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Ocean Calling

Ocean Atlas · Americas

Americas

Argentina

Cold-water Patagonia: snorkelling with sea lions, and southern right whales, elephant seals and penguins watched from the boat or shore.

Southern right whale surfacing off the coast of Argentina with a gull above
Coast of Argentina (photographer caption: A whale in the coast of Argentina) · Photo: Cristian Tarzi on Unsplash
Exploring

Ethics pass, with care. We found a way to visit this country that meets our animal-welfare standard, as long as we work with the right local operator. Checked by Ocean Calling on 29 Sep 2026. Sources: Chubut Law XI No. 44 (formerly Law 5714), Boletín Oficial de Chubut; Temporada de ballenas: recaudos a la hora de navegar, Prefectura Naval Argentina; Nadar con lobos marinos, Argentina.gob.ar.

🧭 Travel advice, checked 30 Sep 2026. The UK FCDO does not advise against travel to Argentina as a whole. It notes regular protests and strikes, and petty theft, and advises extra care in parts of Buenos Aires. Sources: UK FCDO travel advice, Argentina Advice differs by passport: check your own government before you plan.

FreedivingScubaSnorkellingWhalesDolphins

Why Argentina

Puerto Madryn and Península Valdés, in Chubut, are a cold-water Patagonia ocean trip, very different from the tropics. The in-water moment here is with South American sea lions at Punta Loma, where Argentina's official tourism promotes snorkelling and diving with them. The sea lions decide how close to come, and we check the local rules and permits in writing before we offer it. Southern right whales come to the sheltered gulfs of Península Valdés to breed, give birth and nurse their calves, and are watched only from licensed boats or from the shore. Elephant seals, Magellanic penguins in season, dolphins and the wild steppe add to the days, and orcas are a rare bonus that depends on season, tide and prey. Península Valdés is a UNESCO World Heritage site. September to November is the best overlap, with October the strongest month. The sea is cold, around 12°C in spring (about 7°C in winter and 18°C in summer), and Patagonian wind can close the port or cancel boat days.

Conservation-led. Ocean Calling guests never chase, touch or bait animals.

ArgentinaChileFalkland Is.UruguayBrazilParaguayPuerto Madryn and Punta Loma, ArgentinaPenínsula Valdés and Puerto Pirámides, Argentina

When to go

Sep-Nov. Timing changes by place and by animal, so check each place below.

We have researched this place and keep learning about it. There is no trip here yet.

Our ethics check

Can we travel here ethically?

Ethics pass, with care

Good with the right operator. Here is how we choose.

Southern right whales are protected by Chubut law: no approaching, pursuing, swimming or diving with them, and boats outside licensed whale watching keep at least 100 m away. So whales are a boat and shore experience only, with licensed operators, and research shows even legal boats can change how whales breathe, so we choose quiet, small-group trips. The possible in-water encounter is with sea lions at Punta Loma. Argentina's official tourism promotes it, but the exact written rules are not yet in our file, so we check each operator's permit and wildlife protocol in writing first. We never touch, feed, chase or crowd any animal, and we never promise orcas or whales.

Checked 29 Sep 2026. Places change, so we look again every year.

Sources for this check
Places we are exploring

Where in Argentina

Short notes from our research. Wildlife is never guaranteed.

Puerto Madryn and Punta Loma

Exploring

A cold-water base where you can snorkel with South American sea lions at Punta Loma, and watch whales from the shore at El Doradillo.

🤿 In the water: Cold-water reef life: fish, anemones, starfish and kelp

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Southern right whales from the shore at El Doradillo (Jun-Dec, most often Sep-Nov), Commerson's dolphins (from the boat, near Rawson), South American sea lions (from the boat or shore, the sea lions choose the distance)

When: Sep-Nov. Sea lions are here all year. September to November adds whales and penguins nearby. The water is around 12°C in spring and about 7°C in winter, so thick wetsuits, hoods and gloves are needed, and wind can move boat days.

Rules and fees: Snorkelling with sea lions at Punta Loma is promoted by Argentina's official tourism, but we could not find the written in-water rules. Until we do, we only watch sea lions and we do not offer a swim.

Península Valdés and Puerto Pirámides

Exploring

A UNESCO World Heritage peninsula where southern right whales breed and raise their calves, with elephant seals, sea lions and seasonal penguins on the shore.

⛵ From the boat or shore, never in the water: Southern right whales (licensed boats from Puerto Pirámides, Jun-Dec, most often Sep-Nov), Southern elephant seals (from shore paths), South American sea lions (from shore paths), Magellanic penguins (about mid-Sep to mid-Apr), Orcas (rare, from designated shore viewpoints only, best chances around Feb-May and Oct-Nov, depending on tide and prey), Guanacos and steppe wildlife

When: Sep-Nov. Whales arrive from about June and most leave by December. October is often the best month to see whales, penguins and elephant seals on the same trip. Orca hunting on the beaches is rare and never predictable. Patagonian wind can close the port at Puerto Pirámides, so we keep spare days in the plan.

Rules and fees: Chubut provincial law does not allow approaching or pursuing southern right whales, and it does not allow swimming or diving with them. Outside licensed whale watching, boats must stay at least 100 m from whales. Chasing, encircling or separating a mother and calf is never allowed, and passengers must not touch the whales. We only book licensed whale-watch boats, and even when it is legal we ask for a slow, quiet approach.

Animals

Animals recorded in Argentina

Tap an animal to learn how it lives, where it travels and how to meet it respectfully.

Land animals
Orcas surfacing close together in calm Arctic Norwegian watersOrca (killer whale)Orcinus orcaSeen in 55 countries in the AtlasData DeficientSouthern right whale surfacing with V-shaped blow and pale callosities, ArgentinaSouthern right whaleEubalaena australisSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose-up of a sleeping maned male South American sea lion on rocksSouth American sea lionOtaria byroniaSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLarge southern elephant seal resting on a wet beach, face turned to the cameraSouthern elephant sealMirounga leoninaSeen in 11 countries in the AtlasVulnerableGroup of Magellanic penguins standing on a pebble beach beside the waterMagellanic penguinSpheniscus magellanicusSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommerson's dolphin at the surface of green water, with a black head and a white bodyCommerson's dolphinCephalorhynchus commersoniiSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFranciscana dolphinPontoporia blainvilleiSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasVulnerableHumpback whale swimming close with long pectoral finHumpback whaleMegaptera novaeangliaeSeen in 87 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreen turtle resting on the reef, shell and head pattern in sharp detailGreen turtleChelonia mydasSeen in 103 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCommon bottlenose dolphin swimming over a seagrass bedCommon bottlenose dolphinTursiops truncatusSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSperm whale mother raising her fluke beside her calf off DominicaSperm whalePhyseter macrocephalusSeen in 114 countries in the AtlasVulnerableLoggerhead turtle at the surface feeding on Portuguese man o' warLoggerhead turtleCaretta carettaSeen in 89 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue whale blowing a tall spout off San DiegoBlue whaleBalaenoptera musculusSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasEndangeredPod of common dolphins surfacing in calm blue seaCommon dolphinDelphinus delphisSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFin whale surfacing, showing its white right lower jawFin whaleBalaenoptera physalusSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasVulnerableMinke whale surfacing and exhaling, seen from aboveCommon minke whale (North Atlantic)Balaenoptera acutorostrataSeen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo long-finned pilot whales surfacing side by sideLong-finned pilot whaleGlobicephala melasSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernMale magnificent frigatebird perched on a mangrove branchMagnificent frigatebirdFregata magnificensSeen in 52 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernScarred Risso's dolphin spyhopping out of the waterRisso's dolphinGrampus griseusSeen in 56 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSei whale's tall dorsal fin breaking a calm sea surfaceSei whaleBalaenoptera borealisSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasEndangeredStriped dolphin leaping, dark flank stripe clearly visibleStriped dolphinStenella coeruleoalbaSeen in 43 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAntarctic minke whale surfacing among sea ice in AntarcticaAntarctic minke whaleBalaenoptera bonaerensisSeen in 6 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedDwarf minke whaleBalaenoptera acutorostrata (dwarf form)Seen in 30 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernFalse killer whale surging through blue water off Rota, Mariana IslandsFalse killer whalePseudorca crassidensSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedCuvier's beaked whale surfacing, pale scarred head and small dorsal finCuvier's beaked whaleZiphius cavirostrisSeen in 42 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeatherback hatchling crossing the sand toward the seaLeatherback turtleDermochelys coriaceaSeen in 76 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBlue shark swimming in open blue water off the Azores with a diver in the backgroundBlue sharkPrionace glaucaSeen in 50 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedTwo dusky dolphins leaping above the water off Kaikōura, New Zealand, with mountains behindDusky dolphinLagenorhynchus obscurusSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSpiny dogfish resting on the seabed at the Josephine Marie shipwreck, Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuarySpiny dogfishSqualus acanthiasSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSouth American fur seal sitting upright on a seaweed-covered rock by the shoreSouth American fur sealArctocephalus australisSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernLeopard seal resting on rocks at the water's edge with its mouth wide openLeopard sealHydrurga leptonyxSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernAdult king penguin standing on short grass beside a large brown downy chickKing penguinAptenodytes patagonicusSeen in 10 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGentoo penguins in shallow turquoise water at the shore, one leaping out of the sea, photographed in the Falkland IslandsGentoo penguinPygoscelis papuaSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernClose view of a rockhopper penguin with yellow crest feathers, red eye and orange-red bill, standing in tussock grassSouthern rockhopper penguinEudyptes chrysocomeSeen in 9 countries in the AtlasVulnerableThree black-browed albatrosses with their bills together at a Steeple Jason Island colony, against blue skyBlack-browed albatrossThalassarche melanophrisSeen in 21 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernBroadnose sevengill shark close to the camera in a kelp forest, La Jolla Cove, CaliforniaBroadnose sevengill sharkNotorynchus cepedianusSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasVulnerableAmerican flamingo wading in shallow water with its head lowered toward the surface, Yucatán, MexicoAmerican flamingoPhoenicopterus ruberSeen in 47 countries in the AtlasLives on landLeast ConcernHuge flock of sooty shearwaters flying low over the sea beside a rocky coastSooty shearwaterArdenna griseaSeen in 53 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedWilson's storm-petrel resting on calm water with its wings raised above its backWilson's storm-petrelOceanites oceanicusSeen in 41 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernScopoli's shearwater skimming just above calm blue waterScopoli's shearwaterCalonectris diomedeaSeen in 37 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernManx shearwater banking just above the sea, white underparts and dark upperparts visibleManx shearwaterPuffinus puffinusSeen in 34 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGreat shearwater flying low over calm water, its reflection belowGreat shearwaterArdenna gravisSeen in 32 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernNeotropic cormorant perched among willow branches beside the waterNeotropic cormorantNannopterum brasilianumSeen in 29 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTope shark swimming in clear shallow water, seen from the sideTope shark (school shark)Galeorhinus galeusSeen in 25 countries in the AtlasCritically EndangeredAnhinga holding a fish in its long, pointed billAnhinga (American darter)Anhinga anhingaSeen in 24 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernWhite-chinned petrel floating on blue water with its white chin patch showingWhite-chinned petrelProcellaria aequinoctialisSeen in 14 countries in the AtlasVulnerableAntarctic fur seal rising upright out of the water with wet fur and closed eyesAntarctic fur sealArctocephalus gazellaSeen in 8 countries in the AtlasEndangeredImperial shag perched on a rock at the water's edge, with an orange knob at the base of the billImperial shagLeucocarbo atricepsSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernThree macaroni penguins on a rocky slope, golden crest feathers over the eyesMacaroni penguinEudyptes chrysolophusSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasVulnerableBroadnose skateBathyraja brachyuropsSeen in 7 countries in the AtlasNear ThreatenedChinstrap penguin leaping clear of rippled blue water while swimmingChinstrap penguinPygoscelis antarcticusSeen in 4 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernStrap-toothed whale porpoising through grey-blue open water in the Drake PassageStrap-toothed whaleMesoplodon layardiiSeen in 4 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernCrabeater seal lying on pack ice, pale golden coat marked with long scarsCrabeater sealLobodon carcinophagaSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernTwo Gray's beaked whales surfacing at sea, grey backs and small dorsal finsGray's beaked whaleMesoplodon grayiSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernSouthern bottlenose whale surfacing with a blow, its back marked with pale scratchesSouthern bottlenose whaleHyperoodon planifronsSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernThree hourglass dolphins swimming beside a ship in dark blue waterHourglass dolphinLagenorhynchus crucigerSeen in 3 countries in the AtlasLeast ConcernGroup of crested penguins standing on a rocky shore beside kelpSnares penguinEudyptes robustusSeen in 2 countries in the AtlasVulnerableSpectacled porpoise's dark back and small fin breaking the surface of calm grey waterSpectacled porpoisePhocoena dioptricaSeen in 1 country in the AtlasLeast Concern
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