Río Pilcomayo National Park Voyage Tips and guide

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Río Pilcomayo National Park is a protected natural area in the Chaco region of northern Argentina. The park includes areas of flat grasslands that flood seasonally as well as permanent wetlands along the shores of the Pilcomayo River (which constitutes the international border with Paraguay). The wetlands provide habitat to a number of aquatic bird species as well as alligators and a number of mammals and shorebirds. The park is a designated Ramsar site.

The park was established in 1951 as part of the Argentina national parks system.

The park appears mostly flat with grasslands and marshes being the dominant landscape features. The difference between dry and wetland changes dramatically each season as the grasslands flood and temporary lagoons fill and channels open up, carrying water eastward and north into the river that forms the park's northern boundary. The park's southern area is dominated by a large permanent lake called Laguna Blanca. The lake is home to several aquatic bird species.

Plant life varies depending on the type of landscape. The grassy plains are interrupted by stands of wax palm. While the areas near the river and permanent lakes have a riparian environment dominated by vine-covered tall trees, such as fig and sweetwood. The lakes have clusters of hyacinth and similar floating aquatic plants.

The driest areas are populated by a number of mammals, including pumas, peccaries, deer, capybara, and howler monkeys. Maned wolves roam the lowland areas. The largest member of the fox family is the aguará guazú, which is an endangered species that can sometimes be found in the park.

While visitors often claim to see alligators in the swamps and marshes, they are usually one of two species of caimanː the broad-snouted caiman and the yacare caiman. The yacare is a bit smaller and brown in color while the broad-snouted caiman is larger (up to 80 kg) and more of an olive-green color. Several types of snakes also live in the wetlands, including the yellow anaconda which can grow to about 4-1/2 meters in length, and the false water cobra, which grows to about 3 meters and is mildly venomous.

More than 100 species of bird can be spotted in the park with interesting birds including the large, flightless rheas and the seriemas, a species found only in Argentina and nearby countries. The marshes and lagoons have a variety of storks, ducks, herons and other aquatic species.

The park has a subtropical climate that is usually warm and wet, with a mean temperature of 23 °C and annual rainfall of 1,200 millimeters. Winter is the dry season, so June through August are the best times to visit.

The nearest commercial airport to Rio Pilcomayo National Park is the Formosa International Airport (also known as El Pucu Airport) (FMA  ^IATA).

From Formosa, drive north on RP-2 for about 140 km to the town of Laguna Blanca. The trip will take about 2 hours. In Laguna Blanca, you can enter the park at the Estero Poi entry.

Rooms are available in the nearby town of Laguna Blanca.

-25.127951-58.2507421 Hotel Guaraní, Av. San Martín esq. Hernández, Laguna Blanca, ☏ +54 370 421 7656. Check-in: 15ː00, check-out: 12ː00. Older moderate hotel with comfortable rooms with TV and WiFi. On-site restaurant serves breakfast. (updated Feb 2025)

A camping area is near the Estero Poi park entrance. Sites have electricity available and there are restrooms with showers with hot water.

• Paraguay
• Clorinda
• Formosa