Humedales Chaco, Nature reserve and wetland in Chaco Province, Argentina
Humedales Chaco covers 508,000 hectares of the Paraguay and Paraná floodplains in eastern Chaco Province, within the departments of San Fernando, Primero de Mayo and Bermejo. Its southern edge follows the 28° S parallel, the border with Santa Fe, and its western edge the Ruta Nacional 11. The site holds open water, grasslands and gallery forest along the river channels.
The area around Humedales Chaco was home to indigenous groups, including the Toba, long before it received any formal protection. In 2004, the site was officially recognized as a Ramsar wetland, placing it under international conservation guidelines.
Local communities have lived alongside these wetlands for generations, relying on fishing and cattle grazing as part of daily life. Walking through the area, visitors can still observe these practices taking place near the water's edge.
The area is easiest to visit during the dry season, when water levels drop and paths along the rivers become more accessible. Many access roads are unpaved, so a vehicle with good clearance makes the trip much smoother.
The waters of Humedales Chaco are home to the South American lungfish, locally called Lola, a creature that can breathe air and survive buried in mud during dry spells. It is found in only a few river systems on the continent, making a sighting here genuinely rare.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,474 contributors worldwide.
