The Esteros del Iberá, now the Reserva Natural del Iberá, happen to be one of the largest wetlands in the world and the second largest in South America after Brazil’s Pantanal. The wetlands, a mishmash of swamps, bogs, marshes, lagoons and water courses, lie in the province of Corrientes in the far northeast corner of Argentina and are home to a staggering number of birds, over 350 species in all, not to mention a whole bunch of reptiles and mammals, including the capybara, the world’s largest rodent and two species of alligator.

Unlike the Pantanal in Brazil, Argentina’s Esteros del Iberá - Iberá is Guarani for shining water - still remain relatively undiscovered yet it’s a fantastic place for nature lovers and a paradise for birdwatchers. Species include grassland birds such as the Greater Rhea, the Streamer-tailed Tyrant, the Strange-tailed Tyrant and the endangered Saffron-cowled Blackbird. There are also several varieties of woodpecker such as the Cream-backed and Scimitar-billed, the Sooty-fronted Spinetail, the rare Yellow-billed Cardinal, the Savannah Hawk and the magnificent Kingfisher, not to mention eight types of Heron and countless more species. For a complete list go to iberaesteros.com.ar.

The wetlands are best accessed from the small town of Colonia Carlos Pellegrini, which is at the heart of the Reserva, where you can either stay in a luxury lodge, a posada or a simple hospedaje. Buses leave daily from Mercedes to the south for the three-to-four hour journey to the Esteros.