The city of Puerto Madryn is in the north east of Chubut Province in the Patagonia region of Argentina situated on the shores of Golfo Nuevo, a large deep-water bay of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the third most populated city of the province,
and probably the second in importance after Trelew, a commercial city located 67kms from Puerto Madryn that is also known for having the closest
arrival airport for Aerolineas Argentinas flights.
The area was originally inhabited by the indigenous Tehuelche people, however Puerto Madryn
was officially founded by the Welsh immigrants that arrived on the clipper vessel "Mimosa" in 1865.
The boat was named in honour of Sir Love Jones-Parry, an important Welsh knight and landowner whose estate in Wales was also named "Madryn".
The settlement of Puerto Madryn continued to grow as the Welsh, Spanish and Italian immigrants started to construct the Central Chubut Railway line
linking Puerto Madryn to Trelew via the lower Chubut River valley. To this date Puerto Madryn still maintains a link to its Welsh culture and roots
by being twinned with Nefyn, a small town on the Llyn Peninsula in North Wales.
The current population of Puerto Madryn is approximately 57,571 inhabitants according to the last census in 2001 but
the city has been growing rapidly in the last few years mainly due to the fishing industry, the presence of an important aluminum refinery and the
rapid expansion of tourism. The city of Puerto Madryn is an extremely popular summer destination, as it is known worldwide for its beautiful beaches
and ecological diversity even though the Atlantic seawater can remain very cold with strong coastal winds throughout the summertime.
Furthermore, Puerto Madryn is developing a modern infrastructure that has also contributed to a significant tourism
increase by making it an attractive location for both international and domestic tourists visiting Patagonia, positioning Puerto Madryn as an
important city of the south of Argentina and gateway to some of the biggest natural tourist attractions in Patagonia, Peninsula Valdes and Punta Tombo.
The Spectacular Wildlife surrounding Puerto Madryn:
Peninsula Valdes
Located on the Atlantic coast in the Viedma Department is the Valdes Peninsula, an important nature reserve in the north east of Chubut
Province, which was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1999. Its spectacular coastlines are inhabited by an abundance of exciting marine
animals, like sea lions, elephant seals and penguins making it extremely popular Patagonian nature and wildlife tour destination.
Puerto Piramides is the only major town of Peninsula Valdes, where tourists can find a nice beach, some bars and restaurants as well as great
outdoor activities such as kite surfing or Whale Watching.
Southern right whales can be spotted between May and December, for mating and birthing in Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San
José, a body of calm, warm water protected by the peninsula and the Patagonian mainland, also making it an excellent spot for Scuba Diving as Golfo
Nuevo's small amount of current creates great visibility conditions. Furthermore, it is possible to spot Orcas in the open sea off the Valdes
peninsula, where they are known to beach themselves on shore to capture sea lions and elephant seals.
Touring inland of the Peninsula Valdes will give you a fabulous opportunity to watch particular Patagonian wildlife such as rheas,
guanacos and maras, as well as a wide range of birds; at least 181 bird species, 66 of which are migratory,
including the Antarctic Pigeon.
Punta Tombo
Located a short distance north of Camarones, on a peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean 110 km south of Trelew in Argentina is Punta Tombo,
the largest penguin colony in South America where you can walk among thousands of Magellanic penguins nesting their eggs and preparing their
offspring for migration between the months of October and March. The surrounding landscapes of Punta Tombo offers plenty of other sightseeing
opportunities, like a boat tour to spot the small black-and-white Commerson's dolphins or a tour to other Welsh colony cities such Gaiman or Trelew.
Punta Loma
Located only 17 kilometers south west from Puerto Madryn you can discover the Punta Loma reserve,
the only permanent sea lion colony reserve in South America. According to records, Punta Loma was created in 1967 and it was the first natural
reserve in the Province of Chubut.
How to arrive in Puerto Madryn
Bus
Bus journeys from Buenos Aires are approximately 17 hours. There are wide selections of bus companies that travel direct from Buenos Aires' Retiro
station to Puerto Madryn. Services are comfortable coaches that range from standard to sleepers.
Meals and drinks are served on board, all have toilets and films are also shown during the trip. Several bus companies cover this route:
Andesmar,
El Pinguino and Via TAC.
Plane
Flights are approximately 2 hours long and only depart from Buenos Aires. Puerto Madryn's Airport is located 10 minutes from the
downtown area. There are currently only three flights per week from Buenos Aires due to environmental concerns.
The only airline doing domestic flights from Buenos Aires to Puerto Madryn is Andes Airlines.
Aerolineas Argentinas flies daily to Trelew, which is only an hours journey from Puerto Madryn, therefore you can fly to Trelew and get a direct
transfer to Puerto Madryn for easy access to the tours around the peninsula area.
For transfers from Puerto Madryn International Airport to you hotel in Puerto Madryn, click here
Weather in Puerto Madryn
The general climate in Puerto Madryn is cold and semi-arid, with average annual precipitations between 150 and 200mm.
- In the summer months it can reach extremely high temperatures during the day, anything up to 40°C but will always cool at night, so if you are
traveling to Puerto Madryn in the summertime remember to bring warm layers; a jacket, sweatshirt or a sweater, as well as your swimming costume,
sunglasses and sun lotion. It is important to apply sun lotion in the southern hemisphere as we are less protected by the ozone layer the closer we
get to the Polar circle of Antarctica.
- In the winter, temperatures are cold throughout the day and night although Puerto Madryn never experiences snow as the city is situated next to
the ocean. The most important climate factors to consider are the strong winds. It is recommended to bring not only warm multiple layers but also a
good jacket, appropriate shoes and a hat, especially when taking part in a slow moving tour such as whale watching.
Puerto Madryn Tips and Facts
- Puerto Madryn has a wide selection of accommodation categories. It is advisable to book well in advance during peak seasons, which run from
June 15th to December 15th when it is great for whale watching in Peninsula Valdes, and from December 15th to March 15th when it is the summer season.
- There is plenty of stunning Patagonian landscapes and wildlife near Puerto Madryn so if you would like to explore the land it is possible to hire
a bicycle for the day. Most hostels and hotels in Puerto Madryn can put you in touch with a bicycle hire outfit.
- Puerto Madryn's downtown area itself is fairly compact therefore it is quite easy to walk from one place to another, however, it does have a city
bus system and taxis are numerous. Rental cars are also available in Puerto Madryn but it is recommended to book from Buenos Aires especially of you
would like to collect the car from the airport. There are an abundance of amazing scenic routes, which you can drive and explore by yourself.
By renting a car you can also enjoy a broader number of scenic lodging options in other areas.
- Payment Methods
Although the American Dollar and the Euro are generally accepted, the money exchange is done in banks and authorized
offices, however traveler?s cheques exchange is difficult outside Buenos Aires. Most frequently accepted credit cards are American Express, VISA,
Dinners and Master Card but there are also a lot of ATM's available in Puerto Madryn City centre.
Traditional Festivals and Events in Puerto Madryn
- June: Whale season opening, this is the peak period when the Puerto Madryn receives the largest amount of tourists from all over the world.
- July 28th: Commemoration of the City's foundation.
- November: Fishermen's festivity.
- December: National Scuba Diving Festivity. Diving competition, award: Jules Rossi Cup.
