I Went Off-grid in Argentina's Rain Forest-Here's What I Learned From the Guarani and Their Sacred Mate

"flames licked the fat belly of a cauldron, sending curls of smoke into the humid air of the Yacutinga nature reserve, in Argentina's northeastern corner. A medicine man crushed dried yerba mate leaves in a wooden mortar, then brushed them into simmering water, before mixing in embers from the fire and a heap of granulated sugar. Unlike the mate consumed across Argentina-and served in a gourd-this version, known as mate cocido, was smoky and sweet, and served in a teacup."

"The ceremony was a high point of my four-day visit to the Atlantic Forest, one of the world's most diverse and fragile biomes. Once stretching 400,000 square miles across sections of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, the forest has been reduced to 12 percent of its original size by deforestation, cattle ranching, and urban expansion. Even so, it is still home to thousands of threatened plants and animals, including the jaguar, tapir, and harpy eagle."

Guests participate in a mate cocido ceremony where yerba mate leaves are crushed, simmered with embers and sugar, producing a smoky, sweet tea served in a teacup. Mate holds sacred significance for the Guaraní‑a Indigenous group and features in religious rituals and social bonding. The Atlantic Forest once covered 400,000 square miles across Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay but now remains at about 12 percent due to deforestation, cattle ranching, and urban expansion. The biome still supports thousands of threatened species, including jaguar, tapir, and harpy eagle. Yacutinga Lodge is a 21-room property opened in 2000 on a 1,410-acre private reserve about 50 miles east of Iguazú Falls, featuring Gaudí-inspired curved walls, stained glass, natural materials, and jungle-set suites such as the Yatei Suite with hardwood-log posts and a colored-glass skylight. The lodge restaurant specializes in homestyle regional cuisine.

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