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Whale Watching on the Valdes Peninsula

The main reason people visit the Valdes Peninsula is to see the southern right whales. Learn about our whale watching experience at the Valdes Peninsula.

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The main reason people visit the Valdes Peninsula is go whale watching to see the southern right whales. The gulf is the perfect place for these whales to raise their young, since the water is so calm. The area is protected and as a result, one-third of the southern right whales come to these waters to reproduce.

Contents
About the Southern Right WhalesSouthern Right Whales at the Valdes PeninsulaWhale Watching ToursBottazzi Boat Tour

About the Southern Right Whales

These whales can be up to 60 feet long and weigh up to 60 tons. They are considered baleens and use their hair-like teeth to filter out zooplankton from water. They are characterized by the unique white calluses that are on the surface of the whale’s head. These calluses are unique on each whale, similar to a fingerprint.
Unlike other right whale species, this particular species has managed to recover from the centuries of commercial fishing, especially due to the conservation efforts of many different countries.

Southern Right Whales at the Valdes Peninsula

At the Valdes Peninsula, there are a few large gulfs and bays that allow the whales to breed in calm waters. They can feed their calves until they get large enough to swim and feed on their own and stay together for up to 2 years.
Due to the steep pitch around the Golfo Nuevo, the whales can get very close to the shore, making this prime whale watching. Between June and December, there’s pretty much a guarantee that you will see whales.

Whale Watching Tours

This area is highly protected and there are six companies that have been approved to provide whale watching tours. Each company has a commitment to conservation efforts:

The boats they use are small and the captains of each boat are respectful of the whales, allowing them to get close to the boats rather than chase them.

Because these tours are regulated by the government, each company’s tour costs the same and lasts 1.5 hours. They have some slight nuances that may differentiate them, such as Southern Spirit having submarine-like boats. You can book these tours online or directly with the company in Puerto Madryn or Puerto Piramides.

Bottazzi Boat Tour

We decided to go with Bottazzi because they are one of the oldest companies in the area. We decided to book the afternoon tour, knowing the weather conditions in the area. And this was truly perfect! The water was so calm and there was very little wind, making it a smooth experience. The companies are very aware of the weather conditions and may have to cancel or shift your tour to best accommodate.
Our tour was pushed back an hour and a half because of morning weather conditions that caused them to shift some tours. Despite this, we were still able to go on a wonderful tour. The bay does not have a boat dock to help reduce pollution in the water. The boats are pulled in and out of the ocean by a tractor.

For each tour, you will be required to wear a life vest. You can sit anywhere on the boat and, they have all designed the seating to really be able to see the whales from anywhere on the boat. If the whales are on the right side of the boat, people on that side are required to remain seated or kneel while anyone else on the boat can stand.

Finding the Whales

As we were leaving the gulf, we could see whales breaching and spouting in the distance. Our captain guided us to an area with many whales and calves (they are knowledgeable about the animal locations). We had the incredible opportunity of interacting directly with the whales. These are curious and playful creatures and some of them are not shy.

Interacting with the Whales

A mom and her calf decided to show off in front of us, playing with each other and watching our boat for an hour. Often, the moms leave the calves to get food, sometimes for up to 20-45 minutes. However, in our case, the mom stayed on the surface.
While we were watching the whales, the guide shared facts about the whales and their behaviors, mostly in Spanish. The captain was able to maneuver the boat to make sure that people on either side were able to see the whale as well as possible.
Ultimately, we spent an hour watching these whales and on our ride back in, we could continue to see the whales breaching in the distance.

A Sea Lion Bonus

Finally, our captain took us to a small area by Puerto Piramides where sea lions lay out. While we were able to see them from above from Punta Piramides (see our travel itinerary), it was nice to be able to ride right next to them.

While the whale watching excursion was on the pricier side for Argentina, we could not recommend this more. Do not skip out on this tour as it is a must do!
Note: There are experiences that allow you to swim with the sea lions in this area as well. We did not have the occasion to do this excursion at this time. you can book these in puerto madryn and they take place in the punta loma area.

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