Monte León and The Sea

Monte León is a natural environment lying close to the City of Comandante Luis Piedra Buena, where the silence and the wind prevail. This is a wild scene, with cliffs and caves chosen by sea animals to spend their lives.

We left the city behind and took a path that went past the former estancia Monte León and led us to the shore. First, we heard the sound of the furious sea that displayed its strength by throwing its waves loudly on the beach. After that, we were impressed by the rock formations on the shore, carved by the wind.

The reserve of Monte León National Park has been operating at this location for a few years now. It provides visitors the chance to go on organized tours around the caves and the sand bars, and to understand how the penguin and sea lion colonies live. We discovered the natural sculpture featuring the shape of the lion after which the peninsula was named. Ancient sailors would use this formation as a guide during their voyages.

Seeing is Believing

We walked beside the guide while some gulls hovered above our heads and some shags and cormorants were cleaning their feathers against some huge rocks. The guide told us about the migratory behavior of the sea mammals that reach these shores, their reproduction cycles and the way they raise their offspring. Several viewpoints and circuits let visitors come close to the sea lion and penguin colonies.

Angling is allowed provided that the corresponding license has been obtained. Those who enjoy this practice can catch good specimens of sea bass, silverside and butter-fish. A recreational campsite with a convenience store and coffee house is open during the summer.

An inn housed by the former estancia Monte León provides the chance to spend the night in an isolated but comfortable place. The main house was raised in the early twentieth century and it features English style. It has four bedrooms, an integrated sitting-room and dining-room heated with firewood.

Before leaving, we had one last look at the whole scene. We bade farewell to the vast sea, the cliffs and some sea lions that were comfortably resting on the rocks. We had enjoyed an excellent day and breathed the sea breeze. We had also learned about this reserve that takes care of all these species.

Parque nacional Monte León
Open from November 1 through April 30.