Our Guests - Enjoying Pirámides

Mariana & Diego came from Buenos Aires, and they spent some days in Puerto Piramides, and stayed at our Eco Hotel.

From The beginning there were fascinated with the sunsets, cliffs, the sea lions and more than anything...with the whales. They saw them from the coast, from the boat and during the night the listened the big whales from the beach and also from their room!

Was nice to see Mariana & Diego so mad about the whales, and very funny so listen to Diego featuring whales sounds the morning after the listened for the first time the whales at night.

Mariana, since their arriving, has shown her interest in every activitie and she went with Diego to dive with sea lions, this time she prefered to be photographer and enjoy seeing Diego between the friendly sea lions.

Here you can see some photos. Many thanks for share your experience and good vibes with us guys! Hurry back!! ;)

visit of friends and whale whatching

Few days ago, we were visited by Dolores and Agustín, both Laura´s friends, who is part of our staff.
They took away their routine in Buenos Aires city to be insert in all the activities from here, and they really spent all the days doing activities!
They were diving by first time in the fascinating clear water of Puerto Pirámides, doing sandboard, walking around the beaches, watching whales from the beach and also from a boat on a whale watching trip!
During their last day in Peninsula Valdes, the did the whole Peninsula Tour enjoying the awesome landscapes and fauna . " We really enjoyed the day watching animals" they said.
These pictures shows many great times they spent here with Laura!
Many thanks for visited us guys!

Distinction "3 Green Stars" ECO HOTELS OF THE WORLD in Patagonia

We were categorised with 3 eco stars by ECO HOTELS OF THE WORLD. A recognition for think about the advantage of the natural resources and for put them in practice within a World Human Heritage Valdes Peninsula in Patagonia Argentina. Thanks for the recognition!

Carcharodón Tooth - White Shark Ancestors in Peninsula Valdes

The ancestor of the white shark also left signs of it existence in Peninsula Valdes, is common to find those signs in beaches and cliffs. Like the majority of sharks fossil registry, the Carcharodon one, is reduced to thousand of jaws and teeth around everywhere, the cartilaginous skeleton of the fish is destroyed normally before it can be fossilized. The teeth, however, are exceptionally hard and they are conserved perfectly. A characteristic of the sharks, is that their teeth are shed continually throughout the fish's lifetime, and new ones are rotated into place on a conveyer belt-like structure, is the explanation for why they lose hundreds of teeth per year.

But for tranquillity of the one of those who usually dive by the gulfs Nuevo and San Jose, these sharks do not exist anymore in Peninsula Valdes. The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is in warm and temperate waters. Its ancestestors lived in this zone million years ago, when the steppe was a forest and in the sea there were turritelas and sand dollars.

If you get to find some fossil, remember that it is not allowed to remove them from the reserve Peninsula Valdes, the best thing to do is to take a photo for the memory and leave it where it was found, by that way you are helping to conserve a human heritage. What you can take with you is all the waste that you could generate during your stay!! =).

If you want to know more about the great white shark, we invite you to see the Web of one of our great guests, Andy Casagrande from National Geographic, with who we shared a pair of weeks during the last season of Orcas.
This singular documentalist is a big White Shark`s Fan and he frequently dives with this species in South Africa, Australia and in the Guadalupe island, place where he has done a Video.

Whale Watching Captain: Pablo Fioramonti

Pablo Fiormonti, as every Whale Watching Captain that lives in Puerto Piramides, starts from zero...he made up himself. When he arrived to Puerto Madryn from Buenos Aires, he began in the same company where at the moment is Whale Watching Captain and Guide: Whales Argentina

Working for the diving operator, Pablo started knowing the sea, 12 years later Pablo is the "owner" of the rudder of any of the two Whales Argentina Boats.
He works with a quality crew, as Ernesto Ricci also captain and guide, Paula Torres, mariner and english translator. All together approach during the tour time a light and simple explanation about the Southern Right Whale behaviour.

"Every whale watching tour is different, the whales behaviour changes with the weather. The wind, the atmospheric presure, are an important influence for the activity. In this period of the year is common to sea mating groups and mothers with their calves"---says Pablo while we are sailing over the Golfo Nuevo calm waters toward an active mating group in the Adela area, on the opposite side of Punta Pirámides

El doradillo - Whale watching beach , Valdes Penisula near from Puerto Madryn

El Doradillo Beach, belongs to the beaches near Puerto Madryn are. It is located right before the Istmo Ameghino ( the Isthmus that links the peninsula with the continental region) and has quiet, not too deep waters.
If you come to Piramides from Puerto Madryn, you can drive along this beach where you can also be able to see the whales from the coast.

When you start leaving Puerto Madryn towards the North by Ruta Provincia nº1, right after the Fisheries and Aluar (company of aluminum), turn to your right. Do not expect for a luminous sign, or similiar, there is barely a small green sign which indicates El Doradillo. ¡Pay Attention!

El Doradillo is a Protected Natural Area, that has several kilometers and where during Whales Season is not allowed to swim in. It is an area assigned to protect the whales, and is a place very important during their first month of life.

These beaches are chosen by mothers and their calves. Although the two Peninsula Valdes gulfs are great for maternity because of the calm of its waters.

At this time of the year it´s possible to observe from the coast more than 30 whales with their calves. Is really hard to explain by words how amazing is to be close to these giants, sometimes few meters from the beach as you can see in the images.
These beaches, 11 in a row, are perfect for those travellers who want to drink some mates, snacks, next or in the car watching the whales.

Puerto Madryn municipality is resposible for the area cleaning; it has trash cans and chemical toillets.
El Doradillo is unbelievable during Whales Season, specially from Julio to October, when there are more whales.

If you come by car, you can´t miss this place.

Willie Benegas from Peninsula to the Everest

Guillermo "Willie" Benegas were visiting Peninsula Valdes, his twin brother Damian who has just climber the highest mountain in Bali, while Willie is trainning to reach the Everest in September. Both are hight mountain Guides and belongs to the North Face Team and are world known as Patagonian Brothers.Willie, kind and friendly as always, is considered by his colleagues as a great companion in extreme situations. Other guides in Everest said that he is the first volunteer for rescues higher than 7.000 mts. Willie gave us a photo, touching the clouds next to his twin brother Damian.



He stayed in Peninsula Valdes just for few days and stop by our Eco hotel with her mother and sister Sofia.Rafa benegas, the older brother is the owner of one of the Whale Watching Companies: Hydrosport. Alex lives in Puerto Madryn with his mother, Juan owns a diving company in Puerto Pirámides and Sofía and her husband Pablo Passera work and managed for their Kayak and Trekking company "Patagonia Explorers".
Few years ago when the twins were in the region we did an unforgettable kayak expetition of 3 days.
Willie took somo photography advices from Alejandro Avampini, the Eco Hotel owner. We are looking forward to hear from Willie and he send us somo photos from his next expeditions

Variable Hawk - Valdes Peninsula Bird

Al aguilucho común (Buteo polyosoma) también conocido por Ñanco, se lo puede ver en toda la Península Valdés. Los machos miden hasta 48 cms y la hembra es un poco mas grande, llegando a los 52 cms. tiene el plumaje dorsal gris y el ventral es blanco en los adultos. Su caracteristica mas sobresaliente es una raya negra al final de la cola.

Los ejemplares jóvenes mantienen durante dos años el plumaje rayado y manchado de parduzco, sus patas son amarillas.

Se alimenta de pequeños mamíferos no mas grandes que la liebre, también dediversos pájaros. También incluye en su dieta a reptiles, anfibios e invertebrados. Su método para cazar consiste en volar de manera circular sobre la presa y lanzarse en diagonal sobre esta golpeandola con sus poderosas patas por la espalda de la víctima.

La construcción del nido la realizan ambos miembros de la pareja, le gustan los arboles con pinches, es por eso que en esta región anidan preferentemente en los Molles. El nido es de gran tamaño, casi un metro de diámetro y esta hecho con palitos. El macho alimenta a la hembra durante la incubación y despues del nacimiento de los pichones, ella, se encargará de estos últimos.

La creencia popular, dice que si uno está viajando y se cruza con un Ñanco de frente es un buen augurio para lo que resta del viaje o la jornada, si se lo cruza dando la espalda, significa que hay que tener precaución en el recorrido.

Our Guest: Sonia And Angel and the Whales watching

They are a funny couple from Spain, they visited us at beginning of august.
Very lovely, talkatives, funny, kindly, they felt in love with Peninsula Valdes, whales and the environment.
All the time they show us their happiness for staying in Península Valdés and we really feel an early friendship has been born.

Many many thanks!! come back soon!

"Puerto Pirámides is a place spectacular! we don´t know what it has but is very special...it could be the sea, the whales, the ways to the beach...It´s fantastic!
Anyway,our stay at del Nómade Hotel was realy amazing, we were like in home, is a spot very confortable.
Laura and Lala fussed over us since we arrive, they always talked with us with a great smile in their face and their sweetness captivating of the place.They are realy funny! (the best of Puerto Pirámides) Also we have to talk about Brad, a guy that radiate nobility through his eyes and he is like a big bottle of wisdom.
To complete we want to appreciate Ale and Cecilia because they built a magnific place and also they spent time with us and shared our first "mateada" Thanks to all of you to be like you are! You are a nice team guys!
Angel y Sonia (Barcelona)"

Eco Friendy Hotel Del Nomade Eco Hotel - Valdes Peninsula Patagonia Argentina - based in alternatives energies

We are very proud to know that the world trend is to save conventional energy by the generation of renewable ones, for example: Solar Panels, solar power, Biogas, Wind power,thermal insulation, Solar cooking.

All of these were though and created by the man who observe the nature, with an important touch of love, and a little help of many others men.
In our Eco Hotel, we promote the Sustainable development, that means we try to satisfy our actual needs without compromise or take advantages of the future generations requirements.



We´ve invested in a system of water reciclying, that means to re-use the water from the taps and the laundry water to irrigate our garden and also to be re-used in the cistern of the toilet.

With low consume light and Leds we reduce the consume in a 90 % and with the underfloor heating wich use gas helped with alternatives energies, we use only 350 w/h. In a short time, our presence in the zone is showing a good impact. By that way, we consume less electric energy , and it can be appreciated comparing with another hotels in the village.



We hope everybody adopt this new kind of contribution to our world, living with nature without fighting against it, taking care of it and respect it.
It´s like a dance, where the harmony is maintained by the rhythm of the music. Without harmony, sooner or later the lack of sincronicity is percibed.

We are living the present day where the ecological imbalance are marked and people continue thinking that the fault is from other person.
If you are interested in know how eh ecological concept works, you can take a look to our web site www.ecohosteria.com.ar,
and if you´re in Puerto Pirámides, come to see everything we talk about by your own, we will be waiting for your visit.
For doubts or questions, e-mail us at: delnomade@ecohosteria.com.ar

Our Guests in the Eco Lodge- Katherine & Hugh

Katherine enjoying a submarino con cuchara chocolate at La Estacion

Ballena franca up close

Hugh and sunset near the Puerte Pirámides loberia. He is standing on a layer of fossil shells.

" We are Hugh McGregor and Katherine Tuft from Australia. We travelled in Argentina for 5 weeks. Peninsula Valdés was our last stop and by far the highlight.

We'd heard a lot about the whales around Puerto Pirámides yet nothing prepared us for the shear numbers around. From almost every vantage point you could see at least 2 frolicking around, flapping their tails, slapping the water with their flippers, breaching and blowing. Once we saw 12 at the same time! This might be normal but it still blew our minds. We also went in a whale tour boat where we saw these huge creatures swim right by us. It was quite an emotional moment.

We were really glad to have stayed two nights in Puerto Pirámides. We loved the setting and the friendly small town feel. We had some lovely moments sitting around a table in bright and comfy La Estacion with a giant bowl of mussels, pippies and scallops. Katherine was particularly excited by their submarinos with chocolate spoons. We chose well by staying at Del Nomade. The room was great, we loved the homemade breakfasts, but what made the stay really memorable were our hosts, Lala and Laura. Just before we left Laura gave a lesson in mate.

We explored some amazing coastline from Puerto Pirámides around to Punta Pardelas. We saw cormorants on rock platforms, vertical cliffs, sea lions and black-sand beaches. The geology in the area is very interesting, particularly the way the cliffs are layered. In many places there's a layer of the cliffs 2-3m thick composed of not rock containing fossil shells but fossil shells containing a bit of rock! We came back via the inland route as the sun set and saw maras and guanacos among the desert shrubs.

Over the two days of our stay we saw 8 mammal species, 22 bird species, had two lovely dinners and explored 10km of coastline. Yet we didn't see orcas, penguins or get out to Punta Norte. With 2 days we barely scratched the surface of this wonderful part of the world. Forget day trips from Puerto Madryn, we highly recommend staying in Puerte Pirámides for a couple of nights to get a proper taste of Peninsula Valdés. "

Hey Guys! Many thanks for your nice and warm words!!!...
we want you back to see the Orcas!!!
Nice to have you here!!

Guillermo Giagante Fotógrafo de Visita

Guillermo, Paula and Agustín, were in Península Valdes middle of august, and they spend their nights at our Hostería.
Our hotel is like a magnet for photographers and documentalists.
We get surprised seen photos from Guillermo took at Península, the incredible waves at the cost of Pardelas, the cliff in Punta Delgada among others.
Landscapes took with a slow glance, sorrounding the image with an spirit ethereañ and incorporeal.
Enjoy these images, pictures by Guillermo,from Península Valdés with a particular glance.

Nature & Adventure Photographer - Marcelo Gurruchaga

Maite, Mariana and Marcelo Gurruchaga, a family of documentalist were at del Nómade.
They spent some days in Puerto Pirámides, and for some reason the meeting with del Nómade was inevitable.

Marcelo already organized his next trip to the Península, so soon we will be glad to have him again in the area.


His new book "Antartida, los colores del desierto frío", plenty of unbelievable images, can be already found in bookstores.
He told us about his experience in Antártida, "the light there is perfect for photography and all day long have daylight! There is no night during the summer in Antartida and is not easy to sleep wich so much nature to do some good shots"



There is a true that anyone can percibe when talks with Marcelo: he is really happy about his life, job and Family.

Marcelo Gurruchaga has been working as a professional photographer in comercial and nature areas since 1983. From 1992 he has been teaching photography in regular courses and at the University in Buenos Aires.
He also gives classes for an international organism related with the heritage conservation, beside being member of many associations related with photography and conservation.

Sand dollar - 3D Photography from Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia Argentina

As the Turritella, the Sand Dollar is found in Tropical waters, and is another vestige in Peninsula Valdes from millions years ago that shows the possibility of a climatic cooling, and consequently a big water temperature change in the area.
If you find a fossil in the beach or in the cliffs enjoy it, think about how time pass by and about the world life but leave it in the area. By this way you are helping the ecological education and no the enviromental depredation, allowing other tourist and generations to have the chance to meet then. Take photos and leave your prints. Patagonia is a Paradise.

Southern Right Whales photo-identification - project in Patagonia

This project directed by Alejandro Carribero and assisted by Soledad Lindner, is focused in a intensive sampling in one of the most important distribution areas of whales, Puerto Pirámides, Valdes Peninsula.

The project, wich main challenge is to identify right southern whales from whale watching boats, since it was created is supported by the Ecocentro Foundation. The initiative, that started before the Econcentro Inauguration, is running the 11th work season and has already 1400 whales identified

Every May hundreds of whales arrive to Peninsula Valdés, and stays in its waters until middle December. They chose these coasts for two of the most sensible activities of the cycle of life: to mate and to give birth. And it is exactly the Golfo Nuevo where is located one of the most important areas of southern right whales reproduction.



The work aboard whalewatching boats from the company Hydrosport as observation platform, allows the team to obtain data about interaction between whales and boats. This season the observation already captured new whales photographically.




The investigation group is interested in be able to establish a network with foundations focused in the photo-identification of Southern Right Whales in South Africa, New Zealand and other places where Whales frequents. The goal is to combine efforts and to study the whales displacement throughout the years and the decades, establishing migratory landlords and learning a little more of these huge animals.

ATM Puerto Pirámides

50 mts from our Eco Lodge is located the only ATM of Puerto Pirámides.

If you are coming to visit our village be sure of bring cash enough with you, this ATM beside being the only one in Puerto Pirámides is the only one in Peninsula Valdes.



Occasionally it could be out of order, or run out of money plus just few places accept credit cards. So to avoid inconveniences we suggest you to be sure to bring some cash with you, or as soon as you arrive start taking money from the ATM which works 24 hs.

Whale Watching Captains - Mariano Van Gelderent The "King of the Whales"

Talking about Whale Watching in Peninsula Valdes, Mariano Van Gelderen is an alive legend of it. He has an important skill that has helped him to be always one step advanced : he knows how to observe, plus he has knowledge about what he talks about.Incurable bohemian, uses his verborragic personality to always give alerts in environmental areas and telling how things should be. In this small article while we summarized in a few lines its last 40 years in Peninsula Valdes, we try to do a tribute to him as a pioneer of the revolution that tries to bring us back to consciousness and cheer us to “Return to the Nature”. Nowadays it is dedicated also to paint the patagonik fauna and its landscapes.

At the beginning of the ´70 his uncle from Buenos Aires, gave Mariano a job selling Yerba Mate in Patagonia. He accepted, and he inmediately moved to Trelew. At his second day in Trelew, some rugbiers from the area took him to a beach 160 km from Trelew. "it was an amazing adventure" he remember " we have water til our necks and looking down we can still see our feet...I discovered a new world".

Soon Mariano met Eugenio Cora, the owner of a groceries store in Puerto Pirámides, who told Mariano that by those days people from United States were studying the whales, and is in that moment when Mariano also met Roger Paine, from the ICB; world known because of his works about the Whales. Knowing Roger Payne, Mariano realized about the diversity in Peninsula Valdes: Elephant seals, Whales, sea lions, penguins, Van Gelderen says " and I started thinking; What people from Buenos Aires do that they don´t know this place?". There was no clue the Yerba Mate selling was not for him.

By the time he did his first flight by helicopter in 1972 with Jacques Ives Cousteau, he was already took people to the LOberia for fishing the summer before. The focus of the flight was to identified whales in Golfo Nuevo, but the just could see some swimming really fast or settled down in Golfo Nuevo.
Next year he found the firts mothers with their calves established in Golfo Nuevo, and started to take 2 o 3 tourist to see whales in a small boat. It was the beggining of the Whale Watching Era, as happened in other places of the world.

That´s how a young man established himself inside Peninsula Valdes, in a small village called Puerto Pirámides where by those times lived less than 100 people.
If you come to Puerto Pirámides during whale watching times, you will hardly find him in other place than is office and atelier at the Primera Bajada al Mar, is the Hydrosport Whale Watching Office, that Mariano shares with Rafael Benegas.


Lucia, his daughter came to visit him for a couple of days, now she lives in Buenos Aires but he spent her childhood in this wonderfull village. Lucia and her sister come frequently to visit their father who is no more tham "The King of the Whales".

Our Guests - Brandy & Mark

Brandy and Mark are from Seattle, USA they are sailing around the world and they were in Peninsula Valdes by the end of June. Here you can see a photo of their boat and a wonderfull sunset at Isla Isabela, in Galapagos.


Hi Laura,

Wonderful to hear from you. We went to the site for the link you sent.
Quite an adventure they had! Our world is a bit tamer than that.

We had a great time at del Nomade. Thanks for making our stay so enjoyable.
We did get a chance to see the whales off the shore on our way back to
Puerto Madryn. What an amazing sight! We've seen a lot of whales in our
travels on the boat but the experience off the beach there, was by far the
most intimate and magical. We'd love to come back and see the Orcas too!

Best Regards,

Whale Watching in Patagonia - Whales & More Whales in Valdes Peninsula

From the animals that lives in Patagonia, the Southern Right Whale is the biggest one in this huge area. There are few animals bigger than the Southern Right Whale an they are others whales, as the Blue Whale wich heights up to 30 meters and weigh some more tons than "our" whale.

To understand what we said you will need to be close to them, and realize that the boats are most of the times shorter that the whale!!
Its tail has the biggest natural strenght over the whole world, it has energy enough to take 3/4 of the whale body out from the water , knowing that the whale weight up to 30 tons it makes hardly to imagine it.

The WhaleWtaching trips on boats, depart only from Puerto Piramides, Peninsula Valdes. Every day there are regular trips of 6 different companies, that invite you to share an unforgettable experience.
Each whalewatching is special, cause it is not a pre established show as in the aquariums, where animals are like slaves and are trainned to do a show. Is nature, the geography, the sea, the wind, every element make from every trip something different.
Those are some of the reasons why from our Eco Lodge we recommend you to do more than one whalewatching trip, is such a great experience that leave the Peninsula doing just one trip seems to be not enough. Remember that you may not come back to this small paradise, and if you do it in summer whales will not be here. WHale Season starts at the end of may and ends by middle december.
If you feel attract by the idea of visiting the whales, we invite you to enjoy our comfortable eco lodge. If you wish, we can assist you about whalewatching schedule, rates, and we can book you seats without additional charge, just feel free to contact us delnomade@ecohosteria.com.ar, and we also can help you and giving you all the information about transfers, rent a car, activities as kayak, trekking, diving, and Mountain Bike.

Reserve Punta Pirámides - Peninsula Valdes Geography

The Peninsula Valdes Geography is mostly described by high cliffs, extended sedimentary platforms, sandy and pebble beaches. Small bays and many small barren islands complete our coast scene.



All this area has a great geological value, thats why Peninsula Valdes was declared Mankind Heritage to be protected, preserved y valued.
The protected area Punta Pirámides has 132 hectares surface and was created on February 1974. It is plenty of small cliffs, and between them small pebble beaches, the ground has arenaceous, argillaceous and fossil elements.




Definetely a great stage for photography, especially during Whale Watching Season.
The sunsets enjoyed from Punta Pirámides are all unforgettable, and it is one of the few places in Argentina we you can see how the sun hides behind the sea.

Orcas from Peninsula Valdes - Patagonia Argentina

The Orcas, confused known as Killer Whales, belongs to the dolphins family, the order Cetaceo and sub - order Odontoceti (that means that they have teeth!!) . Is not common to see them alone, the Orcas live and move in families, that group always has a male, some females with their calf. Each female has a baby every 10 years.About the size, the males typically range up to 10 mts and weigh up to 8000 KG.The females are smaller, generally ranging up to 7 mts and weighing up to 5000 KG.The calf , if it is Male, will leave the group when it get to mating age. When they are close the age of 15, they have a dorsal fin wich heigh is can be up to 1.80 mts.Its communicate way is auditive through high frequence sounds, wich also help them at the Eco localization.In Peninsula Valdes, Orcas can be seen during their attacks to Sea Lions and Elephant seals in Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes. They also feed themselveswith fishes, penguins, sea turtles, etc. There are Orcas in every ocean, the ones which can be seen in our area are world known because their particular way of hunting.Is good to know that the orcas does not attack humans, or land fauna....its diet is based just marine!

Plain Trophon from Peninsula Valdes

Here we have another type of Trophon, this has a smooth shell and is also a mollusc that can be found at the Peninsula Valdes waters. Its shells can be found walking by the beach. This kind of Trophon is relatived of the Laminated one that was posted before in 3D Photography.
The Trophon are carnivorous snails that work like in slow motion: they settle on other snail or clam, and they make a little hole through they absorb catching the alive substance of their victim.

Photography at Night in Peninsula Valdes Patagonia Argentina

These days of full moon are suitable to go around with the camera. Two nights ago I was doing some nightly shots in Puerto Piramides, ridind my bike from side to side, carrying camera and tripod. The high tide helps with its reflects giving clarity to the image.



In photos you can see:
Punta Olazabal, and the moon illuminating from behind
The wood door is the entrance to a cave that 100 years ago, when the village main economic resource was the salt, it was a place used to store the salt. More recently the cave was used by Captain Pinino who adapted the cave and to live there some years ago.








The marigraph, it was also many years ago a place to study the tides in Golfo Nuevo, nowadays nobody use it. It was paited by children from the school of Puerto Pirámides.
The Av. de las Ballenas, at the of course the moon doing an exhibition of itself. Patagonia is a wonderfull place.

Patagonian tourism secretaries meeting in Our Eco Lodge

This weekend, being useful the whale watching open season, secretaries of tourism of all the Patagonia provinces had a meeting in our Eco Lodge. Tierra Del Fuego, Santa Cruz, Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquen and La Pampa, were all together to work at the Official "Ente de Turismo". They fortified projects and they established politics to improve the common tourist supply of Patagonia Region. They took advantage of the comfortable, warm and private atmosphere at our Eco Lodge, while outside, the temperature was below 0 Cº.

Whale Watching Open Season - 2009

From today the Whale Watching Season 2009 is officiallly inaugurated, Many were the tourists that reach the WhaleWatching companies in Puerto Pirámides, and do Boat trips (until yesterday) without getting close to the whales-From today just boats from the 6 authorized WhaleWatching Companies and other boats from Diving Companies can legally do whalewatching trips.
If you are thinking to come with your own boat, forget to can sail from Puerto Pirámdes. The sanctions are quiet expensive for the people who does not respect the laws to protect the whales, queens of Peninsula Valdes.
If you feel attract by the idea of visiting the whales in this side od Patagonia, come to enjoy the comfort in our Eco Lodge. If you wish, we can help you with information as schedules, prices and whalewatching companies. Also we do bookings and other tour arrangements with no extra charge, just e mail us delnomade@ecohosteria.com.ar
Here we posts one Right Whale Watching video made by Alexis Fioramonti local documentalist from Puerto Piramides Enjoy It!

Turritella, an old art piece frome Nature in Peninsula Valdes

Nowadays the Turritella, as millions of years ago, can be found in tropical waters. In Peninsula Valdes, could be found as fossils with many millions years of age, this one is one signal about the possibility of the theory that says that Patagonia has suffered a climatic cooling

One more image to add to the 3D group!

Sofia Benegas, Aventurera de Península Valdés

Sofía Benegas, criada en la Península Valdés, hija de los primeros marisqueros que se establecieron en el Riacho en el Golfo San José, es hoy un referente del mar.
Sin perder su distintivo perfil sensible y femenino fue capacitándose en tareas marinas que a mas de un hombre le parecerían imposibles. Las disciplinas al aire libre son su especialidad.
Es directora y guía de kayak de Mar junto con su esposo Pablo Passera, Patagonia Explorers , con diversas expediciones realizadas explorando y relevando las costas de la Patagonia, entre ellas travesias por los golfos Nuevo y San José y desde Puerto Madryn a las cercanias de Comodoro Rivadavia. Instructora de buceo PADI. Buzo profesional PNA. Capitán y Guía de Fauna Marina. En fin, una vida dedicada a las actividades en el mar especializándose en el avistaje de ballenas como guía junto a uno de sus sus hermanos Rafael Benegas, los últimos 12 años.

Acá nos relata la última experiencia con un grupo de filmación:
"Durante febrero de 2009 estuve trabajando como Safety Diver (buzo de apoyo) para BBC Natural History en un proyecto que tenía como objetivo filmar a los delfines oscuros en el Golfo Nuevo en Península Valdés alimentándose de cardúmenes de Anchoitas.

El delfín oscuro desarrolla una singular estrategia de alimentación donde trabajan conjuntamente en llevar las anchoitas a la superficie formando bolas bien compactas quedando las mismas sin escapatoria. De esta manera los delfines y otros predadores, como lobos marinos y diferentes aves marinas se pueden alimentar.

Este fenómeno ocurre solo aquí y en Nueva Zelanda, pero las características del Golfo Nuevo son únicas por la visibilidad y la especie de anchoita. El tamaño y la especie de anchoita al formar la bola (baitball) generan una luz y color muy especial, haciendo una imagen muy buscada por el círculo de documentalistas. Todo esto hace una historia de comportamiento animal muy especial. Esta escena tan buscada era para ser exhibida en la serie de LIFE y forma parte de un programa completo.

Fueron 35 días intensos de trabajo en el agua desde las 6 AM hasta las 8 PM y estuvimos con delfines todos los días. Lamentablemente las escenas tan buscadas no se pudieron tomar, no logramos encontrar una actividad de alimentación que durara más de 3min! Y las bolas de anchoitas que llegaban a la superficie eran del tamaño de una pelota de básquet. Aparentemente los delfines eligieron alimentarse mas profundo. Ya es el tercer intento que la BBC le dedica a la Península Valdés para este proyecto. Es una cuestión de tiempo, suerte y mucha paciencia!"

The Flamingos arrived to Península Valdés

These days hundreds of Flamingos have arrived to Peninsula Valdes, and fortunately they did not come alone, they came with a couple of rainy days (very welcome at these latitudes) and a little bit of cold weather.Groups of these beautifull birds are seen in different beaches.

After few stormy days we went around and we were in San José Gulf, we visit the Riacho and beyond the Isla de los Pájaros we saw more than 300 flamencos.

Patagonia Adventure in Puerto Piramides - Patagonia Argentina

Between all the Patagonian adventure options that you have in Puerto Pirámides you can find: kayaks, snorkeling with sea lions, Dive courses, mountainbike or something simple but amazing : see the whales from the coast sitting in the beach. The activity level is about each person.People use to ask how many days they need to have a whole experience in Peninsula Valdes, and we suggest between 3 and 5 days.

Walk trough wonderfull beaches, conteplate breathtaking landscapes, enjoy the biological diversity, and marine animals colonies. Is important to give yourself the time to get involve with the place, and feel it.

Feel free to contact us to receive our promotional rates. We know Península Valdes, the places, the activities cause we live here!. Our e mail is delnomade@ecohosteria.com.ar, we will be glad to answer all you doubts!

Whale Watching in Península Valdés - Open Season 2009

Every year at the end of May, the Whales Season is officially started, that means that the WhaleWatching Tours are allowed. Thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see them. The Southern Right Whale can weight up to 40 tons and heigh up to 16 mts.
Is amazing to see them living their lifes in the Puerto Pirámides bay: mothers and their calves; the youngs looking for mating. Listen the "splash" after a whale jump has no words to be described, is a bless to have them near from the coast!
We recommend you to come this season, is an experience for the whole family, in Puerto Pirámides right at the start point of Peninsula Valdes, we wait for you with our underfloor heating in a space created with love and privacy. we are where the adventure begins.

This is a video made Live during the Whale Watching open season weekend 2009

Trophon, Made by nature hands

Trophon is a mollusc than can be found in Peninsula Valdes waters. Last month during Orcas season, while we were waiting to see Orcas, we found a fossil in Punta Norte. I did this 3D image taking 23 photos to the Trophon hanging from a thread and spinning over itself. Using a Photo Editor from Adobe called Fireworks y put them in sequence and Cecilia, my wife, work over the scenario in Flash, other pc program from Adobe. The Trophon size is another detail, its height is less than 3 cm. The moon was added to create more 3D effect.

Marine Mammals - False Killer Whale

A year ago a volcano called Chaiten in Chile released a dense gas cloud of 25 kilometers of height, along the days the wind diluted it and took it to the east taking the ashes above the Patagonia Argentina, and even more far reaching Africa. In the coasts of Chubut, exactly in Puerto Piramides Bay at the Golfo Nuevo plenty of that weird atmosphere, showed up a group of 150 False killer whales (Pseudorca Crassidens) and Bottled Nose Dolphin (Tursiops Truncatus) being this an unusual event. The group had mothers, calves of both species that were swimming in circles with no direction.



The False Killer Whale, is not a very known specie, and it was observed in Peninsula Valdes for first time. One of the theories that make us understand those unusual events, was that these incredibles cetaceans from the dolphin family use the eco localization and the land magnetism as a way guide their daily lifes.
The big cloud was covering beyond the horizon at any direction, containing large amounts of quartz and other minerals that could affect the biological dolphins and killer whales radars, making by this way the navigation difficult.

Days ago, talking and looking the photos with a National Geographic producer, Doug Bertran, he said that he saw false killer whales once and it was in California more than 10 years ago, during a volcan activity. That gives more credit to a magnetic theory of navigation.
Luckily for the beginning of the fifth day we did not see falses orcas anymore, and fortunately no dolphins or false killer whales beached.

False Killer Whales are often found in Zebu Island (Philippines), in the coast of Australia, the Oriental Caribbean, and Hawaii.
We want to thank to Pablo Passera, an expert kayak guide who came to the Eco Lodge to invite us to row, and we had the chance to stay in the water floating near the cetacean group it was an unique and unforgettable experience.
In this post we share a video made with the False killer whales by Segundo Cerrato and Daniel Casielles better known as "El Pulpo"....don't miss it!!!

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALE - The evolution of a comercial point of view for our "Natural resource"

The Southern Right Whale is a hot blood being that has been under the natural resources industrialization effects. For many yeasr whales, sea lions and some other species were hunted by humans to use their fat to be disolved until get oil to make candles and to put it on the lights, illuminating by this way the houses and streets of Europe and Colonies from all around the world. Also fat was used for cosmetic purposes.

Its beards, that whales and other misticetos use in the krill filtration process, were processed to make umbrellas, corsets and other massive products. The population estimated before the massive whale hunting, was more than 50.000 Southern Right Whales.
After the petroleum, gas and electricity discovery, these mammals were little by little less indispensable for the industry. Many species did not survey to the market voracity, one of that was the Basque Whale, a kind of whale that used to live in the Cantabric Sea, in Northe Spain.

In 1937, when whales were only hundreds, right after the International Regulation of Whales Hunting Agreement, the Southern Right Whale was declared under total protection. From that moment the recovery of the specie was slow but maintained. In 1984 it was declared National Natural Monument in Argentina.

Thanks to the nowadays vision and consciousness , the Southern Right Whale is visited in Peninsula Valdes by thounsands of tourists, who do whale watching tours or enjoy it from the coast. People percibe these criatures from different eyes, as a part of our small and fragile planet. Is positive to enjoy a photo of a whale like a memory instead of have an umbrella in case of rain. The evolution is coming.

Southern Right Whale - Climate Behaviour

One of the natural factors that affect the whale behavior is the climatic condition. When the pressure is low and there is no wind in Golfo Nuevo the water looks like oil and most of the whales seem to be extremely calm, often like slept. Also when the weather improves after several days of bad weather, it sees them much more active, social, they move and interact more. Definitely they are animals sensible to the weather condition.

Southern Right Whale . Route of the Whales

The Southern Right Whale has a large space in the ocean around where it circulates along its life. The whales that born in the Golfo Nuevo or San Jose do not necessarily return every year to Peninsula Valdes. They have defined all the good zones for their migrations in autumn and summer.

They cross thousands of kilometers in each migration. In autumn during the reproduction period they move towards the North raising the 20 parallel, the northest area where whales are usually seen in groups is in the brazilian coast in South America and between Mozambique and Madagascar Island in Africa.

Also can be found in New Zealand and South Africa. For this season we expect more than 600 whales arrive to Peninsula Valdes, being here the bigger concentration of Southern Right Whales. The Golfo Nuevo and San Jose waters are really attractive for the calves for learn to breathe, and is also interesting for the mating.
During the firsts weeks of december begin the retirement towards the feeding regions around the 55 parallel (Sub Antartica Region), where the water temperature is higher and better for the krill proliferation, main food of these whales.

Southern Right Whale - Jump of the Whale in Peninsula Valdes

The Southern Right Whales, like other whale species, take their body out from the water being that behavior known as the Whale Jump. From our human interpretation the causes of it are diverse; scientists maintain that the whale jumps as a way of communication with other adults or with their calf. Some others also consider that the reason could be their try to take a look outside the water, although they see forms and distances, cause their eyes are adapted only to see under the salt water being improbable that the whale sees objects defined in the air surface. The other probable reason for the jump are the "ciamidos", its a small crustacean that in groups of tens could be thousands walking on the whale skin and callosities. Sometimes the ciamidos walk trough sensibles part of the whale body, as near the eyes, being really annoyance so by the jump the whale tried to remove them.The last years the sea gulls has developed a technique to eat the whale skin and fat itching their backs, so that could be other jump cause, again the Whale tries to remove something that is teasing it like the flies tease us, tiny but unbearable. The important thing beyond the causes of the jump, is that us are able to contemplate this incredile marine mammal of 40 tons removing 10 meters their body out from the water just with the strenght of its tail or fin. In this post you can enjoy photos of whale jumps!!

You can watch this Right Whalewatchig Video

SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES...Coming Soon!

Every year, a kind of whale called Southern Right Whale, is hosted for breeding by Peninsula Valdes. That´s a reason for such a feeling of happiness in every people living in Puerto Pirámides and Golfo Nuevo.
The whales begins to arrive to our coast around middle May, day by day the number of whales increase until raise the top in September. The process keep going along October and November when we can see much more whales with different behaviours : the females with their calf, skinnier than when arrived; the females wich had not have calf are "harassed" by large groups of males, conforming one of the most uncommon group mating of the nature.

By the first week of December the Southern Right Whale starts to leave Peninsula Valdes, they go to the Southern Hemisphere. During the last years we had been seen whales until the first week of January, but throught long navigations reaching the entrance of the Golfo Nuevo.

Plants From Península Valdés - Paramela

Paramela (Adesmia Boronioides) is a native shrub from the Patagonia Steppe.It blooms in Spring, height up to 2 mts and expand along many metres. Even though it can be found in small sizes and be unnoticed, its flowers are 1 cm of lenght.
The steams and leaves were used by the Tehuelches against the flu. As Priegue and Casamiquela says, the tehuelches use to boil water with sugar, like doing a syrup, and after that they added the Paramela.
Correa, says that nowadays the Paramela is used to help digestion and as sahumerio for respiratory problems.

Screen Saver - Peninsula Valdes

Here we are posting photos of sea lions, Imperial Cormorants and Magallanes Penguins, all of them from Peninsula Valdes. If you double click on the image it gets bigger and it's possible to save it in your computer. The size is perfect to use as screen saver. Anybody can say that we put the logo on the image to promote our eco-lodge, I rather to think that I put it to spread the life in freedom.
Relax and enjoy!!!

Electric Storm in Puerto Piramides

In Puerto Piramides, as in the rest of the Peninsula Valdes, the sky is clear. In this semiderted area is not usual to have rainy days, but it doesn't mean that we haven't at all. That's the reason why almost every night we appreciate the sky plenty of stars.
Last summer, in February, there was a big electric storm, it started in Puerto Madryn and minutes later in Puerto Piramides, I took some photos with a technique that consists in leaving the camera in a tripod focusing the eye of the storm until it shot one, two o how many rays can we register by the same shot. In this case that we have no light, the ray is our only ilumination.

Andy`s (NGS) Girlfriend Emma and her experience in Patagonia

Here is a transcript of Emma`s Comments in our Guest Book!!! =)

" I was in Florida,and I had 40 min on me to pack and come to Patagonia if I could.
The staff was amaizing! They helpt with everithing.fixing airplanes,booked taxi and all that stuff. I would not be able to come here without there helpt! So THANK YOU! so much. The trip was so worth it!Both the owner and the staff are all so cute and helpful. And the Orca are amaizing too!
Good luck to you all and I hope to come here again!
Lots of love"
Emma and Andy

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 10

Andy Casagrande spent the last week without the rest of the team, while he was concentrated on his job in the Eco-Lodge were working on making his personal wish true: spend a couple of days in Piramides with his girlfriend. In less than 30 hs his girlfriend, who was waiting for him in Miami, showed up in Del Nomade.
We managed all the bookings and the logistic to make his desire come true. After 3 days of adventure we took them to the Puerto Madryn Airport to get their flight back to Buenos Aires, and then back home. We also help them with their luggage check in and its 300 kg of excess!!!!

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 9

The last day of work, National Geographic team did finally get the images that they were needing with the Phantom Camera. After many days where they were feeling very disappointed because of the absence of orcas
The desired scene was the orca catching the sea lion calve right on the wave breaker , with the detail of being recording at 600 frames per second, capturing by this way every little detail that can not be seeing at first sight because of the attack speed.

BetweenTime Lapse y Time Lapse in Patagonia

Alejandro Avampini was assisting Andy Casagrande from National Geographic for a week during his work about the Orcas and he did it too with the Time Lapses !! (the sequences of photos we have been talking about posts before). While both were waiting sequences time pass by, Alejandro also a nature photographer, took these photos in Patagonia.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 8

National Geographic to make their documental even richer included images filmed with a small camera HD inside of a water housing. It was managed by a kind of twig with a telescope, so it was easily moved allowing the crew to check by a monitor what were they recording. Andy Casagrande explained Segundo Cerratos in our Eco¨lodge how it works, and then at the beach he did the same with Alejandro. The point was to get certain images of the Orca just before attack the sea lions calves, representing by these way the prey point of view.

The whole work was done from a beach in Punta Norte, this kind of works has to be supervised by a Park Ranger, and previously all the permissions has to be managed. From our Eco-Lodge we can help you with that process.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 7

La llegada de Andy Casagrande, a Península Valdés le dió un valor agregado a la calidad de trabajo que estaban realizando, llegó con la Phantom cámara que filma hasta 1000 cuadros por segundo, logrando mostrar en cámara lenta detalles que a simple vista no se ven. También, con su camara fotográfica y trípode realizó muchísimos Time Lapse, que son fotografías sacadas en secuencia con varios segundos de diferencia, dando como resultado muchas fotografías que pasadas juntas muestran por ejemplo el avance de las nubes y como va cambiando el color del atardecer.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 6

Ralph Cutter was assisting Doug during his first week, he felt himself very lucky (and he is definetely lucky!!) because he shoted with his camera more than 40 orcas attacks! we are waiting for his photos so we can post some of his amazing images.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 5

The fourth and fifth day the got more images!! The crew was relaxed after registered more than 40 strandings, many of them with a "happy end" for the orcas During the whole work they had had the technical assistance in certain things about the orcas, as the names of each of the Orcas they where filming. Roberto Bubas, was the one who was there to help them, as one of the most important orcas researcher in Peninsula Valdes.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 4

The second day was also really interesting, the high tide were at early morning, so they left from the Eco-Lodge really early, fortunately the Orcas were there, the recorded 7 intentional stranding. A long way must be crossed to get to the orcas attack area. The National Geographic crew had the chance to film different situations, as failed attacks from different angles, and young orcas behaviour being teached by their moms how to reach the coast following the small sea lions.
The third day was similar, the had great and very useful opportunities, increasing by this way the time of good recordings. Orcas can be seen in Punta Norte, only at this season, and they are definetely amazing.
Nobody believed how lucky the were, cause the got too much time of filming ... no clue they got an invaluable material!!!
In the photos you can see a relaxed Doug after a wonderfull day checking his e mails through his laptop and WIFI conection in our Eco Logde, in Patagonia Argentina.

Peninsula Valdes Birds - Southern Giant-Petrel

Southern Giant-Petrel (macronectes giganteus)
This particular bird has an incredibly aerodynamic shape . The distance between the ends of both extended wings is up to 2m. An adult male can weigh up to 5 kg.The characteristic of the Family is that they are tubinares, that means that their tip adopt the shape of a unique nasal tube , but divided inside in two by a central partition.
They have just one egg and both parents alternate themselves during the incubation and the feeding process. The giant Petrel has a great sense of smell, being by this way able to find food on the coasts, they not always kills penguins or elephant seals to eat.In the sea they feed themselves with waste that hundreds of boats throw away, like tons of fishes wich are to good for humans. By these way we explain that the waste of human depredation is helping the Great Petrel to increase its survival capacity and doing the reproduction cycle more productive. Consequently these birds population are in bigger proportion than previous years. The giant petrel is under monitoring, wich has demonstrated that they can flight incredible distances. A bird fastened with rings in New Zealand has been seen one week later in patagonik coasts, wich implies that they flew more than 5000 km in 7 days!!!

Short days and extended shadows

This time of transition, between the end of penguins/ orcas season, and the beginning of whales season in Peninsula Valdes, agrees with the beginning of Autumn where days are shorter and the sun illuminates with warmer light. The sun doesn´t circulates perpendicular as in summer, when the light is whiter and intense that we can perceive the UV radiation at first sight. Now the sun, from our relative centrism, begins to incline towards the north and is moderated at its temperature, the angle that produces along the day above the steppe is perfect to make photos with a perpendicular illumination of extended shadows.

Penisula Valdes Plants - Quilembay

Quilembay (Chuquiraga Avellanedae) is a shrub that frequently is in Peninsula Valdes, and in the rest of Chubut, Río Negro and Santa Cruz, is a shrub no higher than a meter, its leaves grows from the stem, are acute and finishes thorny. The flowers are yellow, and beautiful. This plant, with others that cab be seen on the road sides, are not higher that 2 meters and usually live more than 50 years. Adapted to a dry weather they dejavascript:void(0)corate the patagonik steppe.

National Geographic - Orcas- Posts 3

The first day the National Geographic crew left the lodge too early, getting to Punta Norte exactly before the high tide. The orcas usually attack few hours before and few hours after the high tide, the reason is that by that way they can do its intentional stranding without being in a risk .

At the lodge we were waiting for them!
As soon as they crossed the main door, we knew that they succeeded. See their faces was enough to know that they got what they expected (and even more). They had the chance to see Mel, a orca male older than 45 years, attacking more than 10 times. The daylight was perfect for the work.
For the orcas and photographers was a nice day, but it was not for the sea lions.

Punta Norte - Land Fauna

When the orcas leave good are the armadillos!!! We went to Punta Norte looking for the orcas, 3 days and the gave us no signal. Tired of playing with stones, as photographers our consolation was photographing the land fauna. The armadillos are neighbors living at the Punta Norte parking lot, where the have their places. Always looking for insects or any other thing to eat.
The fox is a little more cautious and it lives hidden from people, coming close not so often.
The fleecy sheep are always between shrubs, as well as the choiques.

Migratory Birds

Pinguins are not the only ones leaving Peninsula Valdes, also differents migratory birds are already moving to warmer regions. As we told before we saw flocks of "abutardas" and "gaviotines" which are feeling the cold weather and prefer warmer places to spend the winter, we also found a "bandurria" walking in the beach. The gaviotas, has not been seen for many months.

National Geographic - Orcas - Post 2

The Orcas or killer whales attack to elephant seals, and sea lions is a particular behavior of the orcas that live in Peninsula Valdes area.
The National Geographic were working at Punta Norte for many months, the same as Discovery Channel which was filming also the orcas for a work from other point of view, being about the orcas in the world.
The perfect moment to see the orcas in action, is when the young sea lions are grown enough to move by themself, specially near to the water. Every year, from late February to early April Orcas give us a show, the exactly day for the attacks nobody knows. It could be one every week, or could be 7 attacks in a row with more than 10 intentional stranding per day. The same situation happen in Caleta Valdes during October.
People from National Geographic arrived to our lodge on March 24th, and the stayed til April 14th.
We are dedicating these lines in our blog to Doug, Ralph, Andy and Segundo who were working to show this Mankind Heritage to the world.

Penguins in Caleta Valdes

We were visiting Caleta Valdes, and had the chance to see the Magallanes pinguins, the youngs are changing the plumage to get ready for the sea adventure, by the way many of them are already leaving! They won´t touch mainland until next springtime, when they will be comming back to do its nests, til then pinguins will be travelling trough warm waters reaching brazilian coasts. Boa Viagem Pinguins!

Look Around Peninsula Valdes

In our tour by the Peninsula Valdes, we also saw a lot of fauna, in the way between Punta Norte and Caleta Valdes we were impressed by Maras, Martinetas, and Guanacos.
We meet a group of brazilian people in a Defender, who were travelling from Resife Pernambuco and there were planning to reach Usuahia in a couple of weeks.

National Geographic - Orcas - Posts 1

The National Geographic Team is staying with us since 20 days ago!!, they already got incredible images, more than 50 intentionally orcas strandings at Punta Norte, seeking for the young sea lions. Alejandro Avampini, the Eco-Lodge owner and nature photographer is assisting Andy Casagrande, one of the 2 specialist that National Geographic has to work using the "Phantom", a High Speed camera, wich can capture up to 1000 frames per second, getting incredibles images showed in slow motion with thousand of unbelievable details.

Orcas Season - Photographers

Between March and April for those nature lovers, in Peninsula Valdes, there is no better scene than Punta Norte: the orcas in its feeding process seduced by baby seals, wich after few months from their birth, are more self confidence to move towards the Argentinian Sea and its waves. Natural border between three worlds:the mainland, the light air, wich Eolo often blows it very strong at this latitudes, and the deep blue from where these cetaceos come out.
In this harmonious context hosted by beaches plenty of pebbles, infinitely horizon and marine fauna, photographers and documentalist get together to reach one of the most wanted wild life moments . One of the photographers who has dedicated his time and patience to document the orcas attacks is Andres Bonetti who proudly has lived more than 15 orcas seasons and even more stories behind it. We were last friday with him at Punta Norte, after an "asado" the night before in Puerto Piramides and where he spent a night is our eco-lodge.
Through this blog we invite him to tell us about his work during all these years in Peninsula Valdes, and of course we beg for some photos to post and show this man amazing work! =)

Affection bounds- Beto Bubas - New Orcas Best-seller

“It has been said that to obtain good scientific information one has to be coldly objective, register with precision the observations made, and above all, avoid all feelings of empathy towards the subject of study. It was by good fortune that I ignored these theories during the first few months in Gombe. A considerable part of my understanding and knowledge about these intelligent beings was possible because I did feel empathy towards them.” Dr. Jane Goodall

In the beginning of my investigation and as an attempt to solve certain technical problems, I approached the orcas in the water. To my surprise, the orcas not only offered me their peaceful close proximity, but also their friendship.
After recovering from my initial awe, we established a relationship that changed the early goals of my study into another search that reaches far beyond the boundary of a formal investigation. For me it could no longer be just the collection of information to be analyzed under the cold light of logical thought, but more so the search for a train of thought that would direct my daily observations in a direction of greater transcendence.
Over the years these orcas have become my family in the sea, and most likely for them, I have become their friend on the shore. Although this way of thinking could be considered far from strict scientific protocol, I have been fed by it with an internal certainty that it would result in a greater contribution to the world one day.
For over a decade I have filled many notebooks with the diverse aspects of these animals’ lives, but more importantly we have shared the rising and setting sun and moonlit nights playing in the kelp or splashing in the water. These eternal instances have been etched into my memory, and maybe it is because of these special moments that I have found answers. Together they have given me an understanding of this special place occupied by both man and orca within the formidable mechanism of life.
Like man, the orcas occupy an elevated position in the general scheme of life on this planet. Different from modern man, the orcas’ behavior still rotates around the same basic necessities of our ancestors. A better understanding of the orcas’ life stories might bring us closer to our own story, and in the end assist us in correcting the direction of our existence. In the meantime, we do know that Orcas and Man are travel partners in the journey throughout this world, where everything is intimately associated.
Maybe the relationship that the orcas and I have established means something more than just a noteworthy example of interaction between two different species. Perhaps, and above all, it is a message that can help us remember that we are not alone nor superior than other living beings in the world. We share the same home and we will never be able to separate ourselves from one simple truth: what happens with the orcas or any other species in our planet will, sooner or later, happen to us.

Del Nómade Blog Spot

We would like to introduce you our blog, the way we choose to keep in touch with all of you, for you to share your experiencie in this wonderful place in our world called Peninsula de Valdes; and to show you trough photos and videos whats going on here along the diffent seasons.

We hope you enjoy and share our love for this amazing and breathtaking piece of the world.

Hurry back!


Del Nómade Eco- Lodge