Misiones, in northern Argentina, is, without a doubt, a magical place. It is said that up to 90% of Argentina’s biodiversity is found here; and to observe this magic you dont need to go far out of your way. Any greenery you come across is a chance to find a huge variety of birds that come in many diverse colors and shapes, from toucans and large birds of prey to tiny hummingbirds. Speaking of, in the center of Iguazú you’ll find a small haven called the “Jardín de los Picaflores” (Hummingbird’s Garden) in which you can see at any time of the year, in a very small space, an immensity of species of picaflores that visit the garden searching for food.
The main spectacle that attracts the most tourists is the Iguazú National Park which covers an area of 677km² dedicated solely to conservation, where you’ll be able to find the famous Cataratas del Iguazú (Iguazú Falls), one of the natural wonders of the world. It’s an incredible place that feels like you’re being swallowed by the rainforest; however, it is also a very crowded attraction all year round, which drives animals away… Except coatíes, who might be as curious as I am and won’t hesitate to steal food from unsuspecting tourists.
In my last visit to Misiones I skipped Iguazú and visited another natural reserve nearby, Urugua-í, a protected area that covers 840km² and incredibly important for the conservation of species such as the lowland tapir, the biggest mammal in South America, and the yaguareté (jaguar), the apex predator in the local food chain. These jaguars were nearing extinction in Argentina with only 100 individuals found during the year 2000, but thanks to the collaboration of NGOs such as Red Yaguareté, Proyecto Yaguareté, Banco de Bosques and Fundación Vida Silvestre that work daily to ensure the survival of this incredible feline, they managed to raise their numbers to over 250.
There are other noteworthy natural reserves such as Surucuá and the “Reserva Puente Verde” (Green Bridge natural reserve), the latter covering an area of 1.83km² in which the NGO Aves Argentinas studies the bird fauna that boasts over 500 species.
These natural reserves are where I fell in love with everything I saw. Here is where I felt like I became part of the jungle itself. I always recommend to everyone that visits Iguazú to explore a little beyond the beautiful falls to truly take in the Misiones rainforest in its maximum splendor, it is only a matter of breaking away from conventional tourism. Luckily that has always worked for me.
