Punta Loma Nature Reserve

Information

It is a protected natural area located along the coast of the Golfo Nuevo, 16 km from Puerto Madryn.

It has a colony of South American sea lions (Otaria flavescens), located on a beach sheltered by large cliffs. These same cliffs are home to rock shags (Leucocarbo magellanicus, a type of cormorant), black birds with white chests and bellies.

There is a lookout point located at the top of a cliff, with excellent panoramic views of the sea lion colony below on the beach and the vast coastal landscape. From there, the cormorants can also be easily seen perched on the same cliff. There is a low-difficulty trail about 360 meters long, with an approximate walking time of 10 minutes one way. It passes through the low native shrub vegetation of the area and leads to a second viewpoint. The best time to see the mammals is when the tide is low.

To get there from downtown Puerto Madryn, you first take Almirante Brown Boulevard. After passing the Indio Tehuelche monument, continue along Julio Verne Street and then Charles Darwin Street. You reach an intersection where you take the road on the left that leads to Punta Loma. An additional detail is that this is the same road that leads to Cerro Avanzado, so both attractions can be visited on the same trip.