PENÍNSULA VALDÉS

Hundreds of right whales, more than a million and a half penguins, thousands of seals, sea elephants, and diverse species of birds flock to the rustic Patagonian coasts during their breeding periods, which facinates us as we contemplate the animal kingdom.

PENINSULA VALDÉS: In addition to its beauty, it is synonymous with peace, and is the place chosen by many species for the birth of their young. From Puerto Pirámides, we have the posibility of boarding a boat that will take us closer to the splendid world of the whales in order to be able to appreciate them from a very short distance.

The fauna reserve Punta Delgada is located at the extreme southeast of Peninsula Valdés. It is a natural balcony over the cliffs hanging over the Atlantic Ocean. From here, we can observe the colonies of seals and sea elephants which take shelter there.

The fauna reserve Caleta Valdés: it is a long tongue of earth 24 kilometers to the south of Punta Norte, which separates the open sea from an interior lagoon and in which we find special living conditions. On its coasts, we find penguins, seals, and sea elephants.

On the five inner islands, there are guanacoes, maras, and nandues; the waters are very rich in piscicultural species.

The fauna reserve Punta Norte: is located to the extreme northeast of Peninsula Valdés and is where we find the most important sea elephant colonies in the country.

Puerto Madryn is one of the most outstanding ports of the country, located 82 kilometers from Rawson and 67 kilometers from Trelew. Travelling only a short distance, we can observe the whales from Doradillo beach; the same wide beach is an ideal place to enjoy the summer.

GAIMAN stands out for its brick edifications, its deep-rooted Welsh customs, and its tea-houses which also offer exquisite cakes, pies, and other sweets. Nearby is the Paleontological Park Bryn Gwyn.

Trelew. Located 20 kilometers from Rawson and also settled by the Welsh, is the commercial and industrial center of the area as well as the strategic cross-over point for the air and land routes that connect it with the rest of the country. During the month of October, the youth celebrate Eistedwood.

Rawson is the capital of Chubut. It was founded on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean by Welsh colonizers. You can visit the Don Bosco Regional Museum, which exhibits elements of the indigenous civilizations of the province, as well as the Recreational Park "General San Martín."

In the surroundings are recreational areas for the summer months, including Playa Unión (a beach 6 kilometers away) and smaller but beautiful beaches like Playa Escondida. Here, sports fishermen fish for pejerrey and bass.

Punta Tombo. The Fauna Reserve Punta Tombo is located 120 kilometers to the south of Rawson. It provides shelter to the largest continental colony of penguins outside of Antarctica. There are also cormorants, seagulls, and other varieties. In the month of November, you can see the newborns.

Camarones. This is a small fishing town located 25 kilometers from Trelew. It is located within a region which constitutes a true ecological reserve, the Fauna Reserve of Cabo Dos Bahías (30 kilometers from Camarones) with two-haired seals and Magellanic pinguins.

Comodoro Rivadavia. is one of the youngest and most populated cities of the region and an important center for tourism services. Its principal activity is petroleum production.

The city recently turned 100 years old on February 23rd, 2001.

Here, you can finde the Aonikenk Turismo main office. This is also where the great majority of the land circuits begin, then extending out towards the entire central and southern parts of Patagonia and the Bioceanic Corridor.

Among its principal tourist attractions, you will find: the Petroleum Museum, one of the largest in the world; the Wind Park; the Cerro Chenque, and the Rada Tilly Beach Village, where the waters invite you for a swim during the short summer of central Patagonia.

Within this beach village, we find the Cerro Punta del Marqués which extends itself out into the sea and shelters a colony of one-haired seals and which offers a look-out point to allow the visitor to observe these animals.

The port of Caleta Córdoba; a small maritime population located 20 kilometers to the north of Comodoro Rivadavia.

Its beauty lies in the diverse colors of its landscape and seascape, where its coasts shelter small fishing ships, the lighthouse continues in activity since the beginnings of the last century, and its small restaurants offer you the opportunity to enjoy a typical picada de mariscos (small plates offering samples of a variety of fresh seafood).

The city of Comodoro Rivadavia also has a casino with roulette and slot machines and allows the visitor a distinct evening.

Sarmiento, located 156 kilometers from Comodoro Rivadavia is enveloped between the Lakes Musters and Colhue Huapi, where many practice fishing and water sports.

The Petrified Forest of Sarmiento. This is a phantasmagoric landscape of fossilized trees dating approximately 65 million years. An amazing national monument, located 3 kilometers from Sarmiento.

Email: patagonia@aonikenk.com.ar
Telephone and Fax: Country Code (54) Area Code (297) Number: 446-6768 or 446-1363

Rawson 1190 - Comodoro Rivadavia (9000)- Chubut - Argentina
www.aonikenk.com.ar