Argentinian Mesopotamia

Argentinian Mesopotamia is a green and tropical region in the north east of Argentina. It is a large band of forests located between Paraná and Uruguay rivers and shared between the provinces of Misiones, Entre Ríos and Corrientes. It is very interesting to visit because it will introduce you to another vision of Argentina which really seduced me when I first traveled there.

Argentinian Mesopotamia and its exuberant nature

I like this red soil, the typical population, the sub tropical weather which is a foretaste of Brazil. Mesopotamia includes the subtropical plains of El Chaco, filled with forests and savannas which become drier when travelling from East to West. It is a natural reserve for wildlife and wild vegetation and it goes from the Iguazu falls down to the doors of Buenos Aires.

Iguazu falls are of course the main “attraction” is this area. Ranked within the three most beautiful falls in the world, the Iguazu falls seem unreal. The sound of the water falling can be heard everywhere inside the national park around. Spread across three borders (Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay) these falls both scared and fascinated several generations of people who believed they could master them. However, real masters are still nature and wildlife who spread themselves a lot. 80% of Iguazu Falls are located in Argentine territory where the journey is magnificent.

The Misiones Province also has other treasures. I strongly encourage people to stay several days to discover how the mate tea is cultivated (drink so important to Argentines) or to visit the Mocona falls (with no tourists), or to visit one of the many ruins of ancient Jesuit missions or even to try a trek inside the tropical forest.

Further south and away from international tourists, the beautiful Ibera Wetlands “Esteros del Iberá” are standing in an enormous wet area of more than 13,000 square kilometers, located in the Province of Corrientes. This 10 000 acres Iberá lake is very representative from this rich area. Several rare and endangered species have their home here like the black Caiman or the yellow anaconda. A very rich wildlife with more than 85 mammal species, 35 reptile species, 45 amphibian, 80 fish and 250 bird species.