One end of the Cruce de los Esteros, a multi-day kayak crossing through lagoons and channels.
Southern portal of the park. It is one of the ends of the Cruce de los Esteros, a crossing that takes in streams and lagoons (such as Laguna Trim and Medina) and links with Portal Carambola. The route, the direction and the length vary with the operator and the water level.
Useful facts
What to do
- 🚣 Cruce de los Esteros (3 to 5 days)
- 🚣 Day kayaking
- 🛥️ Boat excursion
- ⛺ Island camping
- 🦜 Wildlife watching
- 🌿 Wetland ecosystem
What to see in the area
- 🏝️ Isla Disparo
- 🏝️ Yahaveré
- 🏝️ Tacuaral Guazú
- 🌊 Laguna Trim and Laguna Medina
- 🏡 Meeting wetland families
Wildlife you will see
- Capybara
- Caiman
- Cocoi Heron
- Side-necked turtle
- Wetland birds
- Lagoon birds
Where to sleep and eat
Island camping along the Cruce: Isla Disparo, Yahaveré and Tacuaral Guazú. No permanent infrastructure.
Featured places to stay
Best time to visit
It depends on the water level and on each operator's calendar. Limited spots: check dates and availability in advance.
The portal in photos
Portal Capivari and the Cruce de los Esteros
The Cruce de los Esteros is a multi-day kayak crossing, and Capivari is one of its ends. There is no single route: depending on the operator, the group and the water level, it sets out from one portal or the other, runs in one direction or the reverse, and varies in length. One of the usual versions links Capivari with Portal Carambola, in Concepción del Yaguareté Corá, sailing the Carambolita stream, the Carambola river and the Medina and Trin lagoons over four or five days. Along the way the group sleeps in Fundación Rewilding Argentina shelters spread along the route. Only the wetland, the wildlife and specialised guides who know every corner of it.
The Cruce is not a standalone excursion: it requires prior registration, scheduled dates and always guides specialised in kayaking and wildlife. Places are limited per season to minimise the impact on the ecosystem. Dates depend on the water level and on each operator's calendar. In the rainy season the water level rises, the channels change and navigation becomes more technical.
Portal Capivari itself is rugged: no service infrastructure, no general store, no drinking water. It is an arrival and departure point, not a destination with services of its own. Tourism at the portal is exclusively the Cruce, or one-day kayak and boat excursions arranged with specialised guides. For those not doing the Cruce, the portal offers the chance to sail Laguna Trin and watch the wildlife of the south of the system, which includes the lagoon turtle, the Cocoi Heron and a high concentration of capybaras.
How to get there and prepare for the Cruce
From Mercedes, take RP 40, paved on that stretch, and after a little over 10 km turn onto RP 85: about 60 km of gravel to the portal. If it has rained, check the state of the road before setting out. The first step to do the Cruce is to contact the specialised operators, who can be checked in the excursions section of the portal in Iberá Experience. Physical preparation for the Cruce is moderate: no previous kayak experience is needed, but you do need the fitness to paddle between four and six hours a day. All the equipment is provided by the operators.
Other portals of the Iberá
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