Peninsula de Valdes, Puerto Madryn Argentina - Penguins?

[cccole]

We would like to go to Peninsula de Valdes when in Puerto Madryn.  Has anyone been able to visit small penguin colonies here, maybe Caleta Valdes?  We do not want to go to Punto Tombo to see the large colony.  Google leads me to believe that there are 2 small colonies on the Peninsula de Valdes but private tours seem to be unaware.  Looking forward to seeing elephant seals and other wildlife also.  This cruise will be in January.  Thank you, Cherie 

[TayanaLorna]

14 hours ago, cccole said:

We would like to go to Peninsula de Valdes when in Puerto Madryn.  Has anyone been able to visit small penguin colonies here, maybe Caleta Valdes?  We do not want to go to Punto Tombo to see the large colony.  Google leads me to believe that there are 2 small colonies on the Peninsula de Valdes but private tours seem to be unaware.  Looking forward to seeing elephant seals and other wildlife also.  This cruise will be in January.  Thank you, Cherie 

In 2020 we had an awesome private excursion to Peninsula Valdes through Sentir-Patagonia.  We had a stop in the visitor center for a bit of orientation, drove up to Loberia Punta Norte - the sea lion colony where we saw sea lions with their pups and elephant seals (we watched for Orcas here but tide was not right for them to come close), visited Estancia San Lorenzo where we walked a trail along which Magallen penguins had their young in burrows and walking right next to us, then we went to the Estancia for a typical grilled lamb lunch (included).  We had a guide as well as a driver.  Both were excellent.  Boy the driver had an eagle eye and spotted wildlife all along the roads.  He would stop and we were able to get out.  We saw Guanaco, Mara, Rhea, a burrowing owl and the Elegant crested tinamou as well as different birds.  We missed the Right Whales as they are gone by mid December and no one spotted an armadillo.  Diego Allende, the owner of Sentir Patagonia Travel was very responsive when booking through email ventas@sentir-patagonia.com.ar or WhatsApp +54 9 280 4 565607.  Their website is www.sentir-patagonia.com.ar.  Our guide's name was Emilia, she was an English teacher and Diego said she was one of their best tour guides.  She was.  Diego even adjusted the lunch menu to chicken for our friend who did not eat lamb.  We were on Legajo 12630 which i think is the tour number.  And yes there is a Caleta Valdes along the East coast of the peninsula where there is a small number of magellanic penguins.  Don't know if Sentir-Patagonia goes there.

[cccole]

Thank you so much.  I saw Sentir Patagonia Travel recommended in another thread and looked at their website.  I will check it again.  This sounds like a great tour and just what we are looking for.  I had read about Magellanic penguins on Peninsula Valdes but a couple tour operators said there are none, you have to go to Punta Tombo.  Thank you again for the details of your tour.  Cherie