Punta Tombo: A Colony of penguins to enjoy from up-close
Can you imagine being part f a community of penguins for a day? Well, that is what you can do in Punta Tombo, 181 kilometers from Puerto Madryn, and 110 from Trelew.
In this reserve you can walk among these elegant birds, observe their life style, follow their steps, match how they take care of their nests and their offspring between the bushes, and see a little bit closer how they swim in the sea.
Punta Tombo is the biggest colony of Magellan’s penguins and the easiest to get to. But for this to be kept there’s a golden rule that must be obeyed:
“you can look but do not touch”
How to get there
From Madryn: head South on Provincial Route 3, towards Rawson. After 70 kilometers or so, when you’ve passed Trelew, you’ll get to Provincial Route 1. From there, towards South, you’ll have to do 107 kilometers more.
Because it is a protected area, it has the minimal infrastructure (toilettes, quick shop, ticket sale and a future Interpretative Center of the flora and fauna).
With their distinguished walk penguins emerge from the sea. If you go back through the same road, going to Route 25, you could go towards the coast, visiting Chubut’s capital, Trelew, and Union Beach, or go towards the inferior valley of the Chubut River, going through the city of Trelew. On this very same route you can get to Gaiman, a very old Welsh colony that still holds its traditions. An advice: don’t miss the Welsh tea!
The Reserve and its Penguins
here to mait and give birth
Punta Tombo is a narrow and rocky path that enters the sea about 3.5 km; its extensive beaches are perfect for the penguins to make their nests. In 1979 Chubut Province declared the Faunistic Reserve to protect Magellan’s Penguins and the species that live with them.
The birds arrive every year to nest, maid, have their offsprings and mutate to go back to the Northeast of South America and come back next year. The visitors are surprised watching how they move from here to there looking for their nests o running behind their young.
never touch them!
Penguins are sea birds. They have wings, but they don’t fly: they are evolved so as to swim. This is because they spent most of their life in the water, even sleeping there. When they swim they can reach a speed of 8 km per hour, that can be overcame when they jump over the water on short tranches.
An adult penguin can measure about 50 cm and weight 5 kilos. The plumage that defines the species is the white chest, black back and a double black and white collar. The vocalization of the adult penguins seems like brays. They use it to keep strangers away and to attract their partner.
On the other hand, the young, with a wheezed and continued chirp, ask for their food.
What can you see according to the time of the year?
Punta Tombo is a great
place to enjoy the penguins
You can see the arriving
of the males and females,
the territorial struggle
and the making of the nests.
October
Time of incubation of the eggs. It takes between 30 to 45 days.
November
Births and early care for chicks
December
Growth and intense activity on the beach. Seagulls stalking the nests.
January
The small penguins leave the nest, change their plumage and start their excursions to the sea.
February
The middle-aged penguins change their plumage, take over the beach, and make it impossible to get to the sea.
March to April
Young penguins are gone, so know the adults initiate their migration heading north.
May, June, July and August
The penguins are all in the sea feeding themselves so they can’t be seen.