Punta Tombo Penguin Colony from Puerto Madryn with optional Toninas Watching

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. You'll go to Punta Tombo, a geographical accident that Magellan's penguin uses as habitat (entrance fee not included). It is located at 3 hours from Puerto Madryn, on the road you will have time to appreciate Patagonian lanscapes. At this stop, you'll have the chance to watch penguins in their own habitat as they scurry and play on the rocks. There, you'll have time to observe how the penguins coexist on the coast with other species, such as Gulls, Skúas, Giant Petrels, Cormorants, Ostreros and Pato Vapor and, given the extension of the area, typical species of the steppe like Guanacos, Choiques, Maras and Grey Foxes. You'll spend approximately an hour and a half at this stop.

   2 h

2. Before going back to Puerto Madryn, you will make a stop at the Rawson's Port. If you chose the Toninas watching navigation, you'll embark to observe the Overas Toninas. The Overa Toninas are recognized for their similarity to the dolphins. They are no longer than a meter and a half. Puerto Rawson is one of the few places in the world where they can be observed in their natural habitat. These daring species usually escort ships, playing and showing their skills to the visitors who have the possibility to watch the spectacle. The navigation lasts approximately an hour and a half. The ones who didn't choose the navigation will have some free time to explore the port and why not enjoy a see food table (not included). You will be back to Puerto Madryn around 5 pm.

   2 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 33 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5excellent penguin experience

  most spectacular 'close encounters' with penguins and guanacos (wild llamas) imaginable...the one mile hike along the boardwalk affords the viewers countless very close encourters with penguins and their gosslings, as well as the occasional encounter with a guanaco.

  Y8873NWbillpDecember 2024via Tripadvisor

• 3Punta Tombo is a great place but no tour needed

  The guide was very nice. But it’s not worth taking a tour, better just find a way to get to Punta Tombo as you basically just walk in the reserve by yourself. They take you to a tea house after, note that you can just not go and go for a walk as it’s the experience is so-so. 8k for tea + a (very very big) spread of butter toast, cakes and scones.

  Kim_JJanuary 2024via Viator

• 5Highly recommended!

  A wonderful tour seeing so many penguins so close! And the toninas as well. Our guide was a real pro, very knowledgeable and really loving his job! Highly recommended tour that I would love to do again some dayz

  ilhank554December 2023via Tripadvisor

• 5Amazing experience!

  A great tour to absolutely do if you’re in Puerto Madryn. Very well-organized and our tour guide was super!

  Ilhan_KNovember 2023via Viator

• 5Many cute penguins

  It is a 2 hour trip from Puerto Madryn to punta Tombo, but the reserve is very interesting, You are able to walk along the different trails , the Penguins are so noisy calling each other to nest, but they and also friendly to take pictures (but do not touch them)It is a 20 minutes walk to the shore where the colony is bigger and you can see them swimming. One comment there is no WIFI or internet so be prepared to pay lunch in cash

  Norma FNovember 2022via Tripadvisor

• 2Terrible value

  Although guide & Punta Tombo was great (no issues there) the tour was not as advertised and poorly planned. First of all there was no tonina dolphin watching option (we didn’t buy online cuz reviews said it was a ripoff). Instead we went to to Welsh tea which we had no interest in (town is quite boring), which in turn only gave us 90 minutes(!) with the penguins. 90 minutes for a full day tour for the main attraction is just terrible value considering the price. We literally travelled thousands of miles and spent $1000’s to get there and only got 90 minutes in a rushed atmosphere. Again no fault of the tour guide who was great. Just the agency who designs it. We also found out others had paid less than half the amount we did. We paid over $220 basically for a 3 hour bus ride and a rushed visit to Punta Tombo. I considered 1 star but bumped up to 2 cuz guide was nice and accomodating (name was Juan).

  Luis_SOctober 2022via Viator

Know before you go

How it compares in Puerto Madryn

• Its from-price is 37% above the median of the 67 day trips we list in Puerto Madryn.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 10 of 67.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Puerto Madryn

Puerto Madryn is a Patagonian port on a wide, sheltered gulf, and the starting point for whale watching and for penguin and sea lion colonies.

Puerto Madryn faces the calm Golfo Nuevo on the Atlantic coast of Chubut province, a seaside town of broad beaches and a long waterfront promenade. Welsh settlers landed on this shore in 1865, and the valley towns of Gaiman and Trelew to the south still keep that heritage. The town itself is small and relaxed, with diving, sailing and sea views drawing most people outdoors.

Top-ranked sights in Puerto Madryn: Punta Tombo, Playa El Doradillo.

See all 155 experiences in Puerto Madryn