The wild geography of the Patagonian coast and the light on the sea

The tide is low. From the viewpoint you see a great Algae forest uncovered; They are led by drawing strange plots in the sea. Beyond, an apostadero of marine wolves. More here and within reach, infinite water of an unreal emerald color.

In a poster some phrases written by the naturalist appear Francisco Pascasio Moreno on one of his trips to this territory in 1876: “Everything seems wrapped in a luminous atmosphere, particularand each object titrates from the distant mount (…) nature seems to wake up here from a prolonged lethargy, which we can believe effective”.

That luminous atmosphere – the only one made of being there – of which the expertise the Moreno speaks is one of the wonders of the Monte León National Park, of more than 62,000 hectares.

It was created in the Santa Cruz Province In 2004 with the aim of protecting the Biodiversity of the steppe and the coastand the idea is, in the future, extend sea protection: The first efforts began in 2012, and only in 2023 the government of Santa Cruz and the administration of national parks signed the agreement for Create a marine park. In 2024 the agreement was approved by the Provincial Legislature and hopes to be treated in the National Congress.

The idea is to know this landscape of great beauty that combines the coiron with its pen in the wind, the high cliffs, the islands, the bays, the beaches and the Magallanes penguin Like its great emblem.

The trip of just over two hours begins in Gallegos River In the north direction on the National Route 3. The talk on the road goes from the penguins to the crossings of Expert Moreno, the Fitz Roy massif and the need for a regenerative livestock.

The dominant geography of Coothons, Silvestre Guanacos and some salitral as a mirror is seen by the window. Patagonia in living flesh.

At the entrance to the park, after 20 km of gravel is the Visitors Centerlocated where there was once a shearing shed. Stop there is key for several reasons: the history of stay and livestock is known, there are objects that were left as witnesses of those years – bass and pens – and you can visit a demonstrative garden of native plantswith specimens of calafate, penclain, bush black and kill green, among others.

“The visitor arrives with the Motivation to see penguins and enjoy the landscape of the coast. But There are other attractionslike the Marine wolvesMonte León Island with the CORMORANS and the intermareal zone, with all The life in the water pozons When the sea retires, ”says Mariela Gauna, mayor of the Monte León National Park.

The tour begins in the León Cabeza Miradorwhich gives the name to the park as a result of that geoform of the head of a great felid. The gaze stops for a while in that whim of the rock and the erosion of the wind, but then the colors come out: the sun’s rays on the pastures, the light coloring the horizon of the sea.

The next tour is one of the most wanted in the park: the Penguin pathof just over five kilometers. Before reaching the sea, on a road with coals, molles and calafates, The nests begin to be seen. “They are already taking down to go to Brazil,” they explain.

Once in the place, in addition to the penguins on the beach, the CORMORANSlos Walls And, beyond, the Cañadones. All the steppe and the whole sea In a landscape.

After seeing the LOBERY Path and the macroalgae woodsit is the turn of go to the beachand you have to do it now, when the tide is low. The water withdraws far – more than one kilometer – and then the wonder: the resting, the marine bed, the show of walk and discover in water pozons.

With the noise of the background, we look at the sand -and finding -a mattress of corpulent mussels, anemones, small fish… “I wish a sea star appears,” says one of the travel companions.

The walk continues in the beautiful caves, which can be seen with the low tide; A cliff landscape offers another sea look. The silent sand from yellow to gray at times.

About 50 kilometers from the Monte León National Park is Puerto Santa Cruz, a small city of five thousand inhabitants on the banks of the river of the same name, with the past of Anglican reduction and agroindustrial factories.

There you can enjoy a Plácido Paseo Costeror – sometimes you can see overal and marine wolves – and visit the Mario Hernández Pioneer Housewhich allows to know the life of the first settlers of the place.

To try the sea products in the area, there is the La Hostería Restaurant. His letter has flavors such as Galician octopus, seafood pizza and a large marine chop. But the emblem dish of the house – the most magallatic of all – is the Spring Robalo Al Roquefort with a mix of vegetables.

The thing is The area is famous for its robal And the restaurant’s chef, Fernando Morán is also artisanal fisherman.

“Here we have the National Robal Festivaland in the restaurant we try to enhance it. While it is in the entire coast of the province, The Robal of here is softerperhaps because of the water that is not so salty. We have just the exit to the Santa Cruz River, ”says Morán, who began as a self -taught chef and now directs the restaurant kitchen and shows his dishes in gastronomic fairs in the region.

On his dish, awarded at a Magelian party of gastronomy, he decided to give a local touch to his roll with the use of salicornia in the mix of vegetables. “Look when the mordes how you feel the taste of sea. It is an explosion in the mouth,” Morán gets excited when talking about this plant that abounds in the area and grows in salads, beaches and mangroves.

The Paseo in Puerto Santa Cruz ends in the Taller Kalfu-Beingwhere Adelina Huenchunao shows and sells her art in loom fabric.

“The name of my workshop means blue maiden. I am Mapuche Tehuelche by great -grandfather,” says the artisan. The afternoon spends his Ruanas, Mantas and Poulas.

When the trip ends, at night, the images of the restingas, of the retired sea, of the seabed and the view from the walls float. At the end of the day there is a sensation of lightness in which The only solid is the light on the sea.

• Aerolineas Argentinas and Flybondi fly daily to Río Gallegos from Aeroparque and Ezeiza. Round trip passages from $ 120,000. The Monte León PN is 210 kilometers north of the Santa Cruz capital.

• The Sehuen Hotel is a two stars located in the center of Río Gallegos. A room with double -based breakfast costs $ 53,500 (1158298423).

• Camping and stoves of the Monte León PN (Entrepreneurship of National Parks and Foundation by the sea): $ 15,000 per tent per night (Instagram @pn.monte.leon).

• The entrance to the park is free. From October to April it opens from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (penguin, from 9 to 17); from May to September, from 10 to 17 (penguin, from 10 to 15).

• In La Hostería Restaurant, in Puerto Santa Cruz, a spring Róbalo al Roquefort with Mix of vegetables costs $ 20,000; Galician octopus, $ 24,000; Marina Chica, $ 55,000; large, $ 75,000. Reservations: WhatsApp 2962 409803.

• Before going down to the beach, it is essential to consult with the tides tables, so as not to be trapped at the foot of the cliffs. The amplitude between Pleamar and Bajamar can exceed 12 meters.

• Carry drinking water, within the park you don’t get.

• You can only make fire in enabled places and it is forbidden to gather firewood in the park.

• If it rains, the entrance path -20 km- is impassable.

• You can fish with a permission that is processed in the park.

• Temperatures can vary greatly throughout the day, so you have to be prepared for the cold and shelter in layers.

• PN MONTE LEÓN INTENDENCE: (02962) 498184

• www.argentina.gob.ar/inte rior/environment/parksnational/Monteleon