Punta Tombo and Isla Escondida: Penguin & Seal Wildlife Tour

Half a million penguins nest at Punta Tombo during breeding season.

This full-day tour from Puerto Madryn travels south along the Patagonian coast to two wildlife reserves: Punta Tombo, home to one of the world's largest Magellanic penguin colonies, and Isla Escondida, a remote beach where southern elephant seals rest on the shore. The tour includes an air-conditioned vehicle, a professional guide (in English or Spanish depending on group size), and entry to Punta Tombo Reserve. The itinerary spans 8 to 10 hours and is not designed for cruise passengers.

Step-by-step itinerary

Wildlife and beach exploration

• Depart from Puerto Madryn
• Walk trails at Punta Tombo reserve
• Observe Magellanic penguins up close
• Travel to Isla Escondida beach
• Watch southern elephant seals from shore

The experience

Eight to ten hours gets you to two sites most visitors to Patagonia never reach. You depart Puerto Madryn heading south, first stopping at Isla Escondida, a vast and rarely visited beach about 65 kilometers down the coast. There you walk the observation area for roughly an hour, watching southern elephant seals rest on the sand from a safe distance. Males can stretch to five meters long and weigh over 3,500 kilograms. Females run smaller, around 2.5 to 3 meters and 800 kilograms. The seals spend most of their lives in the water but haul out on these Patagonian beaches during breeding and molting seasons, so what you see depends on the time of year: adults, females, or pups.

The second stop is Punta Tombo, one of the largest Magellanic penguin reserves on the continent. The reserve opens to the public from September through April, the months when penguins arrive to breed. You walk the designated trails for around two hours, moving among the nests and observing thousands of penguins in their natural habitat. During peak months the colony holds more than half a million birds. Along the way you witness different stages of the breeding cycle: males preparing nests, eggs being incubated, chicks being raised, and by late summer the young molting their feathers before heading to sea.

The tour runs in a shared, air-conditioned vehicle. Groups of five or more travel with a professional guide who speaks English. Smaller groups have an English-speaking driver. Punta Tombo entry is included. The pace is built for moderate fitness. You're walking trails and uneven terrain, but the reserve itself is designed for public access and the two-hour walk is the main physical demand of the day.

What’s included

• Air-conditioned shared vehicle.
• professional guide in English or Spanish (depending on group size).
• entrance fee to Punta Tombo Reserve.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (3 to 11 years) · Infant (under 3): free

GroupUp to 20 · max 8 per booking

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 35 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by ARNEZ TRAVEL

Is this one for you?Book this if you're based in Puerto Madryn and have a full day free. You'll walk among penguins at Punta Tombo and observe seals at Isla Escondida with two hours at each site, moving between them by shared vehicle on a fixed schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 11 years); Infant (under 3): free.

How many penguins will I actually see at Punta Tombo?

Punta Tombo holds more than half a million Magellanic penguins during peak months (September through April), and you walk among the nests along designated trails for around two hours, so you'll encounter thousands up close in their natural habitat.

What are the southern elephant seals like at Isla Escondida?

Southern elephant seals rest on the beach at Isla Escondida, and you observe them from the shore at a safe distance. Males reach up to five meters in length and weigh over 3,500 kilograms. Females are smaller at 2.5 to 3 meters and around 800 kilograms. What you see depends on the season: adult males, females, or pups may all be present during breeding and molting periods.

How much walking is involved in this tour?

You'll walk for roughly one hour at Isla Escondida through the observation area, then around two hours along the trails at Punta Tombo among the penguin nests. The terrain is uneven, so moderate physical fitness is needed, but both sites are designed for public access.

Does the tour include meals or drinks?

The tour includes the vehicle, guide, and Punta Tombo Reserve entry, but meals and drinks are not provided, so bring water and snacks for the 8 to 10 hour day.

What time of year should I book this tour?

Punta Tombo Reserve is open to the public from September through April, the breeding season when Magellanic penguins arrive on the Patagonian coast. Outside these months the reserve is closed and the tour does not operate.