Bella Vista is a beautiful place to spend a couple of days fishing fresh water sting rays or dorados. I have been only once there, with an oustanding fishing guide, Carlos Viccini. I suffered a shoulder injury at the Esquina bus station,…Read More

Bella Vista is a beautiful place to spend a couple of days fishing fresh water sting rays or dorados. I have been only once there, with an oustanding fishing guide, Carlos Viccini.
I suffered a shoulder injury at the Esquina bus station, tripped and fell to the floor, and Carlos went out of his way to make sure that I received adequate medical attention.

But I was determined to take some nice photos, so after my problem had been taken care of, and disobeying medical orders, Weather was mild, so I had no problems.

I went out with him on the boat for a photo safary (no fishing was advisable in these conditions). I found him to be very helpful and know that he is a renown fishing guide for both Brazilian and UK fishermen.

The Parana river is not what it used to be, it was commercially overfished during the past ten years, and now only catch and release fishing is allowed. But you can still fish dorados up to forty pounds in weight, although the most probable size will be some ten to twenty pounds.

The dorado belongs to the salmon family, is a brave fighter and can be caught using fly fishing or other artificial lures. A steel leader is a must when you go fishing for dorados. There are also other very nice fish in the river as pacus, manduvas, suribi and others.

Gasoline is far more expensive in Argentina than in the USA, so go prepared to spend some 150 to 200 dollars per day, maybe one hundred dollars for a half day outing on a motorboat in the river.

Hotels are reasonably priced. I paid less than fifteen dollars a night for a budget hotel with air conditioning. Now, if you want something special, prices can be double that price, or more.

During the outing I was able to see yacares, and took nice photos of the tropical setting of the Parana river and its banks. Just have a look at the photos. If you need more information on the services of Carlos Viccini: check his web pages.

www.bellavistafishing.com.ar

www.carlosviccinipesca.com.ar

In these pages you will see large dorados and sting rays fished by Carlos or by his clients.

Just have a look at the photos, I am sure you will enjoy them.

All buses from Buenos Aires, Rosario and Parana to Mercedes, Corrientes, gateway to the Ibera Marshes stop at the Bella Vista bus station. A bus from Cordoba or Buenos Aires to Bella Vista should be costing some 50 US dollars each way on a semi bed coach class, or some 75 dollars each way on a suite premium bed bus service.

Enjoy the photos, and welcome to Argentina.

Robert Raymond IngledewClose

The Jesuit Reductions were a particular version of the general Catholic strategy used in the 17th and 18th centuries of building reductions (reducciones de indios), in order to Christianize the indigenous populations of the Americas more efficiently. They were created by the Catholic order of…Read More

The Jesuit Reductions were a particular version of the general Catholic strategy used in the 17th and 18th centuries of building reductions (reducciones de indios), in order to Christianize the indigenous populations of the Americas more efficiently. They were created by the Catholic order of the Jesuits in the areas inhabited by the Tupi-Guarani peoples, generally in an area corresponding to modern day Paraguay, although later they were extended into the areas that are now Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia and Uruguay.

The Jesuit reductions of this area were different from the reductions in other areas in that they did not seek to make the Indians adopt a European way of life, but only the Christian religion.[1] Under the Jesuit leadership of the Indians through native "puppet" caciques, the reductions achieved a high degree of autonomy within the Spanish and Portuguese colonial empires. With the use of Indian labour the reductions also became economically successful. When their existence was threatened by the incursions of bandeira slave traders, they even built up militias of Indians that fought effectively against the colonists.[1] The resistance of the Jesuit reductions to slave raids, as well as their high degree of autonomy and economic success, are often cited as reasons behind the expulsion of the Jesuits from the Americas in 1767.[2] The Jesuit reductions are a controversial chapter of the evangelisational history of the Americas and are variously described as jungle utopias or as theocratic regimes of terror. (Information extracted from Wikipedia).

I have visited these ruins four times. The setup of the Museum has varied, with more historical information, but I missed some historical relics like part of a frigate that used to navigate the Parana river.

I am including this experience here, because these ruins are nearer to Yacyretá than to the Iguazu Falls. They are some 200 miles away from Iguazu and only one hundred miles northeast of Yacyreta/Ituzaingo. As a matter of fact, they are only forty miles to the North of Posadas.

So if you do not travel on an organized tour that will visit both San Ignacio and Iguazu, it would be wise to visit San Ignacio on your way back from Iguazu, or you may have to stand on some of the local buses during four hours, if there are no seats available.

About a dozen of bus companies run form Posadas to San Ignacio, and maybe half a dozen from Buenos Aires to here, including my choices; Via Bariloche, Crucero del Norte, Rio Uruguay and Tigre Iguazu. Tigre Iguazu is the cheapest of these four, has comfortable buses and has the catering of Via Bariloche at a coach class rate. But Via Bariloche and Crucero del Norte, apart from featuring hot meals on board serve complimentary wine, whisky and champagne, and provide you with travel rugs, all in suite class buses where the seats lie back completely flat. If you have any doubts, just check these pages:

www.viabariloche.com.ar
www.crucerodelnorte.com.ar

Rio Uruguay stops at Ituzingo/Yacyretá, and also has a very comfortable service.

These Jesuits ruins were constucted some 370 years ago by the Jesuits, and abandoned when the Government of Spain terminated the work of the Jesuits in 1787.

Both these tuins, the Jesuit Square in Cordoba City and the Alta Gracia Jesuit Ranch in the Province of Cordoba were declared Historical Patrimony of Humanity by the UNESCO.

Hundreds, maybe thousands, of indians lived here, fleeing from the Portuguese slave drivers.. The whole mission was constructed by the indians under the direction of the Jesuits.

There is an interesting Museum, although far smaller than the Virrey Liniers Jesuit Museum in Alta Gracia, Cordoba. But the historical value of their work deserves a visit. In the evenings they set up a light and sound representation, but I went there during daytime and therefore took some photos of the historical park and of the museum.

The Jesuits had seventeen missions to take care of the indians, some in Brazil, most of them in Misiones, Argentina, and others in Parauay. You will see their location in one of the photos I am posting.

I took some nice photos during my last visit, you will find them below.


Welcome to Northeastern Argentina.

Robert Raymond IngledewClose

There are two gateways to the Ibera Marshes that are open all the year round: Mercedes (Corrientes), to where you can go by bus from Buenos Aires, Rosario, Santa Fe, Parana, Goya, Bella Vista, Paso de los Libres, Concordia and Corrientes, but from where you…Read More

There are two gateways to the Ibera Marshes that are open all the year round: Mercedes (Corrientes), to where you can go by bus from Buenos Aires, Rosario, Santa Fe, Parana, Goya, Bella Vista, Paso de los Libres, Concordia and Corrientes, but from where you must continue fifty miles on an earth road that you should avoid during the rainy season, or the direct bus service from Ituzaingo/Yacyreta, that runs only on Saturdays, leaving at five in the morning and arriving back late in the evening. Hotels in Ituzingo are cheaper than at Ibera, there are nice beaches and you have the chance of fishing dorados in the Parana river, or visiting the Yacyreta huge hydroelectric development..

If you are very fond of wildlife and bird watching, keep in mind that the time of the day, the rain, low temperatures, etc. could affect your possibilities. The ´motorboat ´ride throughout the marshes, that lasts a couple of hours, has no protection whatsoever against rain, so it is advisable to have a raincoat in your bag.

I stayed there a couple of days three years ago. Hotels are expensive, and most of them have no TV, unless if you stay at the best hotels, paying some one hundred dollars per person and per day, including all meals and the local tours.

During my stay weather was cold, in spite of which I saw some capibars or carpinchos, some yacarés (´South American Alligator), a marsh deer and some birds. But there are hundreds of bird species here, you only need a very good zoom, or a good set of binoculars.

Carlos Pellegrini, where the marshes are, has only four hundred inhabitants and very few bus services to Mercedes. If the weather is rainy and the road is muddy, they cancel their services and you need to travel on a 4 x 4 at a far higher cost. The hostel Delicias del Ibera at Mercedes can solve this problem for you.

The Ibera Marshes cover one third of the whole province of Corrientes. Fishing is prohibited inside the National Reserve, but not in the surrounding areas. Very nice dorados can be fished, but remember that the Province of Corrientes enforces the catch and release policy.

Remember to take with you whatever medication you are using, which is far cheaper to buy in Argentina or in Paraguay than in the USA. The last place where you can buy it is either Ituzingo or Mercedes. There are no pharmacies at Carlos Pellegrini.

If you are not fond of wildlife and bird watching, there is nothing else to do. A stay at Ituzingo with its nice beaches on the Parana river, plus a visit to the Yacyreta Hydoelectric Development, or a fishing saferi at Bella Vista, Corrientes, will be far more enjoyable.

Enjoy your stay in Argentina.

Robert Raymond Ingledew Moore.Close

The Ibera Marshes or Wetlands, a swamp area five times larger than the wetlands in Louisiana, feed the Corrientes river, that runs into the Parana river at Esquina. I have fished in the Río Corrientes near Esquina and know that large suribis (of the catfish…Read More

The Ibera Marshes or Wetlands, a swamp area five times larger than the wetlands in Louisiana, feed the Corrientes river, that runs into the Parana river at Esquina. I have fished in the Río Corrientes near Esquina and know that large suribis (of the catfish family) are caught there. But the Corrientes river is small, and you only stand a good chance if you fish in private properties (mostly converted into expensive fishing lodges) or in lagoons that are outside of the National Park, since fishing is prohibited inside the park. There are a few lodges that offer this service. Here are some Internet pages you might want to check. Mercedes is a pretty large city, the Corrientes river is the only one in the area, and I imagine that places near the road to Carlos Pellegrini must have been overfished. These are the links: www.piralodge.com.

There is abundance of dorados in the national park, and this website says that it is located on the border of the reserve. Fishing should be good. By what I have seen on other pages, the cost at a dorado fishing lodge costs 490 dollars per day, or more. You can fish dorados in the Parana river and spend one third of this price. Results may not be the same, but fishing in Bella Vista, Empedrado, Cerrito Island and Paso de la Patria generally give good results. Check out this page: www.cabanadonjulian.com.ar. My first fishing experience in the Paraná river was at Empedrado. I did not even hire a motorboat, only a fishing guide with a rowing boat. It is enough to cross over to the island, that is in front of the Tourism hotel. That day I was fishing with 30 pound resistant nylon and my line was cut three times during an hour and a half fishing. There were no dorados that day, but I fished a number of pira-yaguas (dogfish) that are brave fighters, that jump out of the water and dive under the boat like other sportive fish. It was a fascinating experience. I went many times more to Empedrado, where I also took beautiful photos of the work of wind and water erosion on the river banks and nearby. The Tourism hotel is very nice and not expensive. It is on the river banks and overlooks the Parana river.

The next time I went I fished an 18-pound dorado. It took nearly half an hour to land it on the boat. All the area north of Goya is still a very good fishing area. Commercial fishing is prohibited in the Parana river, and although some illegal commercial fishing still exists, it is limited. Not so in the area to the east of Corrientes city, where Paraguayans fish the river and export dorados to Brazil. So avoid the area east of Paso de la Patria up to Ita Ibaté, because results are not the same. BELLA VISTA is another very nice fishing area, where you will also see yacarés (South American alligators) in the river. I have only passed through the city, but by what I have seen and read, it is a very interesting fishing destination. If you want more information, just check this page: www.pescanet.com, click on English version (you will not understand everything because they use machine translation, but you will still enjoy the photos). Cerrito Island (Isla del Cerrito) has been for many years my favorite fishing destination on the Paraná river. There you do not to rent a motorboat. You can fish dorados from the shore, where the Paraguay river meets the Parana river, forming a huge whirlpool that is at least 500 feet wide. There is a 3-star hotel on the island, and if you prefer to stay in a city, the city of Resistencia is 40 miles away and has many types of hotels. There are buses from Resistencia to Isla del Cerrito in the morning, and as far as I know there is another service in the afternoon. They leave from the Resistencia bus station. These are some of the 4 and 3 star hotels in Resistencia: Amerian Hotel Casino, Gala Perón 330, phone (54-3722) 45-2400; Atrium, Hernandarias 249, phone (54-3722) 42-9094 / 44-2627; Colón, Santa María de Oro 143, phone (54-3722) 42-2862; Covadonga, Güemes 200, phone (54-3722) 44-4444; Gran Hotel Royal, G.Obligado 211, phone (54-3722) 44-3666 / 42-4586; Lemirson, A. Frondizi 167, phone (54-3722) 42-2277 / 1330. Resistencia is just across the river from Corrientes.

Another alternative is staying at Paso De La Patria, a famous destination, but since it is a "fashionable" place, prices are higher. And there are no places there where you can fish from the shore like at Cerrito island. There are motorboat services from Paso de la Patria to Isla del Cerrito once or twice a day. There are some good hotels at Paso de la Patria. Unfortunately I have no names of these hotels, most of the reasonably priced. But my fishing experience tells me that fishing from the coast at Paso de la Patria is no good, you need to rent a motorboat, and the cost varies between 100 and 150 dollars per day. Empedrado and Bella Vista are two very good fishing destinations where fishing is good and prices are not so high. Check out my report on Dorado and Trout fishing in Argentina. Remember that the buses from Mercedes to Corrientes, Paraná and Santa Fe go through Bella Vista. If you go down to Goya, there are many islands in the river where you can have a rewarding fishing experience. Check what Guarapo Lodge and Fishing has to offer you. Their prices are not outrageous. This is their web page: www.guarapo.com.ar. They offer an all-inclusive package with transportation from the Goya airport or bus station, navigation to the lodge, stay in tents, all meals, motorboat and other elements required, at an affordable price. Esquina is not quite as good, but fishing is allowed all-year-round, and towards the Summer (October, November, December) fishing can be very good. Check this page for affordable fishing tours to Esquina, including transportation from Buenos Aires round trip, two nights at the Hambare Fishing Lodge, all meals and motorboat. www.tumejorpesca.com I am familiar with this travel agency (Florida Travel). I have never used their fishing expeditions, but was a client of the agency during many years, and they are reliable people. Remember that the prices posted are in pesos, so to have the equivalent in US Dollars divide the prices by 3. Fly-fishing, spinning and live bait all give good results for dorado fishing. According to the time of the year you will use spinning (up to September), fly-fishing and live bait in October. Since live bait is expensive, you can take a smaller rod for fishing bogas (pure fun) and then use pieces of the bogas you fish as bait for the dorados. Sábalos are another good bait that can be bought at the market, or fished with nets where lagoons run into the river. Eals are not quite as good as bait, but they last longer on the hook. Enjoy your fishing experience in the province of Corrientes.

Concordia is a beautiful city with many tourist attractions in its area of influence. A stay at the San Carlos Inn and Resort is a delightful experience. It is in the middle of the San Carlos Park (how they were authorized to build a hotel…Read More

Concordia is a beautiful city with many tourist attractions in its area of influence. A stay at the San Carlos Inn and Resort is a delightful experience. It is in the middle of the San Carlos Park (how they were authorized to build a hotel there is a mystery). This four star hotel and resort has tennis courts, a lovely swimming pool, and has a fantastic panoramic view of the park, of the Uruguay river and of the Uruguayan city of Salto, on the other side of the river. There are many tourist attractions in this area. The Salto Grande dam, the second largest in Argentina, forms a huge lake on the Uruguay river. Downstream from the dam there is fantastic dorado fishing (catch and release) where dorados of up to 35 pounds have been fished. Dorados belong to the salmon family, and are renowned for the fierce fighting. Fishing can be done fly-fishing (the water is generally clear downstream from the dam), spinning or using bait. The best spot are the first 5 kilometres (3 miles) downstream from the dam. Fishing is prohibited in the first half mile downstream from the dam, and the fishing season ends on October 31.

Florida Travel Service offers very interesting and inexpensive tours to this place. Check this page: www.tumejorpesca.com. But this is not the only attraction in the area. The Los Palmares National Park, a forest of palm trees, is some 50 miles south of Concordia. Further south there are beautiful beaches on the Uruguay River at Concepción del Uruguay (Banco Pelay). And there are some historical monuments not far away from this last city (San Jose Palace, that was the private residence of an important president of Argentina, General Urquiza). You can cross over the Salto Grande dam to visit the Uruguayan city of Salto. And north of the dam is the city of Federación, with its renowned thermal baths. So a visit to the city of Concordia, an area where there are also important citrus plantations and eucalyptus and pine trees plantations used for the wood industry, is really worthwhile. I know there are two daily bus services from Mercedes to Concordia, because I saw them advertised at the Mercedes bus station (travel time is about 3 hours) but cannot find them on the Internet. Concordia is one of the most important gateways to Uruguay, and from there you have bus services from Salto (just across the river) to Montevideo and Punta del Este. Do not be misguided with the information on the Salto Grande hotel. Although it has the name of the dam, it is in the downtown of Concordia. There is a resort near the dam with a marina, also of 4 stars, that together with the San Carlos Inn and Resort are the best options in this area.

These are the best options in Concordia: Ayuí Resort, Lago Salto Grande, phone 4218335, San Carlos Inn www.hotelsancarlosinn.com.ar. If you want a cheaper option near the Concordia bus station, try the Embajador Hotel, Boulevard San Lorenzo 75, phone 4213018.

Paso de los Libres. There are only 130 miles (one hour and 40 minutes on the bus) from Mercedes to Paso de los Libres, the gateway to Brazil. Just across the international bridge is the city of Uruguaiana (two and a half miles away from Paso de los Libres) from where you have buses to the main beaches in southern Brazil: Torres, Laguna, Florianápolis. The Bus from Uruguaiana to Torres takes only 15 hours travel, and you can travel a triangle combining the Ibera Marshes with Brazilian beaches and from there you have direct buses to the Iguazu Falls (Foz do Iguazu). This allows you to combine wildlife with beaches and the most beautiful waterfalls in the American continent, and probably in the whole world. Of course, nearly all bus services to the Iguazu Falls go through Paso de los Libres (although not into the downtown), and if you travel directly to the falls, it is only some 11 to 12 hours travel, depending on the timetable.

Unfortunately, most buses that go to Iguazu do not enter the city of Paso de los Libres (at least Tigre-Iguazu), so it might be advisable to take the trip the other way round: first Torres, Camboriu or Florianapolis (there are direct buses from Buenos Aires to all these beaches), then Iguazú, from Iguazu or Posadas a bus to Paso de los Libres or to Corrientes, and from there to Mercedes, and arrive at Paso de los Libres during the day in order to take a taxi. I do not remember the exact distance from Highway 14 to the downtown, but it is only two or three miles. I went there with my car many years ago. The best bus services from Paso de los Libres to the Iguazu Falls are Crucero del Norte, Via Bariloche and Tigre-Iguazu, and the best bus service from Buenos Aires to Torres, Laguna, Camboriu or Florianapolis is Pluma (a Brazilian bus company). There are 4 buses every day from Mercedes to Paso de los Libres, the travel takes only one hour and 40 minutes and you have two bus companies to choose from: Santa Lucía (I have never seen their buses) or Crucero del Norte, one of the 3 leading bus companies in Argentina. The buses of Crucero del Norte leave Mercedes at 4.20am daily (except Saturdays and Sundays) and arrive at Paso de los Libres at 6am. Their afternoon services leaves Mercedes at 4.20pm every day (including Saturdays and Sundays) and arrives at 6pm at Paso de los Libres. The buses from Paso de los Libres to Mercedes leave after midnight (no good), and between 1 and 2pm (both Crucero del Norte and Santa Lucía) arriving at Mercedes at 3pm (Santa Lucía) and 3.45pm (Crucero del Norte).

After you have visited the different beaches in Southern Brazil you can take a bus from Florianopolis to Posadas (18 hours travel), stay at Posadas, visit the Jesuit Ruins at San Ignacio (one hour away) or continue your trip to the Iguazu Falls (another 4 or 5 hours travel). If you go first to the Iguazú Falls, take the bus to Posadas, stay one day at Posadas (the hotel Posadas, 3-stars is very good, and the hotel Continental is cheaper, but still OK), visit the San Ignacio Jesuit ruins from Posadas (one hour away), and then continue by bus either to Paso de los Libres or to the city of Corrientes, since there are direct buses to Mercedes from both cities. It is shorter if you go through Paso de los Libres. I trust I have not muddled you up with so much information. In any case, now you know how to combine a visit to the Ibera Marshes with Southern Brazil and/or with the Iguazu Falls. You might want to do your own research after having explored these possibilities.

As I have mentioned, Carlos Pellegrini, inside the reserve, is a small village with 300 inhabitants. It only has ten blocks by ten, and if you are staying at a cheap lodge and it is raining (and you have no color TV), you will find…Read More

As I have mentioned, Carlos Pellegrini, inside the reserve, is a small village with 300 inhabitants. It only has ten blocks by ten, and if you are staying at a cheap lodge and it is raining (and you have no color TV), you will find very little to do. On the other hand, most 3-star lodges cost at least 100 dollars per night. This price includes meals and the motorboat trip, so it might not be so outrageous after all. I preferred a cheaper alternative and stayed at the Posada Iberá Porá, where a room with private bathroom costs some 20 dollars per night. After all, the motorboat tour costs only 10 dollars (if you buy it at the port). There is not much to see at Iberá, but it is really enjoyable. Probably two days are more than enough to enjoy seeing marsh deers, capibaras, yacares (South American caimans), monkeys and many, many different types of birds.

You can also stay at Mercedes, a 65,000 inhabitants city, that is 50 miles away from the marshes. The bus to get to the marshes takes many hours and has inconvenient timetables, that obviously have been thought for the inhabitants of Carlos Pellegrini than for tourists. The El Rayo traffic van will get you there in a couple of hours and is not expensive. But if it has rained, you will have to go on a 4 x 4, and that is really expensive. If you stay at Mercedes, the Posada Iberá is a good alternative (do not confound with the Iberá Porá Lodge, that is at the marshes). But we have talked of other destinations, specially regarding fishing, and I have given you no information regarding where to stay. While the Guarapo and TuMejorPesca tours are all-inclusive tours that include staying at fishing lodges and all meals, the other destinations I have mentioned require staying at hotels. If you want to stay in the city of Resistencia for going to Cerrito Island, there are some very good hotels in that city, including an Amerian 5-star hotel. The next best option is the Covadonga hotel (3 stars). In Resistencia you will find all sorts of hotels, but make sure you take a room with air-conditioning, because weather is very warm. In Empedrado you have a beautiful 3-star hotel, Hotel de Turismo, that overlooks the Paraná river, with a nice park and panoramic view.

At Bella Vista there are some hotels, but since I have never been there, I am only copying some information and have no idea what the hotels are like. I have been at all the other villages and towns. These are some hotels at Bella Vista: El Triángulo Paraná y Buenos Aires Phone (54-3777) 451492 - J. R. José M. Estrada y Salta Phone ) (54-3777) 450303 - Hospedaje Los Laureles Roca 1576 Phone (54-3777) 451229. In Goya the best deal is the Guarapo Fishing Lodge, and you are provided with an all-inclusive package that includes accommodation at the lodge. Of course, it is a lodge, and if you want real comfort, then stay at the Gran Hotel de Turismo (3 stars). At Esquina the Irupe Plaza Hotel is the only 3-star hotel, since it is a 7,000-inhabitant village and you do not have many alternatives. But the package offered by Florida Travel (TuMejor Pesca) includes two nights at the Hambaré Fishing Lodge, precisely on the Corrientes River, so you do not need to worry about hotel accommodations. And if you prefer to go to Cerrito Island (no motorboat is necessary for fishing huge dorados), there is a 3-star hotel in the island. The Hostería del Sol costs some 20 dollars for a double room, and has a swimming pool. It is air-conditioned. Here you will find more hotels for Resistencia and other partes in Chaco: www.chaco.gov.ar/turismo/hoteles/interior.htm Enjoy your visit to the Ibera Marshes and to the Provinces of Corrientes and Chaco.

Yacyreta is the only bi-national hydroelectic project that Argentina and Paraguay have in common. It forms the largest reservoir in Argentina and supplies twenty four percent of all the energy consumed by Argentina. It has more than forty miles (65 kilometers of embankments,…Read More

Yacyreta is the only bi-national hydroelectic project that Argentina and Paraguay have in common. It forms the largest reservoir in Argentina and supplies twenty four percent of all the energy consumed by Argentina. It has more than forty miles (65 kilometers of embankments, including the lateral defences. Fourteen thousand animals had to be transported from he Yacyreta island and transported to the new Esteros del Ibera Natural Reserve located some one hundred miles north. One of the power transmission lines crossed this natural reserve, and this demmanded an environmental impact study that I translated into English for a firm of consulting engineers.

I visited this huge hydroelectric project a month ago; I had never been there before. It has many things in common with Itaipu, the largest hydroelectric project in the world: twenty turbines each one weighing two thousand five hundred tonns each, earthworks or embankments including the lateral defenses of nearly 40 miles long. and it is located on the Parana river, the same river that Itaipu is located on. However, it has an upstream-downstream level difference of only sixty feet, because increasing the level of the lake higher would flood parts of the city of Posadas (capital of the Province of Misiones) that is 55 miles away and also some settlements on the Paraguayan side. As a matter of fact, thousands of inhabitants on both sides of the river had to be relocated and provided with new houses.

The best bus service from Corrientes and from Posadas to Ituzingo/Yacyreta is the Rio Uruguay line. It features hot meals on board and the cost of the trip from Corrientes (two hours and a half travel) is some 15 US Dollars.

I was fascinated by the Visitors Center of the Yacyreta Hydroelectric project; : 5 rooms with outstanding high definition photos, some of which I photographed, although I also took my own photos during the trip. I only spent half an hour there because the tour was departing, but it will deserves at least a couple of hours, especially if you understand Spanish and can read the explanations.

The tour to the hydroelectric project is completely free. You only need to pay a taxi ride of 5 pesos (a US Dollar and a half); if they want to charge you more than that check it out at the front desk of the Visitors Center before paying the taxi driver..

At the bus station I discovered that there is a new bus service to the Ibera Marshes that runs only on Saturdays, leaving at 5 a.m. and returning the same day at a cost of some 15 US Dollars (50pesos) thus avoiding expensive hotels at Ibera. They were about to expand their service to 3 times in the week. If you want to stay overnight at the Ibera Marshes, you should check with the hotel what transportation alternatives you have to Mercedes, Corrientes. The advantage of returning to Yácyreta is that you can continue travel to Posadas, to the San Ignacio Jesuit Ruins and to the Iguazu Falls. There are also some very nice beaches on the Parana river at Ituzaingo.

People may say that fishing is poor, but I saw many dorados at the fish ladder, I actually photographed one in the air. You may need to take some ten photos and a good zoom to take nice photos of the fish in the river..

The difference of level is 60 feet between the lake upstream and the Parana river downstream. The navigation lock allows ships up to 240 meters o 850 feet long ships upstream from the dam. The travelling crane that is used to service the twenty 2,500 ton turbines is nearly 80 feet wide. You will notice this easily in the photos I am posting.

I did not stay overnite at Ituzingo, since it is a 4 hour bus ride from the city of Corrientes, and one hour and a half away from the city of Posadas.

I heard later that there are very nice beaches on the river at Ituzingo, so staying a couple of days may be worthwhile. Here you are only 55 miles away from Posadas, and from there to the Iguazu Falls it is a 4 to 5 hour bus ride.

There are direct bus services from Ituzingo to Buenos Aires and also to the Iguazu Falls and to the San Ignacio Jesuit Ruins.

I really enjoyed this trip, and I trust that you will also.

The nearby cities of Corrientes and Empedrado really deserve a visit. You ae only ninety miles away from the San Ignatio Jesuitic Missions, and Paraguay is just accross the river.

Enjoy your stay in Argentina.

Roberto Ingledew
Close

I was thirty years old when I visited this city for the first time. On a one and a half hour fishing outing, my fishing line was cut three times. On next trips I fished very nice dorados. This time I went…Read More

I was thirty years old when I visited this city for the first time. On a one and a half hour fishing outing, my fishing line was cut three times. On next trips I fished very nice dorados. This time I went on a photo safari.

Empedrado is located in the Province of Corrientes some forty miles south of the Capital. The river banks are beautiful, and the work of wind and water erosion is evident.

Hotels are not expensive, although do not expect to find 3 or 4 star hotels here. But a budget hotel with color TV is costing some 12 to 15 dollars per person, including continental breakfast.

Motorboat rental is expensive in the whole area, but you can always fish from the coast or bargain a fishing outing in a regular rowing boat. I had a fishing guide there, his name was Visitación Ayala. He lived near the ex hotel Provincial, he must be very old by now, but hopefuly his sons continue his business.

Empedrado is a nice small town. Eating should not be expensive, the use of internet at the cybers is very cheap, less than one dollar the hour. And there is a nice camping on the river banks, with low rates.

If you travel to Corrientes and/or Resistencia, Empedrado and Yacyreta are two places you should visit.

From Corrientes to Iguazu the trip should take some ten hours, Bus services are up to the best international standards: suite class, bed class and semi bed. Standard coach class only runs between cities, they have been superseeded a long time ago... Most long distance bus companies feature hot meals on board. In suite class, the free meal includes wine, and in many cases whisky and champagne. I am not kidding, bus services in Argentina have been for the last ten years similar to the Brazilian bus services.

Enjoy your stay in Argentina.

Robert Raymond IngledewClose