Foto: Penguins on Peninsula Valdés (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Argentina - Early start! At 7:30 a.m., we depart by bus to Peninsula Valdés. We decide to visit the penguin colony on the northern side of the peninsula, as the colony at Punto Tombo is over three hours away and doesn’t fit into the schedule. But first—whale watching. Before long, we spot whales swimming in the bay. They surface briefly, making it quite a challenge to get a good photo. It’s especially breathtaking when one of the whales lifts its head out of the water. They swim as close as ten meters from the boat. These are Southern Right Whales, a species related to humpbacks. After about an hour, we return to the harbor and continue across the peninsula for lunch. At the restaurant, elephant seals lie stretched out on the beach at the mouth of a long sea inlet. From the observation balconies, we can get within fifty meters of them—and smell them, too. Punto Norte is the northernmost tip of Peninsula Valdés. Here as well, elephant seals lounge on the beach. We scan the sea in search of orcas. Although this location offers the best chance to see them, they don’t show up today. We do, however, spot a whale diving far out at sea. Around 5 p.m., we arrive at the penguin colony, located at a coastal estancia. The site is fairly exclusive (and pricey) and not visited by many tourists. Hundreds of thousands of penguins have made their nests here along the shore and in the dunes—some even hundreds of meters from the water. We walk among the penguins. Left, right—nests everywhere. Among the bushes, under the sand, and sometimes even right on the path. Some penguins already have chicks, but most are still brooding on their eggs. The animals are largely unbothered by our presence, although they sometimes pause to take a look.
La Boca – Artists' District
Argentina - We stroll through the shopping streets on our way to Plaza de San Martin, where the bike tour to the La Boca district begins. Ana is our guide for the ride. We put on our helmets and follow her on our mountain bikes. Along the way, Ana tells us about ...
Perito Moreno Glacier
Argentina - The Perito Moreno Glacier (Spanish: Glaciar Perito Moreno) is a glacier located in Los Glaciares National Park in southern Argentina. The glacier is accessible from El Calafate in Patagonia. Perito Moreno Glacier is one of 48 glaciers fed by the Southern ...
The Argentina of Eva Perón
Argentina - Eva Perón, born María Eva Duarte on May 7, 1919, in Los Toldos, Argentina, grew up in poverty. Her father, Juan Duarte, left the family when Eva was still young, leaving them in difficult circumstances. At the age of 15, Eva moved to Buenos Aires with ...
Ushuaia: ‘Fin del Mundo’
Argentina - We regroup at the restaurant and drive back to Ushuaia. We're dropped off in the city center and just have time to grab a quick sandwich. Sandwich in hand, we head to the harbor to check in for the boat tour. We sail out into the Beagle Channel. The weather ...