Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia holidays
Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia holidays at a glance
The Valdés Peninsula juts into the Atlantic on the coast of northern Patagonia, a reserve of tawny steppe, sandy bays and cliffs that has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999 for its importance to marine life. Out on the treeless plains you’ll spot guanacos, rheas (ñandús) and armadillos, while the surrounding waters and beaches draw southern right whales, orcas, elephant seals, sea lions and huge colonies of penguins.
The great draw is the whales. Between June and December, southern right whales gather in the sheltered gulfs to breed, and a boat trip from the little town of Puerto Pirámides can bring you astonishingly close as they surface, roll and raise their tails beside the boat. Puerto Madryn, a breezy seaside town on Golfo Nuevo, is the usual base, with more comfortable hotels and an easy reach of the peninsula’s wildlife.
Atlantic Patagonia has a surprising Welsh connection, too. In 1865 a group of around 150 Welsh settlers landed here aboard the Mimosa, founding a colony that endures to this day. In villages around Trelew and Gaiman you’ll find Welsh chapels and tea rooms, hear Welsh still spoken, and, in late October, catch the Eisteddfod, a festival of Welsh music and poetry held here for well over a century.
Why choose Journey Latin America for your holiday to Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
We’ve been planning trips to Central and South America for over 45 years, longer than any other UK specialist. Every holiday is built around you by a Travel Expert who has been to the places they recommend, with support from your first enquiry to the day you fly home.
Come in the whale season if you can, roughly June to December. Two or three nights lets you see the whales, the penguins and a little Welsh Patagonia without rushing.
When to visit Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
The wildlife shapes when to come, and there’s plenty on show from roughly September to March, with the whale season running June to December. Seasons run opposite to the UK, so summer falls around the turn of the year. April and May are the quietest months and best avoided.
These are the summer months, with the hottest temperatures reaching 30°C and little rainfall. December is the end of the breeding season for southern right whales, while orcas and penguins will also be visible in the waters. This is the busiest month for visitors as it coincides with the Latin American holiday season.
These months see the most rainfall as temperatures begin to cool down. Orcas are visible during this time, but April and May are best avoided if you want to see the greatest variety of wildlife (including whales).
Winter temperatures are at their lowest, dipping to 10°C, and rainfall is likely in June and July. Late June is the beginning of the whale-watching season, with the best whale sightings from July – August in Puerto Madryn. August is a great time to see elephant seals on the Peninsula Valdes.
Temperatures begin to warm up and rainfall decreases, making this a pleasant time to visit weather-wise. These spring months are also the best for wildlife watching – look out for southern right whales and elephant seals, and the fluffy penguin chicks which first emerge in November. For those interested in the Welsh colonist community of Patagonia, late October sees the traditional celebration of Eisteddfod de Chubut.
Top Things to do in Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
This is a region for getting close to the wildlife, on the water and along the coast. Here’s what we recommend.
Discover the legacy of the formidable Welsh community in Patagonia – teas, museums, choirs.
Walk among the massed crowds of Magellanic penguins which breed on and close to the Valdés Peninsula.
Enjoy the sight of southern right whales arriving in the waters off the Valdes Peninsula.
Accommodation in Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
Accommodation ranges from comfortable hotels in Puerto Madryn to remote lodges and estancias out on the peninsula and along the coast, and we hand-pick each one for location and character. Puerto Madryn puts you close to the restaurants and the whale-watching boats, while special places like El Pedral, Estancia Rincón Chico and Bahía Bustamante sit deep in the wildlife, some with penguins or sea lions on the doorstep. Staying out on the peninsula buys you the early and late hours when the wildlife is most active.
An unusual and rewarding chance to stay in an oceanfront house within a tiny eco-village in Argentina’s desolately beautiful wilderness of northern Patagonia, an area rich in marine wildlife.
Estancia Rincon Chico is a homely lodge from where you can explore the Patagonian coast and discover its abundant wildlife.
Smart and modern seafront hotel with neutral décor, good facilities and an excellent location.
A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Holidays to Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
Group Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia Tours
Our group tours follow expertly designed, well-planned routes with an experienced local guide throughout. Prefer to keep it to your own party? Book the same trips privately for four or more.
Magellanic: Southern Voyage
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Argentinian lake district · El Calafate and Los Glaciares National Park · Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
12 days from £5,197
Tailor-Made Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia Tours
Prefer to travel on your own terms? We’ll build a trip around your dates, your pace and the things you most want to see – whether that’s a first run at Machu Picchu, a family adventure mixing history and wildlife, or a food-focused journey through Lima and the Sacred Valley. Our Travel Experts can help shape it with you.
Argentina Wildlife: Tropical wetlands and Patagonia
Places visited: Buenos Aires · Ibera wetlands · Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
12 days from £7,600
Patagonia cruise: Tierra del Fuego and Cape Horn
Places visited: Santiago and the vineyards · Islands and fjords of southern Patagonia · Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia · Buenos Aires
13 days from £6,250
FAQs about visiting Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia
Valdes Peninsula and Atlantic Patagonia is one of the most popular destinations, and there’s plenty to think about before you go. Here, our specialists share their best advice.
- When is the best time to go to the Valdes Peninsula?
There’s usually plenty of wildlife on show between mid-Sep and mid-Mar (the overall best time being mid-Sep to late Nov). Southern right whales are present mid-Jun to mid-Dec, breeding Sep-Nov. Penguins congregate on the beaches mid-Sep to mid-Mar. Although wildlife is present throughout the year (sea-lions, elephant seals, dolphins, seabirds) we suggest avoiding April and May (and the first half of June before the whale-watching season begins), when things are relatively quiet. In winter (Jun-Aug) temperatures dip to 10°C from highs of up to 30°C in summer (Dec-Feb).
For more detailed information visit our When To Go section.
- What language is spoken in the Valdes Peninsula?
The main language spoken in the Valdes Peninsula is Spanish.
- What currency do I need in the Valdes Peninsula?
The Argentine Peso is the main currency used in the Valdes Peninsula.
- What is the time difference between the Valdes Peninsula and the UK?
The time difference between the Valdes Peninsula and the UK is GMT -3 hours. Sometimes daylight saving is observed in the summer, but this is announced ad hoc on a year-on-year basis.
- What places combine well with the Valdes Peninsula?
El Calafate in the Los Glaciares National Park to visit Perito Moreno Glacier, (1hr 20mins flight). Direct flights also operate between Trelew and Ushuaia.
- How do I get to the Valdes Peninsula?
Flights from Buenos Aires to Trelew take take 1.5 hours; from El Calafate 1 hour 20mins.
- What are the festivals and cultural and sporting events in Valdez Peninsula?
The Eisteddfod de Chubut: late Oct in Trelew, base for visits to the penguins at Punta Tombo, held annually for over 130 years in the centre of the Welsh colonist community.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us where you want to go, and we’ll take it from there. No obligation, no sales pitch – just a conversation with someone who knows the region inside out.