DISCOVER THE WHALES IN CHILE: HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THEM
Mayo 03, 2021
DISCOVER THE WHALES IN CHILE: HOW AND WHEN TO SEE THEM

Chile keeps among its coasts one of the most amazing privileges of the aquatic nature, because it has an extensive marine biodiversity. Thus, along the Chilean coast it is possible to carry out an endless number of extreme adventures, among which whale watching undoubtedly stands out. So if you wish to discover the incredible families of minkes, humpback, sei and even blue whales, consider visiting the following places:

 

Chiloé, Los Lagos Region

Would you like to meet the majestic blue whale? In the south of Chile is the archipelago of Chiloé, an area characterized not only by its cultural richness, but also by its varied maritime activity. At present, it has come to be considered the ideal place for whale watching due to the great concentration of the species in the area, especially the largest in the world, the blue whale. It is worth mentioning that in the locality of Caleta Puñihuil, there are boats equipped to navigate in the deep sea with the objective of searching for these incredible marine mammals, being the ideal time for whale watching between September and April, when the whales are in their migratory season.

 

Francisco Coloane Marine Park, Magallanes Region

Known as the first Chilean marine park, this area has become an indispensable stop to learn about life in the sea, mainly because of its geographical peculiarity, since to explore the area you must cross the amazing glaciers of the Strait of Magellan, where you usually encounter numerous animals, including marine mammals, such as sea lions, elephant seals and large families of minke whales, sei whales and humpback whales. The great concentration of the species is due to the fact that this park has several food resources, making it an area of interest for these mammals and, without a doubt, one of the most incredible places in the world for lovers of marine fauna.

 

Melinka, Aysén Region

The port of the town of Melinka, located in the Guaitecas archipelago, has boats equipped to enter the vast sea, where you can see various species of cetaceans, from blue whales and humpback whales to sei whales. However, if you want to see these aquatic mammals, but do not want to make the journey over the restless sea that characterizes the area, you should know that this town has a colorful viewpoint located on the shore, which makes possible the contemplation of the natural beauty of the area and the sighting of these species from the surface.

 

Chañaral de Aceituno, Atacama Region

Located in the commune of Freirina, inside the Caleta Chañaral, is the picturesque town of Chañaral de Aceituno distinguished by its extensive marine life, which makes possible the practice of activities such as diving, fishing and even whale watching. In this sense, the months of November to May are one of the best times to visit the area and meet different groups of cetaceans such as the fin whale, the minke whale and the blue whale, which stop in the area during their migratory route due to the abundance of food.

It is incredible to think that until a few years ago, the fishermen of the area were frightened by the whales; however, today the concentration of this species turns out to be one of the greatest attractions of the area, attracting around 12,000 tourists annually.

 

Antarctica, Magallanes Region

With its nature surrounded by sublime landscapes of ice and icebergs, the Antarctic territory is characterized as one of the most famous areas to explore marine nature, mainly due to its extensive territory. Thus, in the Antarctic area is located the sanctuary of humpback whales, where you can see these wonderful and playful animals a few meters from the boats; in turn, in these waters you can also get to see groups of blue whales, minkes whales and southern right whales.

The recommended season for whale watching is from January to May, when the whales have already fully fed and come to the Antarctic to prepare for the breeding season. And as if this were not enough, in this territory, zodiac expeditions are popular to get close to the whales a few meters away, making this incredible and extreme adventure a reality like nowhere else on the coasts.