Duration: 4-5 hours
Enjoy the biodiversity of Laguna Valle, with a tour starting at our exclusive access to one of the world’s largest wetlands. Venture into Esteros del Iberá on a guided expedition in 4×4 vehicles
Esteros del Iberá Wetlands
The wetlands stretch as far as the eye can see in Esteros del Iberá, Corrientes. It is estimated that more than 75 percent of the total area of the Iberá system is covered by water, making it the world’s second largest wetland.
The marshlands are home to more than 1,600 plant types, 350 bird species, and about 60 reptile species, with estuaries that have been shaped by the flow of the Paraná River over thousands of years.
When it was designated a wildlife reserve in 1983, park rangers were hired among villagers who used to be hunters in the area, as part of the efforts to recover the ecosystem.
Esteros del Iberá has become a tourist destination of great interest for the world, and an example of the initiatives to reintroduce native animals that had ceased to inhabit the region. The process of fauna extinction that affected the entire Argentine territory was more pronounced in the province of Corrientes and rather devastating for the region that is currently protected by Gran Parque Iberá, taking a toll for numerous species, including birds and large mammals.
Due to poaching, the jaguar, the giant otter, the tapir, the collared and white-lipped peccaries, the giant anteater, the bare-faced curassow or muitú, and the red and violet macaws disappeared from Corrientes and in some cases from our country and the world, while the populations of other species, including the pampas deer, the maned wolf or aguará guazú, the ocelot, the paca and the red-footed chuña, were decimated.
Since 2007, the Rewilding Argentina Foundation has been working in Gran Parque Iberá to reverse this biodiversity crisis by reintroducing the species that became extinct and strengthening the populations of the species that were decimated.
Access to Esteros del Iberá from Estancia Puerto Valle
From Estancia Puerto Valle we have direct access to Esteros del Iberá, an area of 27 thousand hectares where our lodge is located. Our excursions are led by guides trained to raise awareness of the importance of the Iberá system. Other access points are San Nicolás, Cambyretá, Carambola, Laguna Iberá, Uguay, Galarza, Río Corriente, and the Mburucuyá National Park itself.
Some of our alternatives to experience the biodiversity of the area up close are setting sail in Laguna Valle to enjoy part of the Iberá nature reserve, kayaking along the river, horseback riding, and hiking.
We also offer a tour of our nursery, where we work on eco-sustainability by growing all the fresh produce that we use to prepare the dishes served by our kitchen.
To raise awareness of sustainability and responsible tourism, our organic garden produces some of the ingredients used for our cuisine. The estancia is located about 30 kilometers from the Paraguayan coast and 255 km from the capital city of Corrientes.
Expedition to Laguna Valle
We offer an exclusive journey in 4×4 vehicles through marshlands, plantations and fields to watch nature and appreciate the work of sustainable forestry, setting sail from our pier and navigating the scenic waterway that will introduce us to Laguna Valle.
This journey will bring you close to alligators, capybaras, marsh deer and the different species of birds that dwell in the marshlands, which you can watch from select vantage points.
An atmosphere of silence and harmony is the perfect refuge for those wishing to take a break from the tumult of urban traffic, when an infinite horizon of water, grasslands and wildlife is everything that meets the eye.