Argentina Travel Planet

Corrientes

The beautiful Province of Corrientes, located in the northeast of Argentina, is place characterized by marshy wetlands, agriculture, wild plants and animal species, one of the oldest cities in Argentina, and some of the best carnival celebrations in the country. Venturing into Corrientes is not only for the nature enthusiasts but for those travellers who like a little bit of tranquility mixed with old culture and beautiful country and city settings.

Corrientes is located in the Mesopotamia region of Argentina where land is flat, wet, and seemingly endless. Corrientes is surrounded by both the Parana River and the Uruguay
River and borders both the countries of Brazil and Paraguay.  Due to its wet and fertile land, Corrientes’s main activity is agriculture; here the famers of Argentina grow citrus fruit plantations, tobacco, rice, cotton, tea, and the very popular, yerba mate. This area receives heavy rainfall throughout the entire year, has an average temperature of 24degreesC, with summers sometimes in the mid-30’s and winters sometimes falling below -0.

Ecotourism has always been very apparent in this region due to its biodiversity, sub-tropical forest walks, bird-watching, national parks and protected areas, as well as sport fishing, particularly fishing the fish named the ‘Golden Dorado’. The province is home to more than a few national parks and protected areas, with the two most visited being the Mburucuya National Park and Esteros del Ibera. When it is time to leave the outdoors in the province of Corrientes, it is best to head to the beautiful capital city of Corrientes that offers stunning architecture, tree-lined avenues, a river-side setting, and activities to enjoy all year long.

Mburucuya National Park
This beautiful national park, located inside the Esteros de Ibera National Park, is one of the world’s most significant wetlands and was established in 2000 to act as important protected area in order to preserve the native flora and fauna.

Here visitors can spot gorgeous and thriving plant life as well as spot many rare animals including monkeys, jaguars, foxes, and rodents, as well as hundreds of different bird species. This area has many different functions including regulating floods and droughts in the area, removing toxins and retaining carbon, and people of the region believe the largest reserve of natural water lies beneath it.

Esteros del Ibera (‘bright waters’)
This is one of the largest natural reserves in the country, covering a total of 2,000,000 square kilometres, made up off various lagoons, marshlands, swamps, rivers, and lakes.

The area has a unique and diverse mix of wild plants, animals, and insect species and can be seen by boat or walking through designated walking trails. Tours here are popular and a great way to see the area as guides can tell you about the history of the area, about the plants and their meaning in the area, as well as about the many animals including monkeys, deer, alligators, rodents, and hundreds of different Argentine birds.

Corrientes

The capital of the province is the beautiful city of Corrientes itself, home to approximately 400,000 people and known for its history, culture, and annual carnival.

Corrientes is one of Argentina’s oldest cities with a rich European background and shows both of these through its colonial and baroque styled architecture, European structured streets and avenues, colourful buildings, and tranquil corner side restaurants and cafes. The city offers a lot of cultural sites including markets dedicated to selling indigenous arts from the region, a maze of murals throughout the city, and plenty of arts and theatre throughout the year.  Corrientes is also known for its extravagant carnival held every year when the locals brighten up the city with colourful decorations and moving floats, as well as play Brazilian styled music and dance local rhythms during the days and throughout the nights!
Whether you come to Corrientes to enjoy the sub-tropical forests, the wetlands, the diverse flora and fauna, the city of Corrientes, or the popular sport fishing for the divine ‘Golden Dorado’, there is something for everyone. And of course, if you can come in the right month, do not miss the fantastic and exciting carnival in the city of Corrientes where you can parade down its colourful streets, dance and sing with locals, and feel the sensual Brazilian styled music flowing through the streets!

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