Estancia Rincon Chico offers some of the highest densities of wildlife in the Valdes Peninsula, and many of the species are incredibly relaxed, allowing you to observe them from close proximity, providing a truly intimate experience reminiscent of destinations such as the Galapagos Islands or South Georgia. There are few locations globally where you can sit on the beach, surrounded by penguins, sea lions and elephant seals mere metres away as they rear their young, orca patrolling the shallows hoping to snare any young pinnipeds heading out to sea, and southern right whales seen hugging the coastline either from the beach or from walks along the coastal cliffs.
Despite being a phenomenal marine sanctuary, some of the terrestrial wildlife is also well habituated to human presence, and there may be opportunities to spend time up close with Patagonian mara, guanaco, South American grey fox, large hairy armadillo and Humboldt’s hog-nosed skunk; there may even be a chance to observe secretive pampas and Geoffroy's cats if fortune is on your side.
The guides at Rincon Chico are either professional biologists or naturalists, and throughout your time here they can identify flora and fauna, interpret and explain the behaviours of the resident wildlife, and provide a fascinating insight into the area’s natural history. After breakfast, you head out onto the reserve with them to visit the various beaches on the property.
Along the shore between September and March, look for Magellanic penguins colonies during their breeding season before they depart with their chicks to spend the rest of the year at sea. These charismatic birds mate for life, however if arriving early in the season, you may experience their donkey-like braying calls as part of the courtship rituals exhibited by unpaired individuals searching for a partner.
As you explore the property further, you're likely to encounter South American sea lions and southern elephant seals; they're seen year round, however the greatest populations of each species gather during their respective reproductive seasons.
Once the pups of both pinniped species found here are ready to start taking forays towards the ocean, they face a daunting prospect. Orcas patrol the shores, lurking in the shallows, ready to take advantage of inexperienced elephant seals and sea lions. This location is one of a handful where the world’s largest dolphin takes it even further than the shallow water, and they exhibit a behaviour known as intentional stranding where the orcas accelerate towards the shore, partially beaching themselves to ambush prey, before manoeuvring themselves back into the water with their catch. In addition to pinniped pups, the orca here also live up to their alternative name, killer whale, having been recorded taking the calves of southern right whales.
Returning to the lodge for lunch, take some time to relax around the property, pick up a book and unwind on the terrace as various wildlife passes by, or take a siesta after a busy morning exploring the coast. Your guide meets you in the afternoon to embark on another excursion on the property.
Heading inland this time, scan the plains for the area's terrestrial inhabitants, including the characterful Patagonian mara; the world’s fastest rodent can be found browsing vegetation and grazing on seeds and fruits. They play an important role in their ecosystems, dispersing seeds through the processes of both ecto and endozoochory, the former through their fur, and the latter through their faeces, helping to create habitats. Large hairy armadillo can be seen foraging for insects, plants, and occasionally these bony armour plated mammals even feed on small vertebrates such as lizards. This often shy mammal is an avid burrower, and utilises specially evolved membranes in its nose to obtain oxygen from the surrounding soil particles without inhaling any of the soil itself.
Whilst out on the ranch, don’t forget to look up every now and then for avians such as black-browed albatross, imperial cormorant, blackish oystercatcher, southern giant and white-chinned petrel, carbonated sierra finch, white-throated cacholote, elegant crested tinamou, along with many more. Following a brilliant day of wildlife watching, head back to the lodge for dinner, relax with a glass of malbec, and once suitably tired, retire to bed.
