Dolphins in Puerto Madryn!

Puerto Madryn is famously known as the gateway to Argentina’s most spectacular marine wildlife. In our Argentina4U travel blog have already dedicated entire posts to many of Puerto Madryn’s famous residents: the colony of Magellan Penguins and the great white whales who for a few months every year stop off on the shores of Peninsula Valdez to mate and breed. These incredible creatures are now getting ready to leave Argentina’s shores. But don’t worry, if you’ve got an upcoming trip planned to Puerto Madryn, there’s still time! The last whalesleave at the end of December, so you can still catch a last glimpse!

In fact now, as November draws to a close is one of the best times of year to visit Puerto Madryn, as you can also witnessing some of nature’s most impressive, agile and beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, as dolphins start to flock to the waters near Peninsula Valdez. In coming weeks the southern coastlines of Argentina become the setting for a spectacular show of nature, as the animated, hyperactive dolphins tumble and summersault along the shoreline and set a beautiful contrast to the slow-moving, gigantic whales.

[caption id="attachment_435" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Whale season in Puerto Madryn lasts until the end of December. / Source[/caption]

As a matter of fact dolphins can be spotted close to the coastline of the Argentine Patagonia all year round. However there’s a few fascinating newcomers at this time of year and there’s so much more so see than your average flipper! Amazingly there are three types of dolphin species that at some point of the year set up home on Argentine shores: there’s the commerson’s dolphin, the dusky dolphin and schools of the common grey dolphin.

Commerson's Dolphins

Also nicknamed panda or skunk dolphins, due to their black and white markings, the commerson’s dolphin – with a length of only 1.5 meters - is the world’s smallest dolphin! Puerto Madryn is home to the largest population of this specific specie, which are locally known as Toninas. Also along the Argentine shores is one of the last places in the world where you can see these beautiful mammals in their natural environment!

These charming animals are not at all shy and love to dart back and forth alongside boats and leap into the air putting on a breathtaking show for the lucky passengers on board.  On a Puerto Madryn boat trip it is almost guaranteed that you will be able to observe numerous of these fascinating sea creatures having fun in their natural environment.

[caption id="attachment_436" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Make sure you don't mistake the black and white dolphins for swimming penguins! / Source[/caption]




Dusky Dolphins

Now, these so-called dusky dolphins become the highlight of any Puerto Madryn marine wildlife watching trip around this time of year. As the right whales depart these beautiful, incredibly acrobatic creatures arrive on Argentina’s coast and take over the spotlight.  The dusky dolphin is one of the most acrobatic on the planet. Once spotted, they tend to swim along with the boat with quick jumps and impressive water acrobatics, twisting and turning in the air. Another unusual trait for these dolphins seems to be that they’re incredibly friendly, not only with humans, but also with fellow animals; they often swim in company of different birds, and occasionally penguins and sea lions.

[caption id="attachment_437" align="aligncenter" width="540"] The extremely acrobatic dusky dolphins. / Source[/caption]

Best way to see the Dolphins

At the end of December the Puerto Madryn Whale watching tours are slowly replaced with dolphin watching tours. There are a variety of options as many local tour operators from December through March, organize half day boat trips to take you closer to the dolphins.

A great Puerto Madryn Tip: Dolphins can be seen throughout the bay of Golfo Nuevo, which lies between the town of Puerto Madryn and the Peninsula Valdez. The ideal day trip around this time of year is to take a tour to Punta Tombo to see the penguins, which in November give birth to their babies – an unforgettable sight in itself! On this tour you’ll get the chance to travel around the bay and plenty of opportunities to spot dolphins – if you’re lucky, you’ll have hoards of dolphins jumping alongside the boat.

[caption id="attachment_7547" align="aligncenter" width="540"] Dolphins in Puerto Madryn / source[/caption]

Another option is to combine dolphin watching with a visit to another of the Peninsula Valdes inhabitants – the beautifully lazy sea lions, which are hauled out across the beaches of Punta Loma.

Whichever way you choose to witness these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, seeing a dolphin in its natural habitat, is sure to be an experience you won’t forget! A highlight for many nature lovers travelling to Argentina!

If you are planning a trip to Puerto Madryn or the rest of Argentina, have a look at argentina4u.com or check out our weekly Argentina travel blog