ESTEROS DEL IBERÁ

This has been one of my dream destinations since my days at university. I remember studying this amazing area, and hearing a professor very immerse the concept of eco-tourism, talking about Iberá with such passion.

Iberá is a region marked by water, an insolent flora and an inordinate fauna. Area of lagoons, estuaries, bathed, dammed, sand that feed exclusively on the rains. The newly created national park is one of the largest in the country, with more than 700,000 hectares.

I got the chance to visit this area during September, for the spring season kick off week in this latitudes, and was proud to learn that I sailed those “shinny waters” during the Ara Pyahu*, new year for the Guaraní culture. This means the arrival of spring as the rebirth of a new time of flowering and abundance.

I planned this trip to be able to visit 2 portals of the Iberá, Portal Laguna Iberá from Colonia Pellegrini and also Portal Cambyretá, from Ituzaingó.
I only had 5 full days, and as a travel agent myself used to make some magic with many things to do in short time, I did my best to fit as many explorations as possible. I left for a future trip (I always keep some reasons to come back, it´s my travel tip) Portal San Nicolas, Galarza, Uguay, and more. This natural paradise had this effect on me…to want to open more doors to our northwest. It is always good to know our country has this capacity of keep on surprising us, even as locals.

One of my first contacts with the place I was about to know, was Nando, our driver from Misiones who picked me up in Posadas airport, and told me he was so in love with Iberá and Colonia Pellegrini, that didn’t mind travelling hundreds of kilometers a day to be one their proud ambassadors. He loved Misiones, of course, but stated: Trust me Melina…this place is one of a kind, he said…while he stopped the van in the middle of the road on our way to Colonia Pellegrini, just to watch the stars and listen to the silence!

And he was right indeed, I saw in 5 days, more species than I saw my entire life (even counting movies and tv, hahaha). Birds from all kinds and colors, giant storks, yacares from all sizes, capibaras, deer and more, all living in great balance and harmony. I learned about the re-wilding work being done in the area. I got the chance to sail along Laguna Iberá, towards Arroyo Corrientes and Arroyo Miriñay. I got the to be part of the very first group exploring the third core of the Iberá National Park, in Lobo Cuá. I sailed along the Paraná River in its widest part and explore the trails in Portal Cambyretá.

I was also surprised with clean skies of thousands of stars (it is now in by best skies ranking, even a step higher than San Pedro de Atacama, I must say). Not only the nature was overwhelming, but also the kindness of the locals, born and raised there, with deep understanding of the treasure this natural reserve and national park means as heritance for humanity. This was not always learned from an early ages, but was understood with the time, and by acknowledging that we don´t love what we don´t know, so it´s their new job acquired is to explain the visitors, the importance of conservation and respect for nature, and how is possible to work for a sustainable tourism as a community, allowing more people to know and be aware of the cause.

I suggest you to have a look to CLT website (The Conservation Land Trust): http://www.cltargentina.org/#, where you can know more about the work done by Douglas Tompinks in Argentina, and his legacy. CLT works for the permanent conservation of large territories promoting the creation of national parks; the recovery of complete ecosystems through active management of environments and species; and the development of local communities through public policies that promote a new regional economy, that reinforce local identity and that protect their natural and cultural values.

I can´t help to get involved with places when visit, especially with those that make me so proud as this.
Hope to keep knowing more, and be able to spread the voice!