Island of the Sun in Santiago del Estero

The City of Termas de Río Hondo is enjoying its best moment. In addition to its usual tourist attractions, new spots that used to be ignored are coming into sight. This new site, which lies just 3 kilometers away from the city and 700 meters from the Frontal Dam, may be visited every day from very early in the morning till the early evening.

The waterfront on the Dulce River goes from the hot spring city to the Hondo River Frontal Dam and it leads to one of the spots where harmony between nature and man’s work has given fruit: Tara Inti Recreational Natural Reserve, where the wildlife of the Province of Santiago del Estero may be appreciated. Visitors may even take photographs of different specimens and listen to the sounds made by animals.


In Search Of Peace

Crossing the Dulce River used to be an adventure. Today, a modern bridge lets visitors reach a place whose natural beauty turns out to be amazing. Different wooden footbridges set the path to walk along laid-out circuits without changing anything in the surroundings.

The tranquility of these 24 hectares is only ornamented by the singing of birds and the great deal of plant species at this nook in Santiago del Estero. Tara Inti stands for “Island of the Sun” in the Quichua Aymará tongue. After walking along the trails for almost half an hour, we could assure it was the best name to describe the treasures of this beautiful ecosystem.

There are also four viewpoints featuring unique sights of the surrounding scenery which guaranty spectacular panoramic pictures and where visitors may take a rest, enjoy some mate and even open their lunch boxes.

The circuit covers a total distance of 600 meters of wooden footbridges made of red quebracho tree from Santiago del Estero. The entire Tara Inti Reserve preserves a space that is part of Dry Chaco Park wetlands.


Bird Watching

Over a hundred bird species visit this zone every year. Different groups of bird watchers and conservationists make the most of this fact when they come to this place to enjoy not only their passion -which is gaining more and more enthusiasts in Termas de Río Hondo- but also a few days at the hot springs.

Bird species include songbirds and aquatic birds. Some songbirds are: blue-crowned parakeets, monk parakeets, turquoise-fronted amazons, striped cuckoos, striped owls, great horned owls, single-winged nightjars, green kingfishers, campo flickers, white monjitas, rufous-bellied thrushes, saffron finches and red pileated finches, among others. Among aquatic birds, we can mention yellow-billed pintails, cocoi herons, great egrets, snowy egrets, maguari storks, southern lapwings, bare-faced ibis, white-faced ibis, roseate spoonbills, Chilean flamingoes, plumbeous ibis, southern screamers, black-crowned night herons and many more. Besides, the wetlands are dwelled by amphibians and reptiles such as toads, frogs, snakes, lizards and rodents.

Lovers of green hues will find Tara Inti Reserve has tree and bush species such as tusca, carob, willow-leaf red quebracho, mistol, chañar, cereus, vinal, Humboldt’s willow, cattail, water hyacinth and more.

This is certainly an ideal spot to visit with the family or discover during a stroll in the surroundings of this amazing city in Santiago del Estero after a relaxing hot spring bath.