Esteros del Iberá

The Esteros del Iberá are the second largest wetland in South America, some twelve thousand square kilometres of lagoons, marshes and floating islands in the middle of Corrientes. Since 2018 it has been a national park, and a long rewilding project has brought back species the region had lost: the giant anteater, the pampas deer, the red-and-green macaw, the giant otter and, most recently, the jaguar. Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, on the shore of the Laguna Iberá, is the village at its heart, reached by gravel from Mercedes; on the north-western edge, near the Paraná, historic estancias such as Puerto Valle and San Juan Poriahú have their own reserves.

The wetland has several doors, and which one to use depends on the rest of the journey. From Carlos Pellegrini, three nights allow boat trips on the lagoon among capybaras and caimans, walks in the forest islands looking for howler monkeys, horse rides into the flooded grassland, kayaking and night drives. On the northern edge, two or three nights at an estancia combine the wetland with riding, home cooking and the rhythm of a working farm, and the paved road makes it easy to link with the Jesuit ruins of San Ignacio and with Iguazú, four hours away. Self-drive circuits from Posadas join the wetland, the ruins, Moconá and the falls in a week.

June to August brings cool mornings and the easiest wildlife viewing. Spring is the season of nesting birds; in summer, the activities move to early morning and evening.