El Cóndor

El Cóndor is a village and beach resort on the southern shore of the mouth of the Negro River, at km 31 of provincial route 1. It is part of the municipality of Viedma and the first of a string of beaches running more than 150 km along the Río Negro coast.

Things to do

Playa Grande has fine sand and earth-coloured water, tinted by the river’s sediment. Like every Patagonian beach it is windy, but the water is pleasantly warm. On one side is the river mouth; on the other, where the cliffs begin, the oldest lighthouse in Patagonia, in service since 1887.

• El Pescadero: at the river mouth, sheltered by dunes, for shore and boat fishing, windsurfing and canoeing.
• El Faro: a large colony of burrowing parrots nests in the cliffs.
• Coastal Road: provincial route 1 continues south along cliffs up to 60 metres high, past beaches such as La Lobería and, further on, a sea lion colony with walkways for viewing.

Getting here

From Viedma, 31 km along provincial route 1.

History

On 26 December 1881 the Danish ship “Cóndor” was wrecked off the coast; its crew stayed at the only ranch in the area, which later took the ship’s name. The wreck led to the building of the lighthouse, working since May 1887. In the early 20th century the Salesian priest Jacinto Massini promoted the spot as a summer resort: the first houses went up between 1913 and 1919, and it was called “Massini” until 1948, when it officially became El Cóndor.

Distances: 31 km from Viedma on provincial route 1