Saltos del Moconá travel guide

While the main tourist route through Misiones runs along Route 12, if you have time, a 4WD and a spirit of adventure, you might well want to get off the beaten track and explore Misiones’ hilly interior. Beautiful waterfalls are hidden away in the dense subtropical forests, and, at the furthest end of the track, you’ll find the remote Saltos de Moconá. Tourist services are less well developed here, but you can stay next to the falls or in San Pedro or El Soberbio.

For a staggering 3 km, on the Argentine side of the Río Uruguay, water falls over a vast shelf of rock from 18 m up to 120 m, creating one of the most magnificent sights in the region. The rocky edge is quite easily reached on foot from the bank of the river, in an area surrounded by dense woodland, and protected by the Parque Estadual do Turvo (Brazil) and the Parque Provincial Moconá, the Reserva Provincial Esmeralda and the Reserva de la Biósfera Yabotí (Argentina). The Parque Provincial Moconá covers 1000 ha with vehicle roads and footpaths, and accommodation nearby where all activities are arranged, including excursions to the falls. In all three natural reserves the hilly forested landscape offers tremendous trekking, kayaking, birdwatching and exploring in 4WD vehicles. Alternative bases for exploring the remains are the small towns of El Soberbio (70 km southwest) or San Pedro (92 km northwest). Roads from both towns to Moconá are impassable for ordinary vehicles after heavy rains. There are regular bus services from Posadas to El Soberbio and San Pedro and from Puerto Iguazú to San Pedro, but no public transport reaches the falls.