Estancia El Pedral

Located 75 km from Puerto Madryn, El Pedral is a country hotel built in the 19th century by Basque immigrants. With 20 km of private beaches, it offers a remarkable encounter with wildlife, as well as with the history of Patagonia’s early pioneers.

The star of the show is of course the southern right whale, which comes to mate and give birth each year between June and December. But beyond the whales, from October through March, travelers can also marvel at colonies of elephant seals, sea lions and penguins, and even spot orcas and dolphins. As a mark of its significance, the Valdés Peninsula was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. This getaway offers another way to discover the abundant wildlife of Atlantic Patagonia during your trip through Argentina.

Your guide will tell you the story of El Pedral. It resembles hundreds of others found throughout Patagonia: that of European pioneers who came to settle these vast southern expanses to raise sheep.

At the end of the 19th century, Felix Arbeletche and María Olazabal, French Basque immigrants, founded the Estancia La Cantábrica. Felix later acquired the neighboring Estancia El Pedral, then set out to build the house of his wife’s dreams, in Basque style. A plot of land was raised to take advantage of the sea view, and materials were imported from Europe: El Pedral was born.

Beyond the wildlife encounters, note that not far from El Pedral lies the original estancia, still in operation today. With a bit of luck, you may be able to take part in the sheep shearing (held twice a year), or otherwise enjoy walks, bike rides or horseback rides, or simply relax by the pool at the quincho.