Puerto Madryn, Argentina
Puerto Madryn is a great place for families to experience and explore. Not only is this Atlantic coast town - some 1,400 km (870 miles) south of Buenos Aires - a departure point for area sea life excursions and paleontology tours, Puerto Madryn is a family travel destination in its own right. Snorkel and scuba in the cold waters of Gulfo Nuevo. Hike coastal paths and steppe trails. Kayak round the peninsula. Relax on sandy beaches. Visit Ecocentro and learn about the sea and its life. Travel north to Penin... Read Moresula Valdes and watch southern sea life - southern elephant seals, Magellanic penguins, dolphins, southern right whales and Orcas - as well as numerous species of birds. Travel south to Trelew and learn about Argentina's dinosaurs. Follow the coast to Punta Loma and watch sea lions frolic. The journey to Puerto Madryn, a two hour flight or twenty hour bus trip from Buenos Aires, and on to Peninsula Valdes, more than 80 km (50 miles) north on predominantly unpaved roads, may seem daunting but the rewards are enormous.
Southern Elephant Seal
Punta Loma
Karina Jozami courtesy Interpatagonia.com
Southern Right Whale
Ecocentro
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History & Culture
Puerto Madryn, a small town on the Atlantic coast of Patagonia, was founded by immigrants in 1865. The Welsh arrived aboard the ship Mimosa on July 28 and were soon followed by Spanish and Italian settlers. Why did they come to this wind-swept steppe? Like the Puritans that colonized Salem, Massachusetts, the Welsh sought religious freedom in Argentina. The Spanish and Italian, on the other hand, moved here on the promise of land.
Maps
Online maps are a great family travel planning resource and great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Teach kids to use online maps to pinpoint your family travel destination, identify points of interest and plan your itinerary. Ask them to map geographical features and nature reserves.
Books
Jorge Luis Borges may be Argentina's best known author but he's not the only Argentine writer of note. Get recommended reading lists for travel to Argentina and, in addition to introducing younger children to your travel destination, get teens and tweens ready for a family trip.
Music & Sound
Music is a great way to introduce children to a local culture and embark on a journey through sound. Learn about Argentine folk music. Listen to Mapuche song. Neither have dance steps to rival the tango yet both celebrate life in Patagonia.
News
Local newspapers provide insight to local culture in a way books can't. Read Argentine newspapers online and brush up on current events from around the country. Get provincial news and, in addition to discovering what's happening in Chubut, find out what the locals are reading.
Kids' Stuff
Online resources make learning lots of fun. Learn about southern sea lions, southern elephant seals, southern right whales and Magellanic penguins. All four of these marine mammals frequent the cold waters off the coast of Patagonia. Get fun facts about dinosaurs big and small and, in addition to finding out why these reptiles once roamed here, reconstruct the landscape. Who knows what you might learn?
Animal Facts
PBS SIEC Dinosaurs Big & Small American Museum of Natural History Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County Organizations
Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as means to get involved. Find out more about a few of the local organizations working to protect Patagonia's flora and fauna.
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Recommended Reads for Family Travel to Argentina