguins, which can be observed from October to February at a distance of only a few metres.There are two well-marked wooden walkways that run alongside the nests built by the penguins on the seashore. There is also an Interpretation Centre and other typical Patagonian animals such as guanacos, rheas and seabirds can be observed.
📷 Check out these Magellanic penguin tours and make your reservation:
– Punta Tombo penguin excursion from Puerto Madryn
– Punta Tombo excursion with penguin and Commerson’s dolphin watching.
🔎 Check here the quide to visit the penguins at Punta Tombo.
After this recommended excursion in Puerto Madryn it is time to relax in the town of Gaiman and have a snack in one of the typical Welsh tea houses of the city. This small town was settled by Welsh immigrants many years ago and still maintains its gastronomic traditions.
We recommend Ty Gwyn or Ty Te Caerdydd (famous for the presence of Lady Di in 1995), for tea accompanied by cakes, bread with jams and scones. From here 80 kilometres separate you from the return to Puerto Madryn.
📷 Take a look at these tours to visit Gaiman with a local agency. Book your place!
🔎 Check here the things to do in Gaiman.
Where to stay in Puerto Madryn
There is a wide range of places to stay in Puerto Madryn, as it is one of the destinations that receives a lot of national and international tourism. It includes modern hotels with sea view, hostels and bungalows.
🏨 Check here where to stay in Puerto Madryn and get your ideal accommodation.
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