Routes of Iberá

On the Route of the Camino Real

In old times, when there were no cars in these lands, the route to the city of Posadas from Mercedes became known as the "Camino Real”. It included several staging posts to stock up on supplies and paths through water. A stretch of this road remains visible in the Uguay area, very close to the Fernandez lagoon, where the people still use the horse and conserve some of the traditions like in the old times. Every so often it is possible to access this lagoon with large floating islands and submerged fields and go up the stream that feeds it into the heart of the wetlands.

Estancia Rincón del Socorro

Neighboring the Uguay area, is the Rincón del Socorro ranch. Its savannas and forests have recovered their former glory and exhibit brocket deer and groups of fearless capybaras and rheas grazing on the banks of the same road which was once used for big scale cattle herding. Due to efforts in the restoration of species, the anteater is one of the emblematic animals that has returned to populate the area together with the pampas deer, and the collared peccary. The tapir and hopefully other extinct species will be brought back to these lands successfully.

Further ahead, by the Laguna Iberá, amongst sightings of marsh deer and large flocks of storks and herons is Paso Lucero. Nowadays there is a small bridge, but in the old days cattle had to be crossed on a raft to continue traveling north and before that they had to be herded from a punting pole canoe to swim across the pathway.

Colonia Pellegrini is a town which has grown mainly due to tourism activities on the other side of the lagoon. It offers all kinds of services and activities to entertain both in the water and on the fields as well as loads of wildlife sightings. The Miriñay stream, the Camba Trapo area and neighboring ranches broaden even more what the town has to offer to visitors adding a variety of outdoor activities or excursions to experience the country life as true locals.

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