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The Gran Chaco is a vast alluvial lowland, stretching north from Santa Fe and Córdoba provinces, across the entirety of Chaco and Formosa, and into Paraguay, Bolivia and Brazil. The western side, known as the Chaco Seco (Dry Chaco), has been dubbed the Impenetrable, due to its severe lack of water across an endless plain of thorn scrub. The eastern side is attractively fertile, and an important wildlife habitat.
Crossing the Gran Chaco from Formosa to Salta along the northern RN 81 is an interesting option on mostly decent paved road.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout The Gran Chaco.
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Formosa province's standout attraction is Bañado la Estrella. This stunning wetland area is a floodplain of the Río Pilcomayo and harbors an astonishing range of birdlife, as well as alligators, capybaras, sizeable serpents and beautiful water plants. From the roads that cross this 200km-long finger-shaped area, it's easy to spot a huge variety of wildlife: pack binoculars.
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The headquarters of the sculpture Bienal and the venue for it, the exhibition room and grounds house many of the most impressive pieces from past festivals. It's well worth a visit. It also distributes brochures in English and Spanish on sculptural walking tours in town. The avenue is a northward continuation of Wilde. If going by taxi, mention the adjacent Domo del Centenario.
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Preserving several diverse ecosystems that reflect subtle differences in relief, soils and rainfall, this very accessible park protects 150 sq km of the humid eastern Chaco. It is 115km northwest of Resistencia via RN16 and RP9, accessed through the town of Capitán Solari, 5.5km away.
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Argentina's newest national park is also the reserve with the coolest name. Located between the towns of Miraflores and Nueva Pompeya, the recently inaugurated park covers 130,000 hectares between the highway and the Río Bermejo including many tracts of untouched native forest and is a great place to spot larger fauna such as tapirs and anteaters. It's also home to jaguars and a vast array of birdlife.
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This small but excellent museum is run by enthusiastic staff (some English spoken) who talk you through displays covering the three main pillars of Chaco's population: indigenous inhabitants (there are some excellent ceramics and Toba musical instruments here); Criollos who resulted from interbreeding between the European arrivals and the local populations; and ‘gringos,’ the wave of mostly European immigration from the late 19th century onward. Best is the mythology room upstairs, where you’ll get to meet various quirky characters from Chaco's popular religion.
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For good birdwatching, this park, 126km northwest of Formosa and 55km west of Clorinda, is close to the Paraguay border. Daily buses connect Formosa and Clorinda with Laguna Blanca, an easy-paced citrus town where you’ll find inexpensive lodgings – Residencial Guaraní is the standout – and remises (taxis) to the national park. The park's main feature is also called Laguna Blanca, where rangers can take you out in boats to spot caiman.
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Founded in 1943, this is a cultural center and gallery that for decades has been the driving force behind Resistencia’s artistic commitment. It's famous for its eclectic collection of objets d'art from around Chaco and Argentina. The museum also features the wood carvings of local artist and cultural activist Juan de Dios Mena. Check out the irreverent epitaphs to dead patrons in the memorial garden; it’s called ‘Colonia Sálsipuedes’ (leave if you can).
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At the junction of RN16 and RN95, 4km east of downtown, the town’s spacious zoo and botanical garden has a focus on birds and mammals found in the Chaco region, alongside a few lions, tigers, bears and a bafflingly large chicken pen. The caged animals seem pretty depressed but the garden at the rear is a pleasant space with a trail winding through native trees and shrubs from the region.