Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
167
less interesting crafts that can be found in many places. S till, it is wor th a quick visit.
Definitely worth a visit, ho wever, is the
Museo Municipal de Bellas Ar tes,
Paseo Vic-
torica 972 (
&
11/4512-4528
), built into what had been the Tigre Casino. The building
is among the most impr essive Argentine B eaux Arts buildings outside of B uenos Aires
and took years to restore. The redesign of the casino as a museum was done b y Gabriel
Miremont, the curator of the M useo Evita and numerous museums throughout Argen-
tina. The museum has free admission and is open Wednesday to Friday 9am to 7pm, and
Saturday and Sunday noon to 7pm.
A 3-hour boat ride each way from the center of Tigre will take you to
Martín García
Island.
It is famous for its upscale political prison, wher e various Argentine presidents,
including Juan Perón, have been incarcerated, but exploring here will take a full day once
you account for the round-trip boat ride.
If you are doing any trekking on the islands, even in hot weather, you will need hiking
boots, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts. Saw grass and other very sharp plants inhabit
the area and will rip into unpr otected skin. You should also bring mosquito r epellent,
though malaria is not a pr oblem in the D elta, only painful itching. I t's also a good idea
to pack binoculars, to view birds and other wildlife.
Excursion Companies Serving Tigre Delta
Various travel companies in B uenos Aires provide day-trip ex cursions to the Río Tigre
delta or will arrange longer stays in the numer ous bed-and-breakfasts, bungalows, and
adventure lodges in the area.
Say Hueque Tourism,
with two locations (Viamonte 749,
Office 601, 1053 B uenos Air es,
&
11/5199-2517;
G uatemala 4845, O ffice 4, 1425
Buenos Aires,
&
11/4775-7862;
www.sayhueque.com), is one that I highly recommend,
especially for longer trips and adventure excursions to see the natural beauty of the ar ea.
Travel Line
(
&
11/4393-9000;
www.travelline.com.ar) offers Tigre D elta day tours,
among many other ex cursions. The full-day Tigre tours ar e Sundays only (ask for an
English-speaking guide), and include lunch, a ride to and from Tigre by train, and a boat
ride among the rivers of the Tigre delta for about $65 (£44) per person.
WHERE TO STAY
Bonanza Deltaventura
If you want to get away from it all, head to this hotel
on one of the islands in the Río Tigre delta. It has miles of walkways thr ough the grass-
lands for bird-watching and horses for riding along the shor eline. Or you can just swim
off the dock out front. Guests can rent four small but comfortable rooms as either singles
or doubles, for a total of eight people in the lodge. The living style is communal, with
shared bathrooms and kitchen. The price is for 2 days and 1 night and includes meals
and excursions, but alcoholic drinks cost extra. The staff also speaks E nglish. You will
need to call ahead of time to stay here, to ensure that space is available and that you take
the right boat company. The hotel is on the Carapachay River islands section of the delta,
about a 1-hour boat ride fr om the center of the town of Tigre.
Carapachay River Islands, 1648 Tigre.
&
11/4728-1674
or 11/15-5603-7176 (c ell). www.deltaventura.
com. 4 units for up to 8 people. From $106 (£72) a person, including all meals (no alc ohol) and trekking.
No credit cards.
Amenities:
Shared kitchen; horses; trekking.
Casona La Ruchi
This charming bed-and-br eakfast o verlooks the water front
across the bank fr om the Estación F luvial. Owners D ora and Jorge Escuariza and their
children run the place, treating guests who stay in the six-room, 1893 mansion like fam-
ily. In the back, guests can gather and barbecue at the pool and grill. Rooms are furnished
with quaint Victorian antiques, and some have windows looking out onto the waterfront.
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