In the remote lowland forests of northern Argentina, giant anteaters sniff around termite mounds, and jaguars chase prey on the muddy banks of the Bermejo River. Opened in 2017, El Impenetraub National Park is one of the South American country's newest and most diverse wildlife reserves, and is also a growing hub for ecotourism. But this 320,000 acres of pristine nature has been largely lost to development after a brutal murder that shocked the nation.
El Impenetrable was carved out of the former territory of Manuel Rosseo, a reclusive Italian immigrant rancher and one of Argentina's largest landowners. In January 2011, three men armed with machetes broke into Roceo as he slept in his modest home in northern Chaco state, killed him and staged the murder as a robbery gone awry. The murderers were the same men who had spent the past six months trying to swindle Roceo out of his fortune.
The roseo lived in the middle of the Gran Chaco, a hot, semi-arid lowland forest that stretches from northern Argentina to Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil. The Gran Chaco, the second largest forest in South America after the Amazon, is also one of the most threatened biomes on Earth, according to the World Wildlife Fund.
Still, the Roseo mansion, located about five hours northwest of the state capital Resistencia, was uniquely preserved. The trees were not cut down to make way for soybean farms or cattle ranches, as happens in many areas of the Gran Chaco. The land is also located between his two important rivers, the Bermejo and Bermejito, making it a hotspot for biodiversity, including giant armadillos, caimans and jaguars.
“The first trip to El Impenetrable felt like traveling back in time, as there were still flora and fauna that we are losing elsewhere,” Rewilding Argentina Parks and Tourism Marisi López, Regional Coordinator of The NGO is one of about 20 non-profits that rushed in after Mr. Rosseo's death to help persuade the Argentine government to expropriate a swath of the bachelor's land, an area the size of Hong Kong, for public use. It was two.
El Tetra National Park was officially established in 2017, but visitors will not be able to sleep there or hike there until 2022, when lodging, trails, and wildlife viewing blinds begin to appear. was. Now, more than a decade after Roseo's death, this infamous “impenetrable” forest is opening up.
return of the jaguar
The main reason visitors come to El Impenetrable is to see rare South American wildlife. The main viewing takes place along the Bermejo River. Tapirs, peccaries and capybaras are all commonly sighted, as are some bright bird species such as the barbie-pink roseate spoonbill.
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Rewilding Argentina plans to bring back other species that the landscape has lost, explains Alejandro Serrano, a research and monitoring biologist at the park's El Teuco Biological Station. “They have a big impact when they're here, and they have a big impact when they're not there,” he says.
The first reintroduced animals were 38 red-footed tortoises (a major seed disperser) in 2022. In 2023, 30 guanacos, a relative of llamas, were released just outside the park's boundaries. All of this new wildlife is being monitored through camera traps and collars. There are also plans to reintroduce apex predators such as giant otters and jaguars.
The first wild jaguar was detected by camera trap in El Impenetrable in 2019 (the second one will arrive in 2022). Rewilding experts then built a series of enclosures at El Teuco for the captive females in the hopes that wild males would stop by to mate. It worked, and she gave birth to two babies in 2021. The adult jaguars will be released into the wild later this year.
Their survival in the impenetrable forest is considered an important barometer of their newfound health. Meanwhile, the presence of cats is expected to draw more visitors to the park and strengthen the economy.
Camp surrounded by anteaters and palm trees
Much of the park's new infrastructure is thanks to Rewilding Argentina, a descendant of the Tompkins Conservancy, co-founded by American philanthropist Chris Tompkins. This includes luxury glamping options at two of his four entrances to the park. Los Palmares (located in the Carandé palm forest) and El Bermejito (located in the Carandé palm forest). cardoon cactus). Each outpost has his three safari tents facing the river and connected to common areas by a boardwalk.Guests wake up to natural chirping sounds Charata Howler monkeys moaning with birds.
Near the outer perimeter of Roseo's old home, Rewilding Argentina also built a campsite along the Bermejo River in La Fidelidad. There are 18 elevated tent sites with bathrooms, as well as an on-site restaurant and activity center. New hiking trails in this area include the 2-mile Sendero de la Selva, which winds through dense forest. Timbo Blanco The 1-mile Pozo del Yacare Trail ends at two viewing blinds above trees and a lagoon frequented by tapirs and giant anteaters.
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Intrepid backpackers can also tackle the 57-mile Sendero La Huela, which follows an old path along the Bermejito River beyond the bulbs. palo borracho wood. The facility will be opened in stages by 2024, with an enclosed shelter with sleeping and drinking water every 20.5 miles.
involve local residents
Approximately 95 percent of El Impenetrable's current visitors are domestic tourists. But Rafa Mayer, whose Buenos Aires-based Sai Hueque company offers tours here, sees great potential in the international market. “Chaco has never been in the minds of international travelers because it has never been in the minds of Argentines,” he says. “This park is finally bringing attention to the area.”
Meyer points to the current trend in regenerative travel, where visitors choose experiences that strengthen local communities and strengthen environmental protection. Rewilding Argentina worked with the Chaco province, which has the highest poverty levels in Argentina, to create a new economy based on the restoration of the Gran Chaco forest. This includes training community members on how to work with visitors as wildlife guides, camp chefs, and drivers.
Olga and Nilda Paravecino are part of a group of about 30 women who currently make a living by weaving fabrics made from the wool of local sheep and dyed with natural dyes. Their table runners and wall hangings, often depicting local birds such as the Jabiru stork or orange-backed tropical bird, are sold at local lodging establishments, upscale Buenos Aires stores, and online.
“The women in the community were activated and helped us earn our own income,” Olga said. She began welcoming visitors to her home in August for weaving demonstrations with her daughter Nilda. Other local women are now commercializing gluten-free flour made from the seeds of the indigenous carob-like algarrobo tree. It tastes of caramel and graham cracker and is the base for cookies, brownies, and ice cream sold at Rewilding Argentina facilities.
“The fact that we are eating algarroba means that the tree is still in the ground,” explains Chaco-born chef Alina Ruiz of the initiative. In 2017, Lewis started a program to train families living in Portal Village how to welcome diners to their homes or local plazas for meals (there are traditional There is no restaurant). “I'm giving them the tools to improve their dining table, make nicer plates, and interact with tourists without losing their identity,” she says.
what to know
If you are driving from Resistencia or Corrientes, you will need a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle to navigate the rough roads that begin at Miraflores (59 miles before the park entrance).
How to visit: Rewilding Argentina operates a simple motorboat that plies the 80 miles up and down the Bermejo River from Glamping Los Palmares to Camping La Fideridad (with transportation to Glamping El Bermejito in La Armonia). This will allow him to connect various accommodations and create a three- or four-night itinerary around the park that includes hiking, kayaking, wildlife viewing, and more.
Guide and tour: Guides add cultural context and help you spot hidden wildlife. All Rewilding Argentina properties offer guided activities. You can also book a comprehensive tour of the park with Say Hueque. You can combine it with further wildlife viewing in nearby Iguazu Falls or Patagonia.
when to visit: The park is open all year round, but the glamping sites are closed during the rainy season (November to April). The muddy roads can become impassable during the rainy season.