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- Laguna Esmeralda wetlands — Broad shallow lagoon that turns emerald green in the dry season; huge for birdwatching (herons, kingfishers, hyacinth macaws at the edges), easy boardwalks and low-effort boat trips where you’ll almost always see capybaras and waterbirds up close.
- Cerro de Tinfunque (the ridge) — Short but steep hike to a rocky viewpoint that gives sweeping views over the park’s mix of cerrado and flooded plains; best at sunrise when the mist lifts and you can spot distant caiman glinting in the morning light.
- Sendero del Yacaré (Caiman Trail) — A flat, guided trail that winds along seasonal channels and mangroves; great for dusk/night walks to safely watch yacarés (caimans), nocturnal birds and river otters. Low-light conditions make a guide worth it.
- Bosque de Helechos (Ferns
- Laguna Esmeralda wetlands — Broad shallow lagoon that turns emerald green in the dry season; huge for birdwatching (herons, kingfishers, hyacinth macaws at the edges), easy boardwalks and low-effort boat trips where you’ll almost always see capybaras and waterbirds up close.
- Cerro de Tinfunque (the ridge) — Short but steep hike to a rocky viewpoint that gives sweeping views over the park’s mix of cerrado and flooded plains; best at sunrise when the mist lifts and you can spot distant caiman glinting in the morning light.
- Sendero del Yacaré (Caiman Trail) — A flat, guided trail that winds along seasonal channels and mangroves; great for dusk/night walks to safely watch yacarés (caimans), nocturnal birds and river otters. Low-light conditions make a guide worth it.
- Bosque de Helechos (Ferns Grove) — A cool, shaded pocket of gallery forest where ancient tree ferns, orchids and bromeliads cling to trunks; perfect for a short stroll, frog spotting and escaping the midday heat. Cameras love the filtered light here.
- Salto del Guazú (waterfall and plunge pools) — A seasonal waterfall that fills natural basalt pools ideal for a swim after a 4 km hike; not huge but scenic, with cliffside vegetation and good spots for a picnic and a dip in clear water.
- Canopy walk and research station — Suspended bridges and observation platforms through the mid-canopy—one of the best places to see toucans, parrots and raptors at eye level. Often run by local biologists, so you might tag along for an informal bird-banding demo or talk.
- Limestone caves of Tinfunque — Compact cave system with cool stalactite chambers, bat colonies and traces of pre-Columbian ceramics in sheltered rock overhangs; the guided tour is short but atmospheric, and the cave mouth is a neat place for a late-afternoon wildlife lull.
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Hi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past decade, I’ve backpacked through 80+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.