Hotel El Pedral

We chose this day trip instead of going to Puerto Tombo, and were glad we did. It leaves Madryn at 8:30 am for a roughly two-hour drive to a private reserve with about 15k penguins. Our guide was knowledgeable and spoke Spanish and English, and we spent around 1.5 with the penguins. It felt private, and we saw thousands of them. Lunch at the estancia was delicious, and the farmhouse was quiet and beautiful. You can stay overnight as well. It's very isolated, which is great if you want a peaceful spot to relax, eat well, swim, and see penguins.

We went on this as part of a cruise excursion and didn't stay here. The authentic Patagonian lunch was excellent. Best of all was walking among hundreds of Magellanic penguins at the El Pedral Penguin Colony. It was fascinating to watch them head toward the ocean and see how fast they swim.

El Pedral exceeded what we'd hoped for and became a major highlight of our two months traveling through Patagonia. My husband and I had our elopement there and stayed for a few days. It's a magical place, and we'd absolutely recommend spending a couple of days or more there. The beautiful, comfortable accommodations, remarkable setting and landscapes, included excursions and activities, wonderful staff, and generous food and drinks all made the price feel justified. Camilla welcomed us on our first evening and was warm, lively, supportive, and kind throughout our stay. We shared plenty of laughs. Everyone at El Pedral went out of their way to make us comfortable and treated us like family. Getting so close to the large penguin colony was one of our favorite experiences. Silvina, the owner, her friends, and the El Pedral team did so much to make our wedding day perfect. We were deeply touched and feel very grateful we chose El Pedral for our elopement. Thank you all for an unforgettable experience.

The private guided trips, food, and excellent service were all included, and the setting is beautiful, with direct access to a penguin colony and sea elephants. It was a great experience, though the price was excessive. The hot water wasn't really warm, so the bathroom experience was only average.