Arguably the biggest star of the wildlife show in Valdes is the southern right whale, one of the world’s rarest and friendliest. Before the whaling industry subsided it was nearly hunted to extinction and it still remains endangered today. The best time to experience the whales here is between June and mid-December, when they come to the area between Golfo Nuevo and Golfo San José in order to breed.
The Magellanic penguins are equally popular, comical creatures that reside on the shores of the peninsula between September and January. Up to one million penguins are seen waddling from their burrows out to sea. The Valdes Peninsula is also one of the few places on earth to witness the Commerson’s Dolphin, one of the smallest and most beautiful dolphins in the world. Being found off the Argentinian Patagonia coast, means it shares its waters with killer whales and elephant seals.
On land the wildlife may be less dramatic but it is still possible to see guanacos, rheas and armadillos roaming the parklands and the birding is exceptional, with 200 species such as albatross, terns and cormorants.
