Punta Tombo and Isla Escondida From Puerto Madryn Patagonia

Isla Escondida is a vast beach located on the Atlantic coast, about 65 km south of Rawson, on the way to the Punta Tombo reserve. It is a rarely visited site of great natural value, where it is possible to observe southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from the shore, at a very short distance.

During the visit, we will enter the beach to walk through the observation area and spend approximately one hour there, enjoying the stunning scenery and watching these large marine mammals in their natural environment.

Depending on the time of year, it is possible to spot adult males, females, and pups. Males can reach up to 5 meters in length and weigh over 3,500 kg, while females are smaller, about 2.5 to 3 meters long and around 800 kg. Elephant seals spend nearly 70% of their lives in the water, but during the breeding and molting seasons, they rest on the Patagonian beaches.

Punta Tombo is one of the most important Magellanic penguin reserves on the South American continent and one of the largest in the world. The reserve is open to the public from September to April, coinciding with the season when penguins arrive on the Patagonian coast to breed.

During the visit, we will take a walk of approximately two hours along the designated trails within the reserve, where it is possible to walk among the nests and observe thousands of penguins up close in their natural habitat.

The colony can host more than half a million penguins during the peak months, offering a truly unique wildlife spectacle. Along the way, visitors can witness different stages of the reproductive cycle — from the arrival of the males to prepare the nests, to egg incubation and the rearing of chicks, which by late summer begin to molt their feathers before returning to the sea.