Cabo Dos Bahías

Cabo Dos Bahías lies beyond the small fishing village of Camarones on a stretch of Chubut coast that few people reach, and it has the feel of a place left alone. The reserve protects a colony of Magellanic penguins, far smaller than Punta Tombo but visited by a fraction of the people, with a marked path through the burrows and views along the cliffs. Guanacos graze the steppe right up to the shore and are unusually approachable, foxes and armadillos are common, and offshore islands hold cormorants, gulls and sea lions. Southern right whales and dolphins are seen from the headland at times. The road out is gravel, the wind is constant, and there is little at the site but the coast itself.

What you actually see

• The penguin colony - a quiet Magellanic colony with a path through the burrows.
• The guanacos - herds grazing the steppe down to the shoreline.
• The seabird islands - cormorants, gulls and sea lions offshore.
• The empty coast - cliffs and bays with almost no development.

When to go

October to March, matching the penguin season; the birds arrive in spring and leave by autumn. Whales pass in winter and spring. The gravel road is slow at any time and can be difficult after rain.

Honest expectations

Facilities amount to a ranger post and signage; there is no shop, water or shelter. Camarones itself is a very small village with limited accommodation and food. The drive from Trelew takes several hours each way, so this is a detour for people who want emptiness rather than convenience.

Nearby

Camarones is the base village; Bahía Bustamante lies further south along the coast.