Colonia Carlos Pellegrini

With a remote setting on the beautiful Laguna Iberá, northeast of Mercedes, the sprawling village of Pellegini is the only base for visiting Los Esteros del Iberá. A quiet, very laid-back place with only 900 inhabitants, there are just a few blocks of earth roads, and all the hotels are just a few hundred metres away from each other. There is no bank, no ATM, no restaurants, and no shops to speak of so make sure you bring everything you need. There are, however, eleven hotels and

, most very comfortable, and these all

offer full board, or a picnic if you're out during the day. They also offer boat trips on the lake as part of your accommodation, and some

offer walking and horse riding too.

A two-night stay allows you to do at least one two-hour boat trip, and you might be offered a walk to see the howler monkeys in a patch of lovely jungle near the visitors' centre, but you may want to plan to stay for three or four nights to really unwind and lap up the tranquil atmosphere. There are few streetlights in the village so carry a torch at night. Bring a hat, mosquito repellent, plenty of sun block, and binoculars too if you're keen to spot the more distant birds as well as those right by your boat.