For those can afford it, an even better way of getting to know the Misiones selva is Yacutinga Lodge, set in a 570-hectare private reserve about an hour east of Parque Nacional Iguazú. While the reserve is far smaller than the park, its remaining (and recovering) subtropical rainforest provides a more up-close-and-personal view of the natural environment, in accommodations that far surpass the Sheraton in style.

For bird-watchers, Yacutinga offers a list of more than 300 species, plus many mammals, reptiles, and butterflies; with technical assistance from Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina, it has created its own biological research station supported by profits from the lodge. Eight separate nature trails, one self-guided and the rest open with local guides, range from 500 meters to six kilometers (round-trip). There is also a short but fascinating catwalk through the forest canopy, six meters above ground level, leading to a platform that’s ideal for observing birds and other flora.

The lodge proper deserves special mention. Using the maximum possible of materials salvaged from the forest, the Argentine owners have created a Gaudí-esque combination of tranquility, comfort, and style that amounts to five-star rusticity. The main building is an idiosyncratic architectural masterpiece, with a large living room, dining room, and bar.

Twenty tasteful rooms can sleep two or three people each in five secluded units, but except during major holidays such as Holy Week, the proprietors prefer to host only a small percentage of their capacity to ensure a quality experience. Accommodations are available on a full-board basis only (drinks extra); day excursions are not offered. There is electricity from sundown to 8 a.m.

Yacutinga also meets many standards for appropriate development as 70 percent of the staff, including native Guaraní, come from the nearby community of Andresito, and most supplies are purchased locally, except for beverages such as beer, wine, and soft drinks. In the off-season, Yacutinga offers free-of-charge environmental education programs to neighboring schools.

Yacutinga’s food is good, though if you stayed longer than a week it might seem repetitive. Unlike in Argentina’s pampas heartland, the beef comes from chewy (though tasty) Zebu cattle. Vegetarian menus are available on request, though sometimes the main dish is vegetarian for everyone. The homemade bread at breakfast deserves special mention.

Yacutinga makes accommodations arrangements and quotes prices through travel agencies only. For additional information and travel assistance, contact Yacutinga (www.yacutinga.com) through their website.

Guests get picked up at Raíces Argentinas, a handicrafts store on RN 12 at Avenida Juan Domingo Perón, in modern vans that travel through Parque Provincial Urugua-í and plantations of yerba mate. After 45 kilometers of paved road, they transfer to a 4WD Mercedes truck for the last 12 kilometers.