The Iberá National Park is a protected area, located in the Iberá Wetlands, in Ituzaingó, Corrientes Province, Argentina. Initially, it was called Iberá Provincial Nature Reserve, but in 1993 its name was changed to it’s current official name. At that time, it comprised 480,000 hectares belonging to the provincial state, including wetlands, lagoons and land.
Today, Iberá National Park is a magnificent Argentinian reserve that has 183,500 hectares. This Wetland natural sanctuary includes two management areas: The Iberá National Reserve and the National Park. Its mission is to contribute to the integral protection of the Iberá macrosystem.
If you are looking for sustainable tourism and activities, the Iberá National Park is definitely one of the places you should visit in Argentina’s Northeast region.
Location and access gates to Iberá National Park
The Iberá National Park is located in the region of the Iberá Wetlands in Argentina.This natural reserve has four access gates, immersed within the Iberá Natural Reserve: Laguna Iberá Portal, Cambyretá Portal, San Nicolás Portal, and Carambola Portal.
Here, we list the gates of the Iberá Natural Reserve and their locations:
The Laguna Iberá Gate
The Laguna Iberá Gateway is located to the southeast. It is the most well-known and visited gateway in the park, situated in the town of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini. In the vicinity of this entrance, a wide variety of tourist services are available.
At the Laguna Iberá Gateway, enjoy boat trips on Lake Iberá, the largest in the park, where you can admire aquatic flora and fauna. We offer the Laguna Valle Excursion, which you can visit here. Also, in this gateway you’ll find the visitor center, historical and cultural museum, and the wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center.
The Cambyretá Gate
The Cambyretá gateway is located on the northern edge of the natural reserve. To reach the Cambyretá access gate is 143 miles from Corrientes, 9 miles from Ituzaingó, and 5 miles from Villa Olivari.
Cambyretá is the closest gate to the Paraná River, offering a variety of landscapes, from estuaries and lagoons to jungles and grasslands. Enjoy boat trips on the Cambyretá stream, wildlife observation, and walks along interpretative trails
The San Nicolás Gate
The San Nicolás Gate is located on the western edge of the Iberá National Park, 103 miles from Corrientes. This access gate the largest in this natural reserve, featuring an extensive trail network that go through different landscapes, including forests, wetlands, and lagoons.
Entering through the San Nicolás Gateway, you can observe a great diversity of birds such as the Jabiru, Crowned Eagle, and Yellow Cardinal, as well as other animals like howler monkeys, river otters, and giant otters. Boat trips on Lake San Nicolás, horseback riding, and cycling are also available.
The Carambola Gate
The Carambola Gate is located on the western edge, 118 miles from Corrientes. It is the newest gateway in the park, known for its beauty and tranquility. Discover the pristine nature by navigating the Carambola lagoon, where you may spot reintroduced species such as the red macaw and tapir.
You can also take walks through the forest, observe a variety of birds, and visit the interpretation center.
Biodiversity in the Iberá National Preserve
Photo: Yacaré swimming in the Paraná River, Argentina.
The Iberá Nature Preserve, in addition to being attractive for its landscapes and colors, is home to more than 5000 species, including plants, mammals and birds, among others.
As we have seen on our article about Animal wildlife in northeast Argentina, the Iberá flora is rich in water hyacinths, floating formations that are spotted at first sight, and which attract attention for their dimensions and quantities. Aquatic species also include irupé, water lilies, poppies and small ferns.
The fauna of the Nature Reserve includes the Black Caiman, Water Boa snake, Ñacaniná and Yarará snake. In addition, visitors have the possibility of living a great experience surrounded by a variety of wild animals in their natural habitat, such as Capybara, Howling Monkey, River Otter and Swamp Deer.
Many of these species have declared Natural Monuments by the Province of Corrientes, such as the Maned Wolf and Aguará Guazú. Others are in the reintroduction process, such as the Red Macaw.
Photo: Capybaras in Iberá National Park.
Are you curious and want to see more about this unique experience? Visit our photo gallery of the Iberá Wetlands in Argentina, and contonue discovering our fauna, flora and beautiful landscapes.
Visit the Iberá National Park in Argentina
At Hotel Puerto Valle we offer you the opportunity of living an exclusive experience “Safari Iberá National Park”. For 3 to 4 hours, you will enjoy a wonderful adventure departing from the hotel towards the Cambyretá Portal, with the opportunity to get out at different stops along the way, to take a closer look at the main attractions: the landscapes of the North Iberá.