Trelew

The highlight of a visit to Trelew--the nearby Punta Tombo penguin colony

Overview

Trelew is a little town in northern Patagonia that often gets overlooked for a trip to nearby Puerto Madryn.  But if you’re not in this region during whale season, and if you’re main focus is on seeing penguins, then consider a trip to this little town with a wealth of Welsh heritage.  It may not be as picturesque as Puerto Madryn, but it’s cheaper and closer to Punta Tombo, the largest single penguin colony on the South American subcontinent.

Getting There/Arriving

Air- The airport is located about 3 miles (5 km) north of the city center, and daily flights go to and from Buenos Aires, El Calafate, and Ushuaia, among others.  A taxi costs about $6US to the city center.

Bus- The bus station is conveniently located in the center of town, within walking distance to many hostels/hotels and places to eat.  Trelew is about an hour bus ride to Puerto Madryn, about 18-20 hours from Buenos Aires, and about 17 hours from Rio Gallegos in the south.  NOTE:  If heading to or from El Calafate or Puerto Natales in Chile, chances are travelers will have to go through Rio Gallegos.

Getting Around

Plaza Independencia *

Foot- The main part of Trelew is pretty small, so walking shouldn’t be a problem.

Car Rental- If traveling to Trelew to go to Punta Tombo, consider hiring a car.  We found out it was not much more expensive to rent a car instead of taking the bus or a tour to the penguin colony, and doing so obviously give more freedom.  We went to the Tourist Office on Plaza Independencia to rent a car.  They were very nice and helpful, but it’s necessary to speak some Spanish.  Be sure to check out the Punta Tombo page for more information and the Punta Tombo picture page to find out what to expect.

Where to Stay

There isn’t one particular centralized location for hostels/hotels, so if arriving without a room, be prepared to walk around town a bit.  We found most affordable hostels to be less than favorable, but we’ve certainly seen worse.

Where we Stayed- We stayed at Hotel Rivadavia, which cost us about $33US/night for a private room with private bath.  The room had a television with cable and a decent common area.  There is a hotel next door that we jacked wifi from while in a certain part of the lobby.  Breakfast was extra.

Food and Drink

We were only in Trelew for a short time, and we didn’t spend much time in the city itself.  There were a few nice grocery stores, so we bought and packed a lunch for our trip to Punta Tombo, and we spent one afternoon in the nearby town of Gaiman eating there.  Because we decided to buck up and rent a car, we tried to pinch pennies moreso than normal while in Trelew, so we only ate out once.

Things to Do

Our main reason for coming to Trelew was to visit Punta Tombo, but there’s more to this city and region than the subcontinent’s largest single penguin colony.

Punta Tombo- Literally walk with the penguins.  It’s an experience that’s as memorable as they come, hanging out with thousands of penguins as they teeter, totter, swim, play, and run all around you.

Dinosaur Museum *

Museo Paleontologico Egidio Feruglio- A dinosaur museum that has skeletons and a wealth of information about these prehistoric animals.  Entrance is about $5US.

Gaiman- A Welsh settlement about 20 minutes outside of Trelew, Gaiman is known for its quaint little tea houses that serve tea and tasty treats.

*Photo by Gobierno del Chubut, Creative Commons