El Impenetrable National Park

National Park Created 2014 On A Former Estancia, Protecting Dry Chaco Forest On The Bermejo River And The Focus Of A Jaguar Rewilding Effort · Juan Jose Castelli, Chaco

El Impenetrable is one of the largest remaining blocks of dry Chaco forest, a thorny, hot and very little visited ecosystem that once covered much of northern Argentina and has been cut back hard by farming. The national park was created in 2014 from a huge former cattle estancia on the Bermejo river, and it is the focus of an ambitious conservation and rewilding effort: the jaguar, almost gone from the region, has been the subject of a well-publicised programme, and giant armadillos, tapirs, peccaries, giant anteaters and hundreds of bird species live in the forest. Visiting is an expedition rather than a tour. The park is hours from the nearest town on dirt roads that turn to mud after rain, services are basic, and summer temperatures are extreme. Rangers and local guides lead walks and boat trips on the river; wildlife is shy and the forest dense, so sightings take patience. It is not for casual travellers, but for those interested in conservation and wild places it is one of the most remarkable parks in the country.

Ruta Provincial 9, Parque Nacional El Impenetrable, Chaco, Juan Jose Castelli, Chaco, H3705, Argentina

Open all year; access depends on dirt roads that become impassable after rain. Visitor services are basic and developing. Register with rangers on arrival.

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