CORRIENTES

Estancia Rincón del Socorro
Esteros del Iberá, Corrientes
Argentina

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GENERAL INFORMATION:
Estancia Rincón del Socorro is a 12,000-hectare (29,700 acres) former cattle ranch on the edge of the Iberá wetlands in Northeastern Argentina that has been made into a nature reserve.

Estancia Rincón del Socorro orientation is to give guests and visitors a good understanding of the local ecosystem and an appreciation for the importance of wetlands and savanna landscapes. Hostería Rincón del Socorro is a small, refined eco-tourist hotel in the ranch’s recycled main house.

There are six rooms in the main house and three small bungalows within 50 meters of it, all with private bathrooms and one with a sitting room and a small kitchenette. The main house has a large indoor living room, a screened veranda living room, a large indoor dining room, a terrace dining area, and a children’s game room. On the grounds are a swimming pool, a screened barbecue house, and a barn with tack room.

Services of laundry, email/fax/telephone, booking reservations, boat rides, horseback riding, biking, auto washing and babysitting with notice are also available.

Estancia Rincón del Socorro, a natural choice.

QUICK LOOK AROUND:
Former cattle ranch:
Guests can still find a few remnant signs of the cattle operation here but over time the infrastructure of old is giving way to the restoration of Socorro's grasslands and flora and fauna. Wildlife is coming back into sight now that the ranch dogs are gone. Socorro is a testimony to the hope that landscapes damaged by livestock grazing can be restored to their former health and wealth of biological richness and diversity. Guests can witness this transformation with their own eyes when they see the nearly extinct Marsh Deer now grazing peacefully along the edges of the esteros in Socorro.

The hosteria:
The main house on the estancia, "El Casco", built in 1896 by the original founder of the ranch, has been transformed into what is today the hosteria. Built in the classic Spanish estancia style, the house has been completely renovated, respecting the original architectural lines of the house and guests can still see some of the interesting original designs of this well-known house. The restoration of the building required two years of exacting work, using the same wood of this region for the windows and doors. Every effort has been made to maintain the integrity of the original structure while adding the comforts of first-class service.

Cabins:
There are three small straw-roof bungalows with private bathrooms, one with a screened veranda and a kitchenette. Early in the process of restoring Estancia Socorro, the charm and unique architectural style of some of the small buildings were considered too good to lose so they have been transformed into separate bungalows for our guests. They are all situated in the middle of the garden a short walk from the hosteria.

Barn and tack room:
Of all of the buildings one will find at any estancia in Argentina the horse stable where the working gauchos congregate in the wee hours of the morning and sip mate before heading out to watch over the livestock, the horse stable is the heart and soul of the ranch. At Socorro, great pains have been taken during the restoration of the stable to preserve it's special nature and today our guests ride out of the stable and can sit and drink mate in the afternoons. Our saddles are traditional Argentina style, comfortable and light.

Barbecue house:
No self-respecting Argentine estancia is without it's "quincho" or outdoor barbeque dining room and the quincho at Socorro is at the heart of our special service. Situated in a 100 year old lapacho grove, the barbeque area is fully enclosed to keep insects from bothering and features a large grill and barbeque. Its architectural style is pure Corrientino with straw roof, the tiles from the local quarry. It is one of the unique aspects to Socorro life that everybody remembers. Our barbeque offers a wide selection of traditional, free-range meats, grilled vegetables good Argentine wines, a variety of home-made breads, organic salads, local potatoes and is always topped off with one of Ramoni's surprise deserts - the days' top secret.

Swimming pool:
The old Austrailan water tank has been pulled out and replaced with a large swimming pool that looks out onto the laguna and the grasslands. Shaded by 100 year old lapachos and Tipa trees. Large canvas umbrellas are posted around the deck of local tiles in case more shade is necessary. Carpinchos have shown a liking toward swimming in the pool, but they have been discouraged to share the cool, clear water with our guests!

Gardens
Guests can walk among old noble trees planted in the early 1900's that provide the essential shade for this sub-tropical region and, with the recent renovation, enjoy a large collection of a mixture of local native plants and classic azaleas and roses. The height of the azalea bloom is in August and is becoming a reason to visit Socorro all on it's own! The famous lapacho trees found in Socorro both in the park and in the nearby small forests are flowering at their peak in August/September. Their pink explosion of color brings guests from all around the world and they are never disappointed. The laguna next to the hosteria provides a never-ending wildlife show with carpinchos, friendly alligators and up to thirty bird species in residence. Every day, as the sun goes down, guests are treated to a spectacular show as hundreds of herons return to their nests at the lagoon for the night.

INCLUDE
Full board and VAT 21% (tax) . Wines and hard liquors are NOT included.
Extra Day in the countryside: include lunch and activities.
NOTES
No pets allowed
TERMS & CONDITIONS
- Contacting "Boutique Hotels Argentina" to get information does not imply confirming a reservation. We will contact you to let you know about the availability of the hotel you choose.
- Only the guests that have booked in advance can do the check-in at the hotel.
- Reservations, Payments and Cancellation policies. Read more >>

Estancia Rioncón del Socorro
info@boutiquehotelsargentina.com

FROM ARGENTINA
Phone: (54 11) 5368-9086
Phone / Fax: (011) 4522-7754
Cell. (011) 15 5471-1420

ACTIVITIES:
Birdwatching:
Rincón del Socorro is an excellent place for birding; if you are not already a birdwatcher, it is very easy to become one here! In the four different habitats of this large former ranch, you can see an amazing number of different types of birds in a short time, including endangered species from the surrounding region that have found shelter here. You will learn about their behavior, habitats, migrations, and the problems caused by the degradation of their environment. Much to the surprise of several ornithologists, the nearly extinct yellow cardinal can be seen hopping around in the lettuces in our organic garden! The estimated number of species identified in the Esteros del Ibera ecological system is nearly 400, and though we are still in the process of doing an inventory of the birdlife found in Socorro, we do know that a good percentage of those counted can be found on the estancia.

Horse riding:
Socorro is ideal horseback riding country and guests are encouraged to give it a try even if they're not seasoned riders. From the saddle you can see lots of wildlife; riding is the quickest, easiest and most pleasant way to get to know this ecosystem. The horses are well behaved and friendly and the guides keep a watchful eye out for all of our guests. This is a good opportunity to learn a few words in guarani as our guides are still speaking among themselves in this ancient and harmonic language.

Fly fishing:
Arrangements can be made to make the ten-minute flight from Socorro to the sister Estancia San Alonso, located in the middle of the Esteros del Ibera. There a boat and guide can take fishermen to the likeliest spots for good dorado fishing. The Corrientes River is only an hour and a half away from Socorro and is a great option for fishing and we recommend that you stay at Estancia Batel for the night. A hosteria at a working cattle ranch very near the Corrientes River.

Boat and canoe trips:
The boat trip begins at the far end of the ranch 35 kilometers northeast of the hostería; it takes about 30 minutes to get there by car. Most guests prefer to make these trips in the early morning or early evening, when more birdlife and wildlife are about. We use two classic Iberá canoes and a flat-bottom aluminum boat with a small 20HP/4-stroke outboard engine. We also recommend a trip by canoe, as there is no replacing the sensation of being among wildlife with no industrial sounds to interfere with the myriad of sights and sounds one finds out in Laguna Ibera. Nestled among native trees at the edge of the laguna, the bungalow barbeque area serves as the dock for all of our boat trips and the perfect spot to have a full asado lunch or light picnic before or after a boat trip.

Nature walks:
Guided or self-guided nature walks around the estancia are easy and you don't have to go far to see a lot of wildlife. Day hikes on easy to follow dirt roads and trails will take visitors by many different creatures and, if ones gets lucky, maybe see the illusive Maned Wolf! Go in the early evenings and you'll be surrounded by resident birds coming in to sleep for the night. Go on a night excursion and see hundreds of masked vizcachas come alive once the sun goes down.

CLIMATE & WHAT TO PACK:
Estancia Rincón del Socorro is in a subtropical climate zone. Spring and fall temperatures tend to be moderate. Summer usually is hot, although there are "nice" dry hot days with temperatures ranging from 25º C to 30º C. In winter (June-September), the most popular season, temperatures average 20º C, with highs of 28º C to 30º C, and nighttime lows of -0º C. High season for tourism is July, August, September, October and April. Medium season is January, February, March, May and November. Low season is December and June. What to Pack: Expect rain at any time. Average annual rainfall is 1200 mm in Corrientes. Thunderstorms are common. Sunscreen and mosquito repellant are musts. Bring a rain jacket and light sweater in summer and a heavy sweater in winter, as well as good walking shoes. Rubber boots are necessary for walking near the marshes or during rainy days. For riding, boots or shoes with leggings are ideal. Don't forget a small daypack for outings.