TRELEW

The Patagonia Jurassic Park

Trelew city, heart of Chubut region, rich in natural and cultural resources: From Chubut River Inferior Valley to the famous Valdes Peninsula, with its marine fauna population of whales, sea wolfs and penguin’s infinite beaches, flavors and traditions.

There’s however other tourist interest stroll that became the area in a real travel to the past: The Trelew paleontology circuit is a trip that show the first apparition of life in Patagonia territory.

Chubut Paleontology Circuit

The circuit starts at “Egidio Feruglio” (MEF) Paleontology Museum. This incredible place covers different geology ages through fossils, since the first micro organism’s apparition till the human specie apparition where the gigantic dinosaur exhibit stands out.
Inaugurated in 1991, the MEF is one of the most important Argentina scientist institutions. It is located in one of most extensive fossil deposits in the world; its samples astonish the visitors. The exhibit is organized backwards in the chronologic development, as a journey towards ancient times. The first room shows primitive human species trace in Patagonia 10 thousand years ago. Subsequently, the Neogene’s and the Paleocene are display, among 18 to 65 million years BC, with marine traces and mammals fossils that habit in earth in those ages.

The museum star is: The Mesozoic age that started 250 million years BC and ended 65 million years ago, age of the dinosaur’s appearance, develop and extinction.

The museum offers for the children a more interesting option "Explorers in pajamas", a night tour with games and activities, the participants will be able to make their own replicas and also sleep among dinosaurs.

Other important attractiveness is the Marine period, its star the monumental Amonite (Extinct mollusk) of 1,80 meters diameter, recreated in its natural dimensions. In this area huge fish tanks can be watched in the floor reflecting the life in the ocean along the Cenozoic period (250 to 540 million years ago). Winkles, fossilized fishes and insect tracks can be observed from above. Finally you will find a projection room where the Big Bang theory is exposed as the universe origin itself 15 thousand million years ago..

But the museum surprises don’t stop there, at the exit, in the hall, you will find a very well preserved gigantic dinosaur egg fossilized and cut by the half. Behind a large window you can observe the scientist working.

Bryn Gwyn Geopark- Open air Museum

To enjoy the open air and the natural environment where dinosaurs used to live the visitors must visit the “Bryn Gwyn” Geo-park (Loma Blanca), located 25 kilometers away from Trelew.

The park is the first in its kind in South America, 250 hectares natural reservoir, that allows the visitors to enjoy a paleontology experience in the exact field where the rests where found. After an hour and a half stroll, ancient species can be watch trough glass pyramids, animal tracks and marine fossils over 40 million years old.

Useful information

- How to get: We strongly suggest travel by air. The flight from Buenos Aires to Trelew can be made in Argentinas Airlines

- Where to sleep: In Trelew there’s lodging for all the tastes and pockets, from camping’s to 4 star hotels. There’s also lodging options in the proximate cities of Puerto Madryn, Rawson and Gaiman

Lodgings in Puerto madryn
Lodgings in Trelew

Museum to visit

- Egidio Feruglio Museum: Av. Fontana 140, Trelew city. Open from Monday to Fridays
- Bryn Gwyn Park: Open from Monday to Sundays from 09:00 to 16:00