Official Guide Collection for Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area

Bolivia's vast Gran Chaco wilderness and jaguar stronghold

Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park and Integrated Management Natural Area

Kaa-Iya del Gran Chaco National Park represents Bolivia's most ambitious conservation initiative and one of the largest protected areas in the Southern Hemisphere. The park occupies a vast territory in the Gran Chaco, a distinctive ecoregion characterized by flat terrain, semi-deciduous forests, and seasonal wetlands that stretch across portions of Paraguay, Bolivia, and Argentina. This enormous tract of wilderness remains one of the least populated and most inaccessible regions in Bolivia, with human settlements concentrated primarily along the western edges while the interior zones remain essentially uninhabited. The park's dual classification as both a National Park and an Integrated Management Natural Area reflects a innovative governance approach that balances strict conservation with sustainable resource use by local indigenous communities. The Izoceño-Guaraní peoples have maintained a presence in this region for generations, and their traditional territories overlap significantly with the park boundaries. This co-management arrangement, formalized through an agreement with the Capitanía del Alto y Bajo Izozog in 1995, represents a pioneering model for indigenous participation in protected area administration across South America.