GRAN CHACO - 5th edition
GRAN CHACO - 5th edition
June 8–12, 2027
An experimental textile journey titled “Into Formosa,” which challenges us at every moment and invites us to embrace its most contrasting qualities: its light and shadow, its harshness and its abundance.
ABRA is interested in the hands that create and sustain life: those that weave on looms, weave baskets from fibers of the forest, and embroider spider lace, passing down their craft from generation to generation among the Pilagá, Qom, and Guaraní peoples.
This destination is for travelers passionate about discovering the roots of our land, for hands that create and learn from those who have inhabited this territory for so long. Gran Chaco is a wonderfully challenging destination that needs us.
The experiences of this trip
Pilagá Basketry
Campo del Cielo
We’ll visit the Pilagá community of Campo del Cielo. We’ll share a lunch and take a walk through the woods with a group of local artisan women, joining them as they gather carandillo leaves and learning about the secrets of the fiber, the riches of the land, and their experiences living there.
In the afternoon, we’ll participate in a basket-weaving workshop led by Pilagá master artisans, experiencing firsthand the daily work they do.
Toba Weaving Workshop
Qomlec Community, KM 30
We will visit the Pilagá community at KM 30. Artisans from the Qomlec community in Ingeniero Juárez will lead a workshop on weaving toba on a loom: by creating a small textile, we will learn their ancestral technique while experimenting with the design of their patterns. We’ll then share lunch with the instructors and wrap up the workshop in the afternoon—moments of connection, storytelling, and learning, as we savor the value of the present moment.
Ñandutí
Alberdi, Paraguay
We’ll head to the border town of Alberdi to discover and learn this traditional craft alongside Cristina Bordoli, a master artisan.
Ñandutí is a form of needle lace that mimics the weave of a spiderweb—hence its name in Guaraní, “white spider.” It is worked on a frame, with a base fabric stretched taut over which the embroidery pattern is drawn.
Paraguayan basketry
Alberdi, Paraguay
Together with Eliodoro Martínez, a caranday artisan who learned the craft from his grandmother, mother, and sister and is now teaching it to his daughter, we’ll explore Paraguayan basket weaving, or caranday, another of the traditional crafts of this border city.
Boating in El Bañado
Fortín Soledad, Bañado La Estrella
A day spent immersing yourself in the region’s wonderful natural surroundings. We’ll cruise through the wetlands, enjoying the sight and song of countless birds of various species that call this area home.
ITINERARY
DAY 1 • TUESDAY, JUNE 8
Morning: The trip begins. Meet at the Formosa airport. Transfer to the border town of Alberdi, Paraguay, where we’ll participate in a ñandutí weaving workshop. Welcome lunch in Alberdi.
Afternoon: Return to Formosa, to the Hotel Las Kalas. Visit to the Casa de la Cultura.
Evening: Dinner on your own. Overnight stay at Hotel Las Kalas.
DAY 2 • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9
Morning: Visit to the Pilagá community of Campo del Cielo. Basket-weaving workshop and lunch in the community.
Evening: ABRA dinner. Overnight stay at Las Lomitas.
DAY 3 • THURSDAY, JUNE 10
Morning: Farewell in the Pilagá community of Campo del Cielo. Transfer to Fortín Soledad. ABRA lunch at Fortín Soledad.
Afternoon: Visit to Bañado La Estrella, including a boat ride.
Evening: ABRA dinner. Overnight stay in Las Lomitas.
DAY 4 • FRIDAY, JUNE 11
Morning: Visit to the Pilagá community at KM 30, our hosts for our experiences in the region. Toba weaving workshop led by Qomlec Toba artisans. ABRA lunch at a native plant nursery.
Afternoon: Conclusion of the Toba weaving workshop.
Evening: Dinner on your own. Overnight stay at Hotel Las Kalas. Return to the city of Formosa.
DAY 5 • SATURDAY, JUNE 12
Return to Buenos Aires.
GRAN CHACO - 5th edition
- Duration: 4 nights / 4 days
- Dates for 2027: June 8–12
- Meeting point: Formosa Airport
- Group size: 10 to 17 participants maximum
- Requirements: Must be 18 years of age or older. No prior knowledge of the techniques is required.
- Total price: 1,650 USD for residents / 1,820 USD for non-residents
- Reservation deposit: 700 USD
- Payment methods: Cash / Wire transfer / Bank deposit
- 10% discount for cash payments
- Contact us for availability / single room supplement.
- Residents of Brazil: contact the ABRA agent in Brazil
We confirm the trip once we reach the minimum number of participants required. At that point, we’ll ask you to pay the remaining balance; if the trip isn’t confirmed, we’ll refund the full amount of your reservation.
That’s why it’s important to wait for our confirmation before purchasing your airline ticket.
You can read the full details in our cancellation policy.
Email: abratextil@gmail.com
WhatsApp: 011 6265 1978
Where will we stay?
Hotel Las Kalas
Cabañas Doña Ana
Cabañas Doña Ana
1. Formosa: We’ll be staying at the Hotel Las Kalas, located on a tree-lined street in an area with local shops, an 11-minute walk from the Cathedral of Our Lady of Carmen, in downtown Formosa.
2. Las Lomitas: a town located 300 km from the city of Formosa and 40 km from Bañado La Estrella, one of the largest wetlands in South America. Here we’ll stay at Cabañas Doña Ana, situated in a peaceful natural setting.
What's Included
- Experiences and workshops
- Workshop materials + ABRA Kit
- Accommodations: 4 nights / 4 days — shared double/triple room with private bathroom
- Breakfasts, lunches, and 2 dinners
- Ground transportation to and from Formosa Airport, and to all activities on the itinerary, by land and water
- Intermittent WiFi
- Personal accident insurance
Does not include
- Flight ticket
- Health insurance and/or private health plan (required)
- Lunches and/or dinners on free days or during free time
- Alcoholic beverages and soft drinks
- Tips
The itinerary and activities are subject to change, usually due to weather conditions or new opportunities that arise and that we consider will enhance the experience.
