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Caleta Valdes, Peninsula Valdes

 
There is more to Caleta Valdés than southern elephants seals and magellanic penguins. Steppe fauna - tinamous, armadillos, cuis, tucu-tucus, gatos del pajonal, southern gray fox, maras, and guanacos - is regularly sighted here. Migratory birds, such as the two-banded plover, white-rumped sandpiper, red knot, Hudsonian Godwit and rufous-chested dotterel, nest here in spring. Caleta Valdés was once prime hunting and fishing grounds for the Tehuelche Indians. And while the bay has changed significantly in the past decade, it remains one of the most panoramic points in Peninsula Valdes.
Caleta Valdés

Caleta Valdés

InterHabit SA

Magellanic Penguin

Magellanic Penguin

InterHabit SA

Elephant Seals

Elephant Seals

InterHabit SA

Magellanic Penguin Colony

Magellanic Penguin Colony

Gobierno del Chubut

 
Getting There
 
Caleta Valdes is located on the east coast of Peninsula Valdes and is situated 43 km (27 miles) south of Punta Norte. Caleta Valdes is accessible from the N52 and N47.
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When to Travel
 
Spring (September - November) is the best time of year to visit Peninsula Valdes. Not only is it the peak season for sea life viewing, the weather is generally mild and sunny. Southern right whales frequent these waters from May to December with top viewing in September and October. Orca whales are regularly sighted from August through November and February through April. Dolphins - dusky, long-finned pilot, Commerson and Peale - make their home here from August through March but are most frequently sighted in summer from December to February. Southern elephant seals and sea lions are year-round residents yet viewing is best from December to April. Magellanic penguins nest in October and November; newborns are active from December to March. Birding is best from September to February when migratories are present.
Weather Forecast & Climate History
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Marine Mammal Calendar
enPeninsulaValdes.com
Things to Keep in Mind
 
The information center is staffed by wildlife specialists. A restaurant and souvenir shop are also found here.
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TRAVEL TRIVIA
Magellanic penguins breed in:
Alaska
Patagonia
The Artic
South Africa