Top Things to do in Puerto Piramides
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The 10 Best Things to Do in Puerto Piramides, Argentina
Discover the best top things to do in Puerto Piramides, Argentina including Bottazzi Whale Watch, Punta Pardelas, Puerto Piramides, Caleta Valdes, Southern Spirit Cruises (Whale watching), Peke Sosa Avistajes, Whales Argentina, Reserva Natural Isla de los Pajaros, Yellow Submarine, Hydrosport.
Restaurants in Puerto Piramides
1. Bottazzi Whale Watch
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 210 reviews
Tito Bottazzi Whale Watch is a family-owned business and whale-watching pioneer with over thirty years of experience in Peninsula Valdes. We regularly see southern right whales from June until December. We also have the chance to see South American sea lions, marine birds, and penguins. Our office is conveniently located next to the ocean in the first street on the right side down 50 mts from the waterfront. We offer all customers a poncho to keep warm against the wind and water. Protecting our environment is our priority. We are partners with the World Cetacean Alliance and committed to the environment. We abide by the Patagonian Whale Watching guidelines and the highest quality standards to reduce our environmental impacts. Our bilingual, highly qualified staff will narrate the trip and talk about the different animal behaviors and history of the region. <We await your visit!
Reviewed By Elise C - The Hague, The Netherlands
This boat tour is an amazing experience to watch the whales from so close, you could almost touch them. The tour takes about two hours, which is perfect and you have enough time to spot the whales (and dolphins if you are lucky), see them play and take many pictures. The people of the company are also very kind and welcoming with much knowledge about the animals.
2. Punta Pardelas
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 119 reviews
Reviewed By Bariloche-61 - Zurich
This one of the spots we feel that you should visit when you are on the Island. Depending the tide you may be able to walk quite a bit and you will discover ponds with filled with sealife ...
3. Puerto Piramides
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 740 reviews
Reviewed By Brittany_11_10 - Los Angeles, California
Unlike most people who visit Puerto Piramedes, I visited neither during whale season nor as part of a day tour from, say, Puerto Madryn. Instead, I just camped a few nights near the beach (in the only campground in town) and hiked around a little bit of the peninsula. Without a car (and without taking any tour), I was still able to visit the sea lion colony, an easy--and dusty--5km walk from town.
I also trekked out to Punta Pardelas, but that was long, hot, and dusty, and there were no caves like I thought there would be (my bad Spanish did me no favors in trying to understand the guy at the tourist office).
The beach is okay for sun-bathing, but better for playing games and as access to the ocean--which was the perfect temperature for a hot day in January.
There are a number of restaurants in PP and a few supermercados (though if you plan to camp, I suggest getting your food in Puerto Madryn).
I loved my time there and definitely want to go back to see more of the peninsula--and to see the whales. Missing out on a lot of the typical experience, I still had a great time.
4. Caleta Valdes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 142 reviews
Reviewed By Rowan H - Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Caleta Valdes is one of the three viewpoints (Caleta Valdes, Punta Norte, Punta Cantor) on the eastern aspect of Peninsula Valdes that are included as part of a standard tour. It features a distinct landscape with the gravel spit creating a sheltered bay which attracts Magellanic Penguins and Elephant seals. There is a small cafe near the car park and from here you have a pathway that leads to a viewpoint over the bay.
Unfortunately like most of the Peninsula you will be kept at a significant distance from the animals, whom seemed to be there in only limited numbers when I visited in December 2015. This was pretty disappointing after such a long drive to get here. Given these same animal feature in several other popular tours (ie Punta Tombo, Punta Ninfas) but much closer up I would recommend giving this place and the larger Peninsula a miss.
5. Southern Spirit Cruises (Whale watching)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 152 reviews
Southern Spirit Cruises, an authorised boat operator for the watching service of southern right whales is pleased to offer you the following services:CONVENTIONAL WATCHING (Regular trip)The regular program consists of an excursion on the Golfo Nuevo waters on board of RIBs (rigid inflatable boats). The breathtaking show of watching closely a whale with her calf, observing a breach or listening to a whale’s spout is an experience you will hardly forget. As from spring, during the navigation you will be able to watch sea lions in their rookeries and typical species of sea birds, apart from enjoying beautiful seaside landscapes. SUNSET WATCHINGAs from September, we will be offering a special longer trip in RIBs with only a few passengers on board. This excursion is the last trip of the day, and is usually chosen by lovers of photography due to the light and peculiar colours that the Patagonian sunset offers us. YELLOW SUBMARINE (Underwater whale watching)This trip is carried out on board of the semi-submersible Yellow Submarine which, unlike other vessels, allows us to watch whales submersed in their environment. Underwater, the perspective is totally different and the experience is similar to diving among them. By means of any of the 40 viewing windows located at the underwater level you will be able to watch the whales while they remain close to the vessel, or you may opt for watching them from the outdoor upper deck as a conventional watching tour.
Reviewed By jdmt86 - CHICAGO
Book our tours in advanced. Called to confirm Reservations and whether the trip would be cancelled due to weather prior to heading over. Told to come on over, the tour would proceed regardless of whether even if we were only ones on the tour! Showed up and told due to whether tours would be cancelled. However, contradicting what we were previous told an hour before. Unhelpful staff did not evenapologize. Now stranded tourists in the middle of nowhere. due to companys miscommunication and not offer water and staff decline to share their wifi while we were stranded 4 additional until buses resumed service. Bus terminal was a pile of bricks at end of the road. They did eventually offer to refund prepaid tickets? Id assumed this considering we would not be going out and had wasted an additional $800 ARS after being confirmed the tour would still be heading out.
6. Peke Sosa Avistajes
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 76 reviews
Reviewed By JTPalazzoJr - Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
There are nowadays many choices for whale watching in Pirámides, but Peke Sosa Avistajes remains the very best. Led by the family patriarch, one of the pioneers of the activity here back in the 70´s, the business is now in its third generation in the family and quality of service, together with a deep understanding of the whales´ behavior that is put to good use when taking people out to see them, remains unmatched. Ipve been out with them again this July and can only say that you should experience it yourself. A new and air-conditioned office gets you in and out of the protective gear (life jackets, waterproof ponchos if it´s too cold or you´re taking the - RECOMMENDED - inflatable trip - ) with ease and comfort. Make sure you don´t miss seeing the whales with these guys!
7. Whales Argentina
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 65 reviews
Reviewed By WorldPhotoTraveler - Las Vegas, Nevada
In 2010 whales stayed till Jan 4, 2011 (we were told), but in 2011 they were gone by mid-December. Orcas come back mid-February. In between and without this 2 attractions it is a boring and desolate "Penisola". Avoid, unless you are in prime time for animal viewing.
8. Reserva Natural Isla de los Pajaros
Overall Ratings
4 based on 113 reviews
Reviewed By DevonEcologist
A short drive from Puerto Piramides the reserve has a tower hide with a fixed telescope and info on the wildlife. There is also a reconstructed church of some interest
9. Yellow Submarine
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 89 reviews
This tour takes place aboard the semi-submersible Yellow Submarine. This semi-submersible allows us to observe the whales immersed in their world. Underwater, the perspective is completely different; the experience is the same as if you were diving with them. While staying close to the ship, we will see all the time through the 40 windows of the underwater cabin.
Reviewed By grdemedeiros - Fall City, WA
Our 3 week road-trip through Argentina ended with four lovely days on the Peninsula Valdez. We stayed at Puerto Piramides for 4 days. Of these, the whale-watching boats only went out on one of them. If you are advised to "go today", I strongly recommend you do it. You might not get another chance.
We arrived late afternoon and set out to chat with all the different whale watching tour operators that day. All of them were "iffy" about whether or not the boats would go out the next day.
As luck would have it, the weather cooperated, and around 9 AM the next morning we got Reservations with Yellow Submarine. (Note, we did not actually do the "submarine" option, the day we toured with this company they were only operating their normal whale-watching vehicles.)
Around 10 AM, we donned bright orange life jackets and trooped down the hill to the waiting tour boats. Large bulldozers pushed mobile-staircases alongside the boats and, once we were all aboard, out in to the bay.
As we pulled out, we heard a short safety speech in Spanish and English, and the biologist on board “guaranteed” that we’d see whales that day. I thought it was a pretty optimistic statement, but sure enough, we saw a half-dozen mother-baby pairs frolicking in the waters just outside of Puero Piramides.
I was happy to see that the boat Capitan did not get too close to any of the whales. Though our boat was quite full, all the tourists were quiet and obeyed the instructions to stay seated if their side of the boat was closest to the whales so that folks behind could stand and still see.
The biologist provided some great information about the whales and the area in Spanish and English.
Our tour was about 2 hours long. We saw 5 or 6 mother-baby pairs, 3 very close up and the others at a distance.
We picked this company, honestly, because they accepted credit cards and we were running short on cash. I believe all of the companies provide a very similar service/experience at the same prices.
It's important to note that all the vendors in Puerto Piramides would prefer cash, and the one ATM on the peninsula doesn't always have any.
10. Hydrosport
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 33 reviews
Reviewed By Richard C - Seattle, Washington
Four of us were the only tourists on a cruise (there were two locals who joined us) and had an extraordinary time. The boat is modest in size and the guides very competent. We saw more than 20 whales, breaching, playing and surrounding the boat, followed by a great sunset. Stayed out a bit beyond expectations because there were so many whales, even though there were so few passengers! We had an English speaking guide, which was helpful. The best way to have a small group experience with whales is to take the sunset cruise, since the boats can be crowded during the day.
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