Whale Watching Season Opens at Puerto Madryn This June

Southern right whales arrive at Peninsula Valdés each year in June to breed and nurse their calves in the sheltered bays of Patagonia, and the 2026 season is now open. The whales remain in the waters around Puerto Madryn from June through December, with peak sightings in September and October when mother-calf pairs are most active close to shore. Puerto Pirámides, on the peninsula itself, is Argentina’s only authorised whale watching port, with licensed boats operating daily from the village.

From June through mid-September, shore-based viewing at El Doradillo Beach — located north of Puerto Madryn — can be just as rewarding as a boat trip. The shallow bay brings whales unusually close to the waterline, and sightings from the beach are free and require no reservation. Morning is the best time, as the whales tend to be more active before the afternoon wind picks up.

Boat tours from Puerto Pirámides run approximately 90 minutes and depart several times daily. Regulations cap the number of vessels and the approach distance to minimise disturbance, and operators hold guarantees of sighting given the high density of animals in the bay. UNESCO declared the Valdés Peninsula a World Heritage Site in 1999 specifically for its marine mammal population, which includes not just southern right whales but also elephant seals, orcas, and Magellanic penguins.

Puerto Madryn is a five-hour bus journey south of Buenos Aires or a 90-minute flight. June sits at the start of Patagonia’s winter — temperatures typically reach a maximum of 10–12°C — so pack layers even if you are travelling from warmer parts of Argentina. For broader travel planning across the south of the country, our best time to visit Argentina guide explains the seasonal logic for Patagonia versus the northwest versus Buenos Aires, and our Argentina in June page covers what conditions are like across the country this month.