Aguapé Lodge

Mariana, who served us in the evenings, was lovely and friendly. The hotel’s setting is beautiful and peaceful, near the parks, and they arranged good excursions and a boat ride. But the internet was awful: there was no wifi in our room, and even at the restaurant it kept dropping or ran painfully slowly. It completely disrupted my work and holiday plans. Breakfast was identical all six days, so it got boring quickly. Dinner was set, with the menu handwritten on a chalkboard in Spanish that Google struggled to translate, leaving us to guess whether we’d like the food. Don marco is worth trying for dinner. The food is delicious, especially the potato omelet, and a meal for two costs about the same as at the hotel.

The wildlife on the boat trips was incredible, and our guide Rafael had a sharp eye for spotting animals and understood what we needed for photos. The boat wasn’t crowded, so taking pictures was easy. We’ve been to the Pantanal in Brazil and the Everglades in Florida, but this was better than both. There are lots of capybara and caimans to see. The daily schedule had one activity in the morning and another in the afternoon, usually a boat ride or a walk along the lake. The walking routes are flat and manageable for older people, though some boardwalks need work. It’s a small place, probably around 30 people at most, right by the lake with a path down to the water. Don’t swim there, it’s full of alligators! There’s a pool instead. Everything is simple: the rooms are large and comfortable with basic furniture, and there aren’t many outlets, though at least one is a Euro plug, so we didn’t need an Argentinian adapter. The food is simple too, and everyone gets the same tasty meal at the same time and in the same amount, apart from diabetic or vegetarian menus. The reception and staff were friendly, with very limited English, but we had no problems communicating. Internet access is limited, though after a four-hour drive on a dirt road, it’s impressive they have any. It’s expensive, but the stay was very satisfying. This place really deserves six stars. Highly recommended!

Sofia, thank you. The staff were excellent, the food was great, and the location was fantastic. It was quiet and very comfortable.

The lodge and staff were great, and the birdlife was amazing, 3,500 species. We saw howler monkeys, capybara and armadillos, both on foot and from the boat.