One windy day, hubby and I were in Ushuaia, dressed in our North Face and Helly Hansen windbreakers and totally blending in with the crowd, when we boarded a half-empty tour boat to take us to see penguins at Martillo island. I was obsessed with the idea of seeing those penguins and couldn’t think of much else. (To my delight, we later saw more of them at Puerto Madryn.)
Isla Martillo didn’t disappoint. As a bonus, the boat ride also gave us a chance to see (hear and smell) sea lions at Isla de los Lobos. Also very memorable!
After Isla Martillo and Isla de los Lobos, the boat was to continue to a place called Estancia Harberton and from there, the journey back would be by bus. I didn’t know anything about the Harberton ranch we were about to visit and I was too impatient to read up on it upon booking the tour.
So what a nice surprise it was to end the day by sailing into this calm harbor, after all the wildlife excitement and cuteness overload had been done and dealt with. Unlike Ushuaia, the weather at Harberton was suddenly just gorgeous. It was like we’d sailed into another world, shielded and private. My camera still didn’t get a rest.
We had a homemade lunch, chatting with an American couple we came across, and then joined a small, English-speaking group on a guided tour of the ranch’s lush gardens and other areas.
Lots of random old objects here and there added a touch of history to the place.
Further away, there was an innocent-looking little house which we entered. Inside the little house, however, there was a vile smell. Our guide showed us a container of dolphin carcasses, preserved for research purposes. I couldn’t bear to look in, the smell was enough. Our tour guide was a researcher of dolphins and whales and if I remember correctly, a marine biologist from Chile. Despite the shock, it was really interesting to hear about her research. She was trying to figure out the cause of death of the marine mammals that had washed ashore.
Afterwards, our guide took us to visit a very interesting little museum about marine mammals. It was also a functioning laboratory. I have to add, that overall, Argentina probably had the most interesting museums I’ve ever visited anywhere. They were all so authentic somehow, with lots of real-life details, and many of them had to do with environmental issues.
Visiting the Harberton ranch ended up being another memorable highlight on an already unforgettable day.
Click the links in the text for photos of penguins and sea lions – and here are a couple of related posts:
Isla Martillo penguin post
Three points to know about Ushuaia and the Beagle Channel
42 replies on “Estancia Harberton”
How very interesting! It’s truly another world. I love your selection of photos, varied and many of them.
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Yes, lots of them! I don’t know why I never got around to doing this post earlier. I also have some pics left over so maybe there’ll be a part 2 some day 🙂 Thanks, MM!
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This is a super series, such a joy to look at. It is screaming “Bucket List”. One day…. 🙂 Have a nice weekend!
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Thanks so much Marcus! It really was a great day trip destination! Wishing you a great weekend, too 🙂
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Beautiful impressions and a great narrative, thnak you for sharing! 👍🏻 Love this museum and moody feeling you transport through your photos. I’d love to see you blend in in your HH 🇳🇴 and NFclothing. 😊
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😀 Hahah!! I don’t usually wear windbreakers but throughout our Argentina trip I kept relying on it! Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia were very windy! 🙂 Thanks for commenting!
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Amazing pictures, such an inspiring collection and interesting story!!
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Thanks so much for the kind words! 🙂
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Beautiful and so calm! Great shots 😉
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Thanks! It really was such a beautiful little corner of the world
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What a fabulous day, and you got some wonderful photos. It was a trip down memory lane for me – we went to most of the same places, though to a different ranch.
Alison
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Happy I could being back memories! This was the only ranch we visited, though in retrospect it would’ve been fun to visit a ranch in Patagonia with horses etc.
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That windswept area has such a serene vibe, doesn’t it, even with the wild weather?! I love your photos and story.
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Thanks! It was like another world, lost in time and far away from the cities’ troubles
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looks utterly brilliant. wish id had the time to go this far south
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Thanks, it was worth the travel!
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It looks so beautiful here and your photos are splendid. Thank you for sharing them.
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Thanks so much for the encouragement! Enjoy your Sunday! 😊
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Beautiful place! Loved the photos. The dolphin jar story was pretty funny!
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Thanks! The stench wasn’t funny though… 😊
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Beautiful photos…what an experience. Seems like there was something new to behold around every corner.
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Exactly! We got more than we bargained for – in a good way! Thanks, Peggy, for stopping by! 😊
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“Unlike Ushuaia, the weather at Harberton was suddenly just gorgeous.”
You know what? I was actually thinking “Mmmmh, this place doesn’t have the same looks, at least weather-wise, that I’ve normally seen in photos of Ushuaia!”
Splendid post, thanks!
Fabrizio
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Thanks so much, Fabrizio! You’re right: we spent a week in Ushuaia and it was very windy and cloudy the whole time. Harberton was such a contrast! Still, Ushuaia was a very interesting stop on our journey. Have a great day!
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Wow how beautiful! I would have guessed from the pictures that it was from somewhere in Europe. What interesting regions you have visited in South America! 🙂 The photos are great, I love the flower shots. Dolphin carcasses isn’t something I’d be interested in seeing either. I so want to visit Chile and Argentina and Uruguay one day! Have you been to Uruguay ? 🙂
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Thanks, Pooja! We did visit Uruguay for a week on this same trip – we went to a beach town called Punta del Este, then to Montevideo and finally to Colonia del Sacramento. (I’ve done posts on them, too!) Uruguay seemed very similar to Argentina, maybe slightly more rural but still very modern and easy to travel in. I left with positive impressions!
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I will find the posts on Uruguay and check them out 🙂
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You can find them thry the blog’s menus or search function. ☺ Or you can start with this one:
😊Hope you get to visit those places in South American one day! We need to go back, too, because we missed out on Chile! (Not enough time! So much to see in just Argentina alone!)
And I’d love to go to the Philippines one day, like you did… 💖
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Lovely green colors – and the way amidst tulips is kind of made for poets like me 🙂
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Isn’t it cute? I wish that was my garden!! 🙂 Well, maybe someday… 🙂
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Why not? Dreams tend to come true, so this is highly possible 🙂
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😊
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Your photos are wonderful .. what a treat to visit such a beautiful place! Thank you so much for sharing 😄
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Thanks for visiting! 🙂
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I am so ignorant!! I have truly never heard of this beautiful part of the world before… is this where you are from? The photos are awesome! 🙂
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I didn’t know much about it either before I went! 😊 Ushuaia is in the very southernmost part of South America (in Argentina). We did a trip touring Argentina – a very long country with lots to see! – and this is where we started. I live in North Europe 😊 Thanks for stopping by and do come again?! ☺️
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Oh I see! Yes there’s so many places to see, how can a lifetime be enough… thanks for educating us here! I loved north Europe! Very chilled (both literally and figuratively) 😊
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Hahah, chilled: yes!
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How fun, some of these photos look like a Norwegian fishing village 🙂
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They do, don’t they?! It’s at the opposite end of the world but the climate’s pretty similar
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