Laguna de Castillos

Laguna de Castillos is a large brackish lagoon behind the Rocha dunes, and its distinction is on the northern shore: the Monte de Ombúes, a stand of ombú, a plant that looks like a tree but is really a giant herb with a soft swollen trunk and no true wood. Some of the specimens here are estimated at several centuries old. The stand is one of the largest anywhere and is visited on foot or by boat with local guides.

What you actually see

• The Monte de Ombues - a large stand of the ombu, a giant herb rather than a true tree.
• The swollen trunks - the soft water-storing bases the plant is known for.
• The lagoon - brackish water behind the dunes with waterbirds.
• The guided visits - boat and walking trips run by families on the shore.

When to go

October to April is the best season. Visits should be arranged with the local guides in advance. Winter is wet and the tracks difficult.

Honest expectations

Visits need arranging in advance and are not available on demand. Access tracks are rough. The ombú stand is on private land and cannot be wandered freely.

Nearby

Aguas Dulces is east, and Castillos town is north.