Choosing a tour company in Puerto Madryn

[jruth4]

I want to go the Peninsula Valdes, and am looking at 3 different tour companies with slightly different programs and very different pricing. Has anyone used Cayun Co, Flamenco Tour orTurismo Nuevo Mundo?

 

Of course, cheaper is better, but only if the company is reliable, the vehcile is safe, and guide is knowlegeable and speaks English well. Does anyone have information or experience aobut these tour companies? Thanking you in advance for any help with this.

 

-Judith

[greatam]

I want to go the Peninsula Valdes, and am looking at 3 different tour companies with slightly different programs and very different pricing. Has anyone used Cayun Co, Flamenco Tour orTurismo Nuevo Mundo?

 

Of course, cheaper is better, but only if the company is reliable, the vehcile is safe, and guide is knowlegeable and speaks English well. Does anyone have information or experience aobut these tour companies? Thanking you in advance for any help with this.

 

-Judith

 

For safety's sake, this is one trip I would take the cruise line's tour. Our tour bus (about 20 people) had a flat tire. Everyone pitched in to help change the tire. Another company's bus (not ship tour) was broken down. I do not know whether they made it back to the ship on time.

 

It is a LOOOOONG dusty drive on fairly rough roads. Private tour would get left behind if anything happens. Ship tour will wait for you. The elephant seals are worth the trip, but trying to get to the next port if you missed the ship would provide a logistics nightmare (and I am in the international logistics business).

[Thrifty]

Someone reported somewhere, I don't remember where, that at Porto Madryn, entrepreneurs were not allowed into the dock area, so if one wanted to wait until they arrived to make arrangements for a tour, they would have to go some distance into town to do it. Has anyone successfully waited until they arrived and managed to go and see the penguins nevertheless?

[jruth4]

For safety's sake, this is one trip I would take the cruise line's tour. Our tour bus (about 20 people) had a flat tire. Everyone pitched in to help change the tire. Another company's bus (not ship tour) was broken down. I do not know whether they made it back to the ship on time.

 

It is a LOOOOONG dusty drive on fairly rough roads. Private tour would get left behind if anything happens. Ship tour will wait for you. The elephant seals are worth the trip, but trying to get to the next port if you missed the ship would provide a logistics nightmare (and I am in the international logistics business).

 

Have others have had the same experience? I know it is a long, dusty ride on a rough road. Do you happen to know which tour companies had the buses that broke down? I wonder if the vehicle form the most expensive group - Cayun Co - is in better shape? Now I'm getting concerned. The next stop is Camarones and it doesn't look like it is that far away, but I guess there are not many transportation choices. Does anyone have information about that?

 

-Judith

[greatam]

Have others have had the same experience? I know it is a long, dusty ride on a rough road. Do you happen to know which tour companies had the buses that broke down? I wonder if the vehicle form the most expensive group - Cayun Co - is in better shape? Now I'm getting concerned. The next stop is Camarones and it doesn't look like it is that far away, but I guess there are not many transportation choices. Does anyone have information about that?

 

-Judith

 

What you must realize about rural regions of South America-there may be many tour companies offering tours-some the same, some different. However, there are limited buses/vans in the area capable of transporting the tour. So even though XXX tour company has a different tour, they may use YYY bus which is normally used by one of the other tour companies. Rural SA is generally poor and transport vehicles are in short supply.

 

Magdalena Island penguin tour is a good example: Celebrity generally books all the tours on the ferry in the morning. The same ferry is available for tours by at least 6 tour companies in the afternoon. So even though your tour to Magdalena Island with tour company XXX "looks" like a different tour from tour company YYY, you will still be on the same ferry. Same thing with the buses.

 

STICK with the ship tour in this area.

[jruth4]

What you must realize about rural regions of South America-there may be many tour companies offering tours-some the same, some different. However, there are limited buses/vans in the area capable of transporting the tour. So even though XXX tour company has a different tour, they may use YYY bus which is normally used by one of the other tour companies. Rural SA is generally poor and transport vehicles are in short supply.

 

Magdalena Island penguin tour is a good example: Celebrity generally books all the tours on the ferry in the morning. The same ferry is available for tours by at least 6 tour companies in the afternoon. So even though your tour to Magdalena Island with tour company XXX "looks" like a different tour from tour company YYY, you will still be on the same ferry. Same thing with the buses.

 

According to the photos sent me from Cayun Co Turismo in Puerto Madryn, they seem to have their own vans/buses, and that is one reason why I have decided to choose that company. I also figure that if they own the bus it has a better chance of being maintained and less of a chance to break down.

 

By the way, in Magdelena Island there is another option, and that is getting a private boat. We have set up such a trip in a 22 person semi rigid boat with a top cover.

 

Judith

[jruth4]

What you must realize about rural regions of South America-there may be many tour companies offering tours-some the same, some different. However, there are limited buses/vans in the area capable of transporting the tour. So even though XXX tour company has a different tour, they may use YYY bus which is normally used by one of the other tour companies. Rural SA is generally poor and transport vehicles are in short supply.

 

Magdalena Island penguin tour is a good example: Celebrity generally books all the tours on the ferry in the morning. The same ferry is available for tours by at least 6 tour companies in the afternoon. So even though your tour to Magdalena Island with tour company XXX "looks" like a different tour from tour company YYY, you will still be on the same ferry. Same thing with the buses.

 

According to the photos sent me from Cayun Co Turismo in Puerto Madryn, they seem to have their own vans/buses, and that is one reason why I have decided to choose that company. I also figure that if they own the bus it has a better chance of being maintained and less of a chance to break down.

 

By the way, in Magdelena Island there is another option, and that is getting a private boat. We have set up such a trip in a 22 person semi rigid boat with a top cover.

 

Judith