Cruising the Delta of the Paraná in a Launch

One of the fun getaways from Buenos Aires is the massive delta of the Paraná River, second only to the Amazon in South America. Rising at the confluence of the Paranaiba and Grande Rivers in Brazil, the Paraná flows south some 4,880 km until it becomes the Rio de la Plata near the Argentine capital. Headquarters for delta cruises is Tigre, about an hour out of Buenos Aires.

Last month, I boarded a launch in Tigre and took a one-hour cruise of several branches of the 60 km wide delta. There is an entire community that lives along the delta that is reachable only by boat. There are grocery boats, barber and beauty salon boats, and others that ply these waters servicing the population which likes the poky life at the edge of one of the world’s great waterways.

Drainage Basin of the Paraná

As you can see, the river drains portions of five South American countries: Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Bolivia, and Argentina.The river is broad enough for container ships to go several hundred miles upstream past Rosario and Santa Fe.

One could get to Tigre by train, bus, or even boat. Don’t make the mistake of going by train on a weekend however, as it is standing room all the way from Retiro train station.