Argentina · AR

Laguna La Gallareta

Laguna La Gallareta is a low-lying freshwater lagoon set in the flat grasslands and wetlands of northern Santa Fe Province, a couple of hundred kilometres north of the provincial capital and just a few kilometres from the small village that lends it its name. Sitting at only around 59 metres above sea level, it is one of many shallow water bodies that speckle the Bajos Submeridionales, the vast seasonal wetland basin that drains toward the Calchaquí and Golondrina streams. There is no resort or formal tourist site here; the draw is the raw, unhurried wetland landscape itself and the chance to see a corner of Argentina that few travellers reach. The lake makes the most sense as a stop on a slow exploration of the deep, sparsely populated north of Santa Fe—pairing the open water and birdlife of the lagoon with the human story of La Gallareta village and the renowned nearby Laguna El Palmar reserve. It is a destination for nature lovers, birdwatchers and off-the-beaten-path travellers rather than for a polished day out.