Get away from Argentina’s popular travel destinations and tour the far-flung Greater Chaco Region. Discover rambling grasslands, forests and cattle fields crossed by meandering rivers and dotted with protected reserves. Visit sleepy towns, relax at riverside beaches and learn about tribal traditions. The Greater Chaco Region is a section of the Gran Chaco, an area that was colonized by the Spanish, covering parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Its name, Chaco, translates to hunting land in the Quechua language.
The sparsely inhabited lowlands of Chaco Province make up the region’s southern zone. Spot 500 works of public art while walking the streets of the provincial capital, Resistencia. Relax at the beaches of Isla del Cerrito and fish for dorado on the Paraná River. See some of the more than 100 bird species amid the subtropical forests of Reserva Natural Educativa Colonia Benitez.
Close to the province’s geographical heart is Presidencia Roque Sáenz Peña, the gateway to isolated reserves and national parks. Marvel at the 5,000-year-old meteorites at Campo del Cielo. See a slice of the Wichi people’s lifestyle and traditions at Misión Nueva Pompeya. Chaco National Park and Parque Provincial Pampa del Indio are great for wilderness camping and spotting jaguars, primates and endangered quebracho trees.
Journey even further off the beaten path in Formosa Province. Experience the easy-going charm of Formosa city, which is influenced by Brazilian and Paraguayan culture as well as by Argentine. Browse exhibitions by local artists as you stroll along the Costanera waterfront.
Go in search of alligators and pumas in the wetlands of the Río Pilcomayo National Park. Enjoy fishing trips on the Bermejo River and Pilcomayo River. Traverse the waterways of Bañado la Estrella via a pirogue boat.
Reach the Greater Chaco Region by flying from Buenos Aires to Formosa and Resistencia. Enhance your time here by staying overnight at working ranches, called estancias. Prepare for extreme heat and high levels of humidity. Continue your South American adventure by crossing the Paraguayan border to the bustling capital, Asuncíon.
