Although Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) is celebrated in towns and villages throughout Brazil and other Catholic countries, Rio de Janeiro has long been regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World. The Rio Carnaval is not only the biggest Carnival, it as also a benchmark against which every other carnival is compared and one of the most interesting artistic events on the Globe. Almost everyone has heard of the Rio Carnaval. Foreign visitors to it alone number around 500,000 every year.

Almost all of the music played during Rio Carnival is samba. It is a uniquely Brazilian music originating from Rio, a dance form that was invented by the poor Afro-Brazilians.The word samba comes from the Angolan world semba referring to a type of ritual music. The word had a variety of meanings to the African slaves brought to Brazil during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It meant to pray or invoke the spirits of the ancestors and the gods of the African Pantheon. As a noun, it could mean a complaint, a cry, or something like “the blues”.

One of the greatest elements of the Rio Carnaval is that it not only provides entertainment for many people around the world but it also gives a chance to learn about the true culture of Brazil. Carnival is very important to the Brazilians, it sums up their culture.

It is a euphoric event where people dance, sing, party and have tons of fun. There are many parties that take place before, during and after Carnival all night and all day. It allows someone’s true heart to come out and have as much fun as possible.

Rio Carnival is the result of months of preparation. People eagerly anticipate the start of each year’s Rio Carnival. It begins with the crowning of the Fat King (King Momo), who is presented with a giant silver and gold key by the city’s mayor.

Then it is Carnival all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars, clubs and all other venues, taking over the whole city of Rio and culminating in the Rio Carnival Parade also known as the Samba Parade.

Coming to Rio Carnival means a bit of preparation. You should not only book ahead your flight and accommodation but buy your Rio Carnival tickets in advance, too. Study the Rio Carnival 2011 event calendar and pick the ones you intend to attend. Try to organize your accommodation well in advance and get your costumes for the Samba Parade.
After all the preparation work just come, dive in and enjoy it all!

The samba schools entertain the community through samba nights and create a pageant for the Samba Parade. They have to pick themes, write music and lyrics, make costumes and floats and practice all year around to succeed in the Parade.The samba schools are vital elements of Rio Carnival. They are social clubs representing a particular neighborhood, usualy a working class community of the slums (favelas). They have a samba hall to entertain and practice their samba, and a separate production unit to make their costumes and floats for their Rio Carnival Parade.

Rio Carnival History
The roots of Carnival trace back to the ancient Romans and Greeks who celebrated the rites of spring. Across Europe, including France, Spain and Portugal, people annually gave thanks by throwing parties, wearing masks and dancing in the streets. Such traditions were carried over to the New World.

The Portuguese first brought the concept of “celebration or carnival” to Rio around 1850. The practice of holding balls and masquerade parties was imported by the city’s bourgeoisie from Paris. However, in Brazil, the traditions soon became different. Over time, they acquired unique elements deriving from African and Amerindian cultures.

Groups of people would parade through the streets playing music and dancing. It was usual that during Carnival aristocrats would dress up as commoners, men would cross-dress as women and the poor dress up as princes and princesses – social roles and class differences were expected to be forgotten once a year but only for the duration of the festival.

Brazilians used to riot the Carnival until it was accepted by the government as an expression of culture. The black slaves became actively involved in the celebrations. They were able to be free for three days. Nowadays the slums’ black communities are still the most involved groups in all the carnival preparations and they are the ones for whom Rio Carnival means the most.

By the end of the 18 century the festivities were enriched by competitions. People would not just dress up in costumes but also perform a parade accompanied by an orchestra of strings, drums and other instruments. These ever more organized competitions became the main attractions of the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro.

Until the beginning of the 20th century, street carnival in Rio was musically a very euro centric affair – Polkas, Waltzes, Mazurkas and ‘Scottish’. Meanwhile, the emergent working class (made up mainly of Afro Brazilians, along with some gypsies, Russian Jews, Poles etc.) developed their own music and rhythm. These people were mostly based in the central part of Rio, on a land that the rich did not want – on the hills and swamps behind the dockyards – an area which came to be known as ‘Little Africa’ now recognized as the cradle of samba.

The parades were halted during World War II and started again in 1947. By then the main competition took place downtown on Avenida Rio Branco.

Carnival has gone a long way since it was brought to Rio, having become one of the biggest events in the World. One of the most important recent developments was that the biggest parade the Samba Parade moved from the streets downtown to the purpose-built Sambodromo.

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Experience the ultimate in eco-tourism – from navigating the Amazon River to swimming with rare pink dolphins, to trekking through the rainforest to relaxing in a luxury tree house surrounded by the wonders of nature. 

These Amazon jungle package bring you face-to-face with one of the greatest influences on the world’s eco-system. Encounter 15,000 different species of animals and thousands of tree, mammal, fish and bird species observed on your jungle expeditions. Enjoy canoe rides in creeks, jungle trekking, piranha fishing, alligator spotting, jungle survival courses, folkloric night shows, bird watching, sport fishing, and visiting dwellings of aborigines. In the light of the moon, you watch your guide snatch an alligator out of the dark Rio Negro. Learn medicinal secrets of endangered indigenous tribes of the Amazon Rainforest, drink water from trees, watch monkeys swing through branches, marvel at massive lily-pads, canoe through the endless waters of the Amazon, fish for piranhas, capture dazzling sunsets, and fall asleep in your treetop canopy lodge hypnotized by the symphonic hum of the Amazon jungle.

Feel the power of nature in the Amazon, your destination for adrenaline and rejuvenation. This will be the adventure of a lifetime.

Welcome Reception, Check In & Hotel Tour . Lunch
Amazonian Village Excursion in Motorized Canoes.
Dinner & Overnight at Lodge

Day 02: ARIAU AMAZON LODGE
Breakfast – Jungle Trekking
Lunch – Piranha Fishing
Dinner – Alligator Spotting in Motorized Canoes
Overnight at Lodge

Day 03: AMAZON LODGE
Breakfast – Amazonian Fisherman Community Excursion
Lunch – Free Leisure Time
Dinner
Overnight at Lodge

Day 04: AMAZON LODGE
Sunrise In The Amazon Tour In Motorized Canoes
Breakfast
Free Leisure Time
Lunch
Amazonian Certification – Boat Ride From Ariau ToManaus

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Iberostar is a luxury hotel cruise ship that will take you on an unforgettable cruise along the Amazon River.

Your extraordinary adventure begins in the Brazilian city of Manaus. The Iberostar makes stops at various spots in the Amazon Rainforest, offering trips on small boats for guests who want to explore the jungle’s dense, untouched vegetation.

This five-star cruise hotel will take you to the site of the greatest natural exuberance on the planet –Amazonia- to marvel at tropical trees, plants and the Amazon’s most exotic animal species.

On this journey along the course of the Amazon River, you will enjoy all the modern conveniences on our luxury cruise ship, including fully-equipped cabins, exclusive bars and restaurants, a wide range of entertainment activities, a conference room for conventions, shops, swimming pools, Jacuzzis, a disco, etc.

Experience the tropical rainforest and the fascinating environs of the Amazon River on this trip deep into the jungle while you luxuriate in the comfort of a five-star hotel.

This All Inclusive cruise encompasses lodging, all meals, welcome cocktail, all snacks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, both domestic and imported, safety deposit box located inside the cabins and various guided activities and excursions at the stops.

Day 1 – 18.00 hrs Departure

•        Passengers check-in at Iberostar reception office in the harbor building
•        Embark, accommodation in cabins and reservation of tables in the restaurant
•        Ship departs to Manacapuru, passing by Ponta Negra
•        Captain’s welcome cocktail party,     presentation of officers and crew in the Lua salon
•        Lecture on safety and abandon ship  procedures
•        Welcome dinner in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Live music and first contacts in the party salon and open bar on the top deck

Day 2

•        Passing through Manacapuru harbor
•        Sunrise Lovers Breakfast at the upper deck
•        Breakfast in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Trekking and photo safari in the Manacapuru region
•        Boat ride to Igarapés e Igapós
•        Lunch in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Reaching “Lago do Jacaré”
•        Piranha fishing (optional)
•        Bird watching at Lago do Rei
•        Music watching the sunset at the upper deck
•        Dinner in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Alligator spotting

Day 3

•        Reaching Janauacá
•        Sunrise Lovers Breakfast at the upper deck
•        Bird watching at Lago Janauacá Lunch in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Photo safari at Lago Janauacá
•        Trekking on land – 2 trails
•        On the way to Igarapé do Rei – Rio Amazonas
•        Lunch in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Igarapé do Rei
•        Bird watching and Alligator spotting at Igarapé do Rei
•        Boat excursion through the “Igarapés”
•        Goodbye dinner in the Kuarup restaurant

Day 4 – 08.00 arrival.

•        On the way to “encontro das águas”
•        Sunrise Lovers Breakfast at the upper deck
•        Breakfast in the Kuarup restaurant
•        Check-out and arrival atManaus

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Day 1: Depart from Ushuaia
Embark the USHUAIA in the afternoon and meet your expedition and lecture staff. After you have settled into your cabins we sail along the famous Beagle Channel and the scenic Mackinlay Pass.

Day 2 & 3: Crossing the Drake Passage
Named after the renowned explorer, Sir Francis Drake, who sailed these waters in 1578, the Drake Passage also marks the Antarctic Convergence, a biological barrier where cold polar water sinks beneath the warmer northern waters. This creates a great upwelling of nutrients, which sustains the biodiversity of this region. The Drake Passage also marks the northern limit of many Antarctic seabirds. As we sail across the passage, our lecturers will be out with you on deck to help in the identification of an amazing variety of seabirds, including many albatrosses, which follow in our wake. The USHUAIA’s open bridge policy allows you to join our officers on the bridge and learn about navigation, watch for whales, and enjoy the view. A full program of lectures will be offered as well.

The first sightings of icebergs and snow-capped mountains indicate that we have reached the South Shetland Islands, a group of twenty islands and islets first sighted in February 1819 by Capt. William Smith of the brig Williams. With favorable conditions in the Drake Passage our lecturers and naturalists will accompany you ashore as you experience your first encounter with the penguins and seals on Day 3.

Day 4 to 8: Exploring South Shetland Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula
The South Shetland Islands are a haven for wildlife. Vast penguin rookeries, beaches ruled by Antarctic fur seals and southern elephant seals make every day spent in this amazing island group unforgettable. Sailing through the narrow passage into the flooded caldera of Deception Island is truly amazing. King George Island, the largest of the South Shetland Islands, features colonies of nesting Adélie and Chinstrap Penguins, Kelp Gulls, Blue-eyed Cormorants, Antarctic Terns and Southern Giant Petrels and is home to scientific bases of many different countries. Macaroni, Chinstrap and Gentoo Penguins as well as elephant seals await you at Livingston Island.
The Antarctic Peninsula’s remarkable history will provide you with a type of excitement often only associated with the early explorers. You will have plenty of time to explore its amazing scenery, a pristine wilderness of snow, ice, mountains and waterways, and an incredible wide variety of wildlife. Apart from penguins and seabirds you are very likely to see Weddell, crabeater and leopard seals as well as Minke, killer (orca) and humpback whales at close range.
We hope to navigate some of the most beautiful waterways (depending on the ice conditions): the Gerlache Strait, the Neumayer Channel, and the Lemaire Channel, the latter are narrow passages between towering rock faces and spectacular glaciers. We plan to make at least two landings per day. Possible landing sites may include: Paradise Bay is perhaps the most aptly named place in the world and we attempt a landing on the continent proper. After negotiating the iceberg-strewn waters of the Antarctic Sound, we hope to visit the bustling Adélie Penguin (over 100,000 pairs breed here) and Blue-eyed Cormorant colonies on Paulet Island. The Nordenskjöld expedition built a stone survival hut here in 1903. Today its ruins have been taken over by nesting penguins.
Further exploration may take you to Melchior Island, Cuverville Island, Portal Point, Neko Harbour, Pléneau Island  and if ice conditions permit, to Petermann Island for a visit to the southernmost colony of Gentoo Penguins.

Day 9 & 10: At Sea crossing the Drake Passage, northbound
We leave Antarctica and head north across the Drake Passage. Join our lecturers and naturalists on deck as we search for seabirds and whales and enjoy some final lectures. Take the chance to relax and reflect on the fascinating adventures of the past days on the way back to Ushuaia. 

Day 11: Arrival at Ushuaia
We arrive at Ushuaia in the early morning and disembark the USHUAIA after breakfast.

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Top Attractions:
Corcovado Hill – Christ the Redeemer
The Christ of Corcovado was recently chosen as one of the new Seven Wonders of the World. The view from the toes of Rio’s mountain top Christ is spectacular: the mountains, the bay, and the city all lay revealed beneath your feet. It’s enough to give you a feeling of omniscience. The statue was intended to mark the 100th anniversary of Brazilian independence in 1922, but in true Carioca fashion it arrived a decade or so late in 1931. Access is via a steep narrow-gauge railway, followed by a pair of escalators that whisk you up to the base of the statue. Allow 2 hours round-trip.

Sugarloaf
Along with samba, beaches, and beautiful women, the Sugarloaf remains one of the original and enduringRio attractions. Deservedly so. Standing on its peak, the entire cidade maravilhosa lays at your feet: the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana, the favelas of Babylonia, the Tijuca Forest, Christ the Redeemer on His mountain, the Bay of Guanabara, and the fortresses at the edge of far-off Niterói. It’s a truly beautiful sight. The cable car leaves every half-hour from 8am to 10pm daily, more frequently if there are enough people waiting.

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Buenos Aires has always been famous for its incredible cultural offer.
Cinemas, theatres and shows provide an unlimited variety of options for entertainment. Like every big city, Buenos Aires has a thriving theater scene. The ‘Broadway’ of Buenos Aires is the section of Avenida Corrientes that’s between Avenida 9 de Julio and Callao. Most of the city’s 40-odd theaters are located here. Dramas, musical comedies, “teatro de revistas” (a sort of revue), and tango shows, are some of the proposals for all ages, all year round.
Both cinema and theatre represent two very important activities for the porteños. Currently, there are about 175 theatres, 200 cinemas and many Tango Shows.
Tango has been exported to the world, but many enthusiasts in other countries move mountains to come here, to the acknowledged beating heart of tango, to learn from the masters!

 The city of Buenos Aires holds more than 3,500 restaurants, ranging from the most sophisticated traditional and ethnic restaurants to bars, pubs and international chains of fast food restaurants.

The classical parrillas offering Argentine roasted meat abound, even in the sidewalks. Buenos Aires is just the place to taste all kinds of meals from different countries of the world. Corrientes avenue is the ideal place to taste an excellent pizza. Dining in Buenos Aires is an art, a passion, and a pastime. Sobremesa (chatting over wine or coffee long after the table has been cleared) is as much of an event as the meal itself.

Estancias, or ranches, play a huge part in Argentina’s culture and economy. In the early days these establishments were responsible for making Argentina one of the biggest meat and grain producers in world. Dotted around the vast, flat pampa we find delightful old estancias, which continue to retain their colonial elegance and charm. Perfectly juxtaposed with the cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, the estancias offer a chance to step back in time and imagine life as it was generations ago. Here one can relax, ride, watch the gauchos at work and enjoy an authentic – unbeatable Argentinian barbecue. 
Estancias also give tourists the rare opportunity to stay as a guest at a working estancia in order to experience the unique gaucho ranch culture in a tranquil and beautiful setting of untamed countryside. Most estancias are over two hundred years old and still maintain traditional practices and values.

 

Buenos Aires is a city characterized by the multiplicity of its artistic expressions, ranging from the great assortment of sculptures and monuments to streets and corners that surprise the visitor with their allegorical reliefs and murals.

The classical buildings in Buenos Aires are a mix of architectural styles (particularly French and Italian), as you would expect in a city of immigrants. Many of them were built during the boom years of 1880 to 1920, which means that many of them are built in the neoclassical style that was popular around the world at that time..

Of course the architecture in Buenos Aires isn’t all classical. There are art nouveau and art deco buildings too, dilapidated colonial houses in San Telmo, colorful shacks around La Boca’s Caminito and gleaming towers in Puerto Madero. They’re all part of the mix.

Buenos Aires has a flourishing book industry, one of the most competitive in Latin America, owing to the amount of books published every year as well as to the quality of the publications. That is why Buenos Aires is one of the cities concentrating more bookstores. Often referred to as ciudad de libros (city of books), Buenos Aires has a rich literary history and culture that inspires residents and visitors alike to explore the shelves of its charming bookstores.

For those who admire or collect pieces of art there are wonderful galleries and art museums where works by Argentine and foreign artists may be admired. There is a great variety of museums. At present, there are more than 100 museums, both public and private.

 

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In 2011, Peru celebrates 100 years since Hiram Bingham discovered the forgotten citadel of Machu Picchu. One of the world’s most spectacular treks, spellbinding mountain scenery and unforgettable Inca sites.

Machu Picchu: The Lost City of the Inkas

Machu Picchu quechua name that means “Old Mountain”. It is an Inca city build approximately between the years 1400 to 1500 by the Inca Pachacutec. It is considered as one of the most important architectonic and archeological jewels of the Incas.

Machu Picchu is located at the top of the mountain that give rise to its name, 130 kilometers at the northeast of Cusco at 2,200 meters of altitude, in the Urubamba valley. It is located at three hours journey by train from the city of Cusco, or walking four days by the Inca road.

What was Machu Picchu?

It still continues being a non solved unknown factor, an aureole of mystery shrouded everything related to this city. There are many theories about the function of Machu Picchu, there are investigators that postulate that it was eminently a ceremonial center and of sacerdotal education. Other group thinks that was mainly a resort place, game preserve and observatory of the Inca and its royal retinue; however the most accepted theory sustains that it was a settlement build with the objective of supervising the economy of the conquest regions and with the secret purpose to refuge the Inca and its closest retinue in case of attack.

In the year 1983 Machu Picchu was declared “Cultural Heritage of the Human Race” by the UNESCO, it is the most visited tourist destiny of Peru and one of the most important archeological centers of South America.

Machu Picchu bears, with Cuzco and the other archaeological sites of the valley of the Urubamba (Ollantautaybo, Runcuracay, Sayacmarca, Phuyupamarca, Huiñay Huayna, Intipucu, etc.) a unique testimony to the Inca civilization. Cuzco and the old villages still retain traces of land occupation from the Inca Empire to preserve, in a more global manner, an archaeological heritage which has become susceptible to the effects of urbanization. Furthermore, Macchu Picchu is an outstanding example of man’s interaction with his natural environment.

Standing 2,430 m above sea level, in the midst of a tropical mountain forest in an extraordinarily beautiful setting, Machu Picchu was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca Empire at its height. Its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes, encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.

Machu Picchu covers 32,500 ha in some of the scenically most attractive mountainous territory of the Peruvian Andes. As the last stronghold of the Incas and of superb architectural and archaeological importance, Machu Picchu is one of the most important cultural sites in Latin America; the stonework of the site remains as one of the world’s great examples of the use of a natural raw material to provide outstanding architecture which is totally appropriate to the surroundings. The surrounding valleys have been cultivated continuously for well over 1,000 years, providing one of the world’s greatest examples of a productive man-land relationship; the people living around Machu Picchu continue a way of life which closely resembles that of their Inca ancestors, being based on potatoes, maize and llamas. Machu Picchu also provides a secure habitat for several endangered species, notably the spectacled bear, one of the most interesting species in the area. Others animals include: dwarf brocket, the otter, long-tailed weasel, pampas cat and the vulnerable ocelot, boa, the Andean cock of the rock, and the Andean condor.

The natural vegetation is of humid and very humid lower montane forest of the subtropical region, mainly with genera and ferns of the Cyathea and palms.

Set on the vertiginous site of a granite mountain sculpted by erosion and dominating a meander in the Rio Urubamba, Machu Picchu is a world renowned archaeological site. The construction of this amazing city, set out according to a very rigorous plan, comprises one of the most spectacular creations of the Inca Empire. It appears to date from the period of the two great Incas, Pachacutec Inca Yupanqui (1438-71) and Tupac Inca Yupanqui (1472-93). The function of this city situated at least 100 km from the capital, Cuzco, has not been formulated which are not verifiable given the absence of written documentation and sufficiently explicit material evidence.

Without making a judgement as to their purpose, several quite individual quarters may be noted in the ruins of Machu Picchu: a quarter ‘of the Farmers’ near the colossal terraces whose slopes were cultivated and transformed into hanging gardens; an ‘industrial’ quarter; a ‘royal’ quarter and a ‘religious’ quarter. Inca architecture reveals itself here in all of its force with the titanic earthen works which multiplied the platforms, levelled the rocky relief, constructed ramps and stairways and literally sculpted the mountain whose cyclopean constructions appear to be a prolongation of nature.

2011 marks the 100th anniversary of the rediscovery of Machu Picchu by North American Explorer Hiram Bingham. To celebrate this momentous occasion we are offering an exciting range of luxury Peru tours all featuring a journey to Cusco, the Sacred Valley and the famed lost citadel of Machu Picchu.

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El Chalten:

Trekking Capital of Argentina the region offers privileged sceneries for múltiple alternatives on outdoor activities and mountineering. In the area it is possibble to do dozens of treks: from small walks reaching lookout pionts with a minimum grade of difficulty to expeditions of many days or even the climbs of great, vertical walls; best reserved for experienced climbers. The most popular activities in the area are: trekking, climbing, camping, horseriding, going on excursions, photography, climbing courses, birdwatching, fishing, and visiting legendary “estancias” in Santa Cruz. For all these, El Chaltén has been proclaimed Trekking Capital of Argentina. Around this small town, there are many places of great, natural beauty you can visit. One to mentioned is Lago del Desierto at only 37km from the locality; that in contradiction to its name it is an unspoilt paradise of centenary woodlands, glaciers and cascades. At the same time, it is possible to go fishing, camping or trekking among other activities.

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Excursions from Puerto Madryn:

Full Day Excursion to Peninsula Valdes

Península Valdés in the Argentinean province of Chubut is a 4,000 km2 promontory, protruding 100 km eastwards into the South Atlantic. The 400 km shoreline includes a series of gulfs, rocky cliffs, shallow bays and lagoons with extensive mudflats, sandy and pebble beaches, coastal sand dunes and small islands.

The shores and waters around thePeninsula is a special place for marine mammals. A population of southern right whales uses the protected waters for mating and calving. The southern elephant seal has its most northern colony here. It reaches peak numbers of over 1,000 individuals and is the only colony in the world reported to be on the increase.  The southern sea lion also breeds here in large numbers.

 The local population of orcas has used the beaches of Valdés to develop a unique and spectacular approach to hunting. The orcas race into the shallow surf to snatch sea lions or young elephant seals, often throwing themselves onto the beach in the process.

The site has a high diversity of birds. The peninsula’s intertidal mudflats and coastal lagoons are important staging sites for migratory shorebirds The Magellanic penguin is the most numerous with almost 40,000 active nests distributed among five different colonies.

Terrestrial mammals are also abundant. Large herds of guanaco can be seen throughout the peninsula and the mara, an Argentinean endemic, which is endangered in other parts of the country, is found here. The primary attraction here is Peninsula Valdes, one of the most important wildlife reserves inArgentina. It is the breeding ground for sea lions, sea elephants, and Southern Right whales (May – December), as well as a sanctuary for many species of marine birds. You will cover approximately 221 milestouring the peninsula. The excursion includes a visit to Puerto Piramides, a small town surrounded by cliffs resembling pyramids, located on NuevoGulf. Here you will take the whale watching excursion by boat (available from May to December)

Continue to the shores of the San Matías Gulf, inside the Punta Norte area in theValdésPeninsula, the San Lorenzo estancia shelters a reproduction colony of Magellanic penguins. Pride of the San Lorenzo estancia, this is a reproduction colony and shelters an average of approximately 200,000 specimens. As in every season, the penguins start to turn up in August and leave in March. They comply with most of their life cycle in this place. The males form the nest and look for their mating partners. Then, the eggs are laid and, at the moment of our visit, they take turns to sit on them until their offspring are born. Both parents are in charge of feeding the young, which then form nurseries and change their feathers until they are ready to get into the sea.

Delicious grilled lamb will be served for lunch, followed by a visit to Punta Norte Colony. Punta Norte is at the extreme north western tip of Península Valdés it is a magnificent setting of cliffs, a worthy backdrop scenario for the walrus and sea lion colonies on the shore. This Provincial Fauna Reserve was created to protect walruses. Occasionally you can see one of them from the observation deck, or further south, with the aid of binoculars.

Facing the observation deck there is an important mating area for sea lions. This colony, together with those facing the lighthouse and onMedinabay, totals some 3,000 adults and an average of 1,350 pups in the breeding season.

Finally before returning to Puerto Madryn you will see the most unusual sight known as Caleta Valdés, or Valdés Creek. It is a long, thin strip of land—basically an overgrown sandbar—running parallel to the coast. At the far end, about 30km (20 miles) north, this strip of silt is connected to the peninsula. Here, at the southern end, is the only inlet to the so-called creek—a channel about 150m (500 feet) wide. Less than 10 years ago, the channel was 600m (2000 feet) wide. This geological feature, known as a coastal cord, tends to trap a bit of sediment every time the tide goes out. For the past couple of years, observers have predicted that it will close up entirely “any day now.” Unless another outlet forms—which seems unlikely—Caleta Valdés will soon change from a creek to a salt lake. And given the shallowness of that lake and the area’s extremely low humidity, it could dry out completely in several more years.

Caleta Valdés is thus the only spot on the continent where the coastline is growing; everywhere else it’s either being eroded slowly away or receding due to rising ocean levels. It’s almost as though this little strip of land is thumbing its nose at continental drift, growing out toward the east as the whole continent slips slowly westward.

Excursion to Punta Tombo Penguin Colony

You set out early for the penguin colony at the Punta Tombo Provincial reserve. After a two-and-a-half hour journey watching the Patagonian steppe, you will get to this limitless penguin colony:200 hectaresof clay and sand that house thousands of nests where the penguins lay their eggs and raise their chicks.

You will walk around the paths among the penguins for about an hour and a half to watch their behaviour. The reserve has a park keeper and also offers sanitary and cafeteria facilities to the visitor. Later on the tour, you will visit Gaiman, where a group of Welsh people settled down in the past. The tour guide will explain the events that took place during the settlement while historical interest points as well as the building style of the village are observed.

 An optional stop at a typical tea-house to enjoy a traditional Welsh tea service is offered.

You continue your way to Trelew with its main attraction: the  Modern Egidio Feruglio Paleontologic Museum.
Return to Puerto Madryn at sunset.

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