Patagonian Coast

The Patagonian coast offers a dazzling landscape. Here, the main attraction is the marine fauna—abundant in number and species—forming some of the largest colonies on the planet. National Route No. 3 runs parallel to the Atlantic coast, which we take as the axis of this circuit, traveling north-south by car.

The Journey

The first Patagonian city you encounter on a north-south route along Route 3 is Viedma, the capital of the Province of Río Negro.

“El Cóndor” Beach Resort is located 30 km from the city. Its beaches, predominantly low-lying, give way to the first cliffs to the west, where the world’s largest Burrowing Parrot Colony is located. Beach resorts and areas for water and wind sports line the vast stretches of sand.

 

A few kilometers further on are the localities of “San Antonio Oeste” and “Las Grutas.” The latter thrives within the San Antonio Bay Protected Natural Area, on the coast of the impressive San Matías Gulf. The great diversity of life in this Gulf is offered year-round on boat-based whale-watching excursions departing from “Las Grutas” and “San Antonio Este.” Following the whale-watching calendar, travelers can sail into a sea where dolphins reign supreme, encountering sea lions, petrels, albatrosses, penguins, and, from August to October, the colossal Southern Right Whale. Furthermore, due to its geographical location, the beaches of “Las Grutas” enjoy a particularly warm climate, attracting thousands of tourists every summer to enjoy its waters.

Continuing south in the province of Río Negro, “Playas Doradas” offers a place to enjoy nature and water sports. It boasts 3 kilometers of gently sloping beach with very fine sand, unique in the country, a product of the fragmentation of quartz and silica. From here, the “Islote Lobos” National Park can be explored via the River Mouth Trail, a self-guided, signposted trail, always taking into account the tides.

Already in the province of Chubut, we arrive at Puerto Madryn, which boasts undeniable tourist value, being the largest service center on the Patagonian coast and the gateway to the Valdés Peninsula, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. This location is chosen each year by the Southern Right Whale to mate and give birth to their young, a natural spectacle that can be witnessed from June to mid-December at the locality of “Puerto Pirámides.”

Just a few kilometers from downtown Puerto Madryn, “El Doradillo” Protected Natural Area is one of the best places for whale watching from land.

 

But they are not the only species seen in these areas. They are also joined by dolphins, killer whales, sea lions and elephant seals, Magellanic penguins, and a wide variety of birds and terrestrial fauna. Furthermore, the “Punta Tombo” Protected Natural Area is home to one of the largest continental colonies of Magellanic penguins, with a population exceeding 400,000, and can be seen between the months of September and April.

From the city of Trelew to Comodoro Rivadavia, the so-called Blue Route, in reference to its proximity to the sea, runs more than 450 km along the Chubut coast. This scenic corridor passes through unique landscapes, authentic villages, and protected natural areas. The route invites you to discover the marine biodiversity of the Argentine Sea, with bays and islands that are refuges for birds and mammals. Highlights include the “Patagonia Azul” Provincial Park, one of the largest coastal-marine reserves in the country, recognized by UNESCO as a Biosphere Reserve. Also noteworthy is the “Cabo Dos Bahías” Natural Protected Area—the gateway to the “Patagonia Austral” Interjurisdictional Marine Coastal Park—with its landscape of volcanic rocks that contrast with the blue sea. It protects a large colony of Magellanic penguins. Just a few kilometers from Comodoro Rivadavia, the “Sierras Coloradas” Protected Natural Area boasts a wide variety of coastal vegetation and fauna, a petrified forest with conifer trunks dating back more than 60 million years, and the presence of palm trees remains from the Paleocene.

Continuing south, the Blue Route, on the Santa Cruz coastline, is a scenic and cultural journey along National Route 3, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Patagonian plateau. From Caleta Olivia to Río Gallegos, passing through several localities, this route connects historic ports, nature reserves, rural villages, and unique settings that reveal the most authentic essence of southern Patagonia. You can access viewing points for sea lions and elephant seals, Commerson’s dolphins, cormorants, Antarctic pigeons, Magellanic penguins, and even visit the only continental colony of rockhopper penguins.

Its tour is highlighted by natural attractions such as “Isla Pingüino,” the Deseado Estuary, the Darwin Viewpoints, “Monte León” National Park, and Cape Virgenes, among others. As for cultural attractions, it boasts important museums and historical monuments. At San Julián, the site of the first European contact with the inhabitants of our territory in 1520, when the expedition of Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived. A life-sized replica of his flagship, the Nao Victoria, is on display.

This unforgettable adventure along the Patagonian coast covers a total of 1,600 kilometers, a journey that offers countless attractions linked to nature, wildlife, and geological prehistory.

Since this circuit focuses on marine wildlife viewing, it is important to keep in mind the wildlife calendar, as the species visiting the area vary depending on the month of the year.