Discover Tigre and Tigre Delta wheelchair accessible attractions, things to do, tours and activities for disabled travelers. Read our informative review to learn if Tigre Delta, Buenos Aires, Argentina is wheelchair accessible and wheelchair friendly or if Wheelchair Jimmy recommends this attraction be avoided by travelers in wheelchairs.
Tigre is a town in the Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, situated 17 miles north of Buenos Aires city. The town sits on an island created by several small streams and rivers and was founded in 1820, after floods had destroyed other settlements in the area.
The area’s name derives from the “tigres” or jaguars that were hunted there, on occasions, in its early years. The area was first settled by Europeans who came to farm the land, and the port developed to serve the Delta and to bring fruit and wood from the Delta and ports upstream on the Paraná river. Tigre is still an important timber processing port. The “Puerto de Frutos” (fruit port) is now a crafts fair located in the old fruit market by the riverside. Antiques shops, riverside restaurants and pubs, the casino and Parque de la Costa, an amusement park and its renowned natural beauty make Tigre a popular tourist destination throughout the year.
Tigre is also the starting point for a visit to the Paraná Delta. For locals and tourists alike, vintage mahogany commuter launches and motorboats are the favorite way to travel through its web of inter-connecting rivers and streams. English-style rowing clubs, countless marinas, humble dwellings and elegant mansions such as the Tigre Club are to be seen, as well as small pensions and upscale lodges, restaurants, teahouses and simple picnic sites.
- City Attraction Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Fully Accessible Entry: Yes
- Accessible Restrooms Onsite: Yes
- Restrictive Steps: Some Restrictive Steps
Jim’s Accessibility Comments:
From Buenos Aires we took a day trip to the Tigre Delta, a small charming resort area just a 45 minutes from the city. We hired a tour guide, Andre Miguel, through Tours by Locals. Andre was raised in the delta area, knows the waterways, and he took us on his private river boat.
The Tigre Delta region is vast. Over 5,000 square miles, with literally hundreds, perhaps thousands, of islands. The Tigre Delta is among the world’s largest, and is one of the only major deltas in the world that does not empty into a sea or ocean. It flows instead into the Río de la Plata (the River of Silver) which separates Argentina and Uruguay. And Tigre is named for the jaguars, which were called tigers, that once roamed here, before the islands became important agriculturally.
The Tigre River Delta is located only about 20 miles northeast of Buenos Aires and is reachable from the city by train, but since I wasn’t sure of the train’s accessibility, we had Andre pick us up in his car. As a side note, the Tigre City train station looked level and wheelchair accessible but I didn’t have time to confirm.
We first stopped at “Puerto de Frutos” (the fruit port) which is now a crafts fair located in the old fruit market by the riverside. Lots of local shopping and sightseeing in this small resort port. It was casual, delightful and authentic Argentina. There was also a public wheelchair accessible restroom along the way that was up a not too steep ramp but was quite large.
We then went another 20 blocks by car where Andre and his 2 friends got his small river boat out of the water. They picked me up and hoisted me into the boat. I’ll be honest, I knew upfront that this might not be too accessible, but as always people around the world are always willing to help.
The islands along the delta and are filled with small vacation homes, and we spent an hour cruising through many delta passageways. Families were fishing, swimming, kayaking and simply relaxing along the miles of inland islands. I had no idea Buenos Aires would be so diverse or so beautiful, just 45 minutes from downtown.
There are several tour companies that offer day-trip excursions to the Tigre River Delta, and there are several reasonably large riverboats (watch video for pictures) that provide tours. I’m not sure if they’re accessible but you could certainly give these a try. You should also know that this is a weekend resort area for the locals and their families, and it can get really crowded. Come mid-week if you can.
If you get to Buenos Aires, you simply must visit the Tigre delta. There may be other beautiful river deltas in the world but the Argentine Tigre Delta is magnificent! This was very special memory. Thank you Andre!
South America Travel
