Boat trips
Dolphins and sea lions.
Gonce — CC BY 4.0 · Mikelzubi — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Gonce — CC BY 4.0 · Gonce — CC BY 4.0
The Ría Deseado is a long estuary formed at the mouth of the Deseado river in northern Santa Cruz province, running about fifty kilometres to the Atlantic with a mouth some seven kilometres wide, and a provincial nature reserve of great biological importance. On its north shore lies the town of Puerto Deseado, named after the English navigator Thomas Cavendish's ship Desire in 1586. Its rocky walls and islands teem with sea life, and boat trips from town look for small black-and-white dolphins, sea lions, cormorant colonies on the cliffs and penguins on the islands in season. Around the estuary there are trails and viewpoints over red rock and blue sea. The estuary is free to see from the shore; boat trips are paid with local operators. The town is off the main roads, so allow at least two days, and the best season is November to March.
Dolphins and sea lions.
On the cliffs.
And blue sea.
Puerto Deseado, northern Santa Cruz province
November to March, when birds and penguins are on the islands and the sea is usually calmer for boat trips.