Copo National Park

Copo protects one of the few substantial stands of mature dry Chaco forest left in Argentina, in a corner of Santiago del Estero where the axe arrived late. Red and white quebracho grow tall here alongside mistol and algarrobo, with a thorny understorey and cactus, and the forest structure is what makes it valuable: most Chaco woodland elsewhere has been logged, grazed and thinned. The park shelters tapir, peccary, giant armadillo and, historically, jaguar, though sightings of the larger animals are exceptionally rare. Birdlife includes the Chaco eagle and many parrots. Facilities are minimal, with a ranger post and simple trails, and visits are usually made by people specifically seeking the Chaco rather than passing through.

What you actually see

• The mature quebracho forest - tall, unlogged dry Chaco woodland.
• The trails - short marked routes from the ranger post into the forest.
• The birdlife - Chaco eagle, parrots and dry-forest specialists.
• The animal signs - tracks of peccary, armadillo and larger mammals.

When to go

May to September, the dry, cooler months; summer heat here exceeds forty-five degrees and rain closes the tracks. Water must be carried at all times of year. Visits should be arranged with the park in advance.

Honest expectations

There is very little infrastructure and no accommodation or shop; the nearest services are in Monte Quemado. Access is unpaved and slow. Mammals are almost never seen, and the reward is the forest itself rather than wildlife encounters.

Nearby

Monte Quemado is the nearest town; the Chaco and Impenetrable parks lie east.