Dive into the captivating world of Puerto Madryn’s whale watching tours, where the vastness of the Atlantic becomes a stage for the awe-inspiring performances of the Southern Right Whales. As these gentle giants breach, fluke, and glide through the azure waters, you’re offered a front-row seat to one of nature’s most profound spectacles. With the backdrop of the Argentine coastline and the rhythmic lull of the sea, these tours promise an intimate and unforgettable encounter with the titans of the deep.
Five routes on the whale coast, sorted by price. All of them fall inside the season; what changes is how much of the peninsula and the wider coast you cover around the whales.
| Trip | Days | Route | Price from | Per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Puerto Madryn | 4 Day TripThe classic four days, with the boat out of Puerto Piramides and the peninsula circuit. | Days4 | RoutePuerto Madryn · Puerto Pirámides | Price from575 € | Per day144 € |
| 4 Days – Whales and Penguins in Puerto MadrynWhales and the penguin colony at Punta Tombo in the same trip, which only works in spring. | Days4 | RoutePenínsula Valdés · Punta Tombo | Price from685 € | Per day171 € |
| Puerto Madryn Nature & Sea Adventure | 4 Day TripAdds the water: kayak and snorkel in the gulf where the whales calve. | Days4 | RoutePuerto Madryn · Golfo Nuevo | Price from1.033 € | Per day258 € |
| Puerto Madryn Wildlife Adventure | 4 Day TripThe wildlife-first version, with the guiding built around what is in season that week. | Days4 | RoutePenínsula Valdés · Punta Norte | Price from1.059 € | Per day265 € |
| Puerto Madryn – Bahia Bustamante Lodge | 6 Day TripBahia Bustamante, a private coast with the wildlife of a national park and almost nobody on it. | Days6 | RouteChubut · Bahía Bustamante | Price from4.291 € | Per day715 € |
Prices are per person, from, for the 2026 to 2027 season. Per day is a comparison aid, not how the trip is billed. Every itinerary is tailor-made and quoted individually.
Puerto Madryn is the only place in Argentina where the choice is real: go out to them, or let them come to you. They are different experiences and they cost differently.
The licensed boats sail from Piramides on the peninsula, about an hour and a half from Madryn. Sightings are close and the regulations keep the distance honest.
The classic, and it needs booking
Fifteen minutes north of town the seabed drops sharply, and mothers with calves come within metres of the shore. It costs nothing and needs no boat, and it works best at high tide.
June to September is the window
Around 1.500 come to these gulfs to calve, and they are among the least shy of the large whales. Calving peaks in the middle of the season, which is why spring shows the most activity close in.
Not to be confused with the orcas
The town and the peninsula are at Puerto Madryn tours, the penguins at penguin tours, and the wider coast at Patagonia wildlife.
This page has one season and it is not negotiable. Outside it there are no whales in the gulfs at all.
The gulfs fill, and El Doradillo works from the beach. Cold, windy and the least crowded part of the season.
Best for shore watching
Mothers and calves everywhere, the penguins arriving at Punta Tombo, and the elephant seals breeding. The busiest and the best.
What we recommend if you can choose
The last whales go through December and the gulfs are empty by January. February to April brings the orcas at Punta Norte instead, which is a different trip.
No whales from January to May
Months in orange are whale season. If your dates fall outside it we will say so rather than sell you a boat trip with nothing on it.
If you still haven’t found what you are looking for, you can continue exploring other destinations. We have more than 80 itineraries designed for different types of travelers and all of them can be adapted to your tastes or needs.
Send us as much information as you can to customize your argentina trip. We’ll be happy to help create new experiences based on your thoughts and likes. Our goal is to make the best trip you’ve ever dreamed!
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Every quote we send lists this in writing, trip by trip. As a rule, this is how a Puerto Madryn package is built.
Hotels selected and checked by our team; private transfers between airports, hotels and excursions; excursions with English-speaking local guides; entrance fees to Península Valdés and the Punta Tombo reserve where your itinerary includes them; daily breakfast and the meals marked day by day; a local WhatsApp support line for the whole trip.
International flights to and from Argentina; travel insurance; meals not marked in the itinerary; personal expenses and gratuities; optional activities, which we price in writing beforehand. The Buenos Aires to Trelew or Puerto Madryn flight is quoted separately or included depending on the package, and your quote states which, with the amount, so the total is clear before you book.
Whales, penguins and sea lions keep their own calendar, and the sea has the last word on a boat departure. If wind holds the whale watching boat, we move it to the next window inside your stay and use the Punta Loma sea lion colony or the El Doradillo shore, where whales come close enough to watch from the beach. Wherever the schedule allows, we rebook the highlight inside your trip at no extra cost.
Answer within 24 hours, from a person, not an autoresponder.
