San Ignacio Ruins and Wanda Mines Tour: History of Jesuits and Gemstone Exploration

Embark on a day excursion from Puerto Iguazu to visit the historic Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio and the captivating Wanda Mines. Gain insights into the legacy of the Jesuits and the indigenous communities in the area, and behold a variety of valuable gems at the Wanda Mines.

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Ruinas de San Ignacio - Enjoy a guided tour which explores the history of this area. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Jesuit mission was built by the Spanish Conquistadors in the 17th century. The ruins were discovered in 1897 and restored between 1940 and 1948. Learn about the construction, life, and customs of the Guarani aborigines and the…
What's Included
  • Bilingual English and Spanish-Speaking guide
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Lunch
  • Entrance ticket to the Ruins
  • Entrance ticket to the Mines
Location
Ruinas de San Ignacio
Casa de la Provincia de Misiones, Avda. Santa Fe 989
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
3.5
(23 Ratings)
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1 star
Menchurp
Jan 24, 2024
These excursions are worth taking. Very interesting - Both places are incredible, everything you learn and visit, the guides and the transfer to the places are very good, also with advice and suggestions from the agency guides. Highly recommended to do these excursions that are worth it
Review provided by Tripadvisor
824carinam
Aug 6, 2023
Safety pin - Incredible historical monument but the attention at the entrance was very lax, they did not give us any indication and we visited everything alone without anyone explaining to us, it is still worth thinking about.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elsie_l
Dec 20, 2022
Tour Driver needs to have better preparation for a tour with language he is not familiar - The tour itself was great. However driver do not know English at all. Could not tell us when to meet and how long the wait is. The tour guide in Wanda Mines was very good and so did the one in Ignacio Ruins. They spoke English and explained the tours very well. All in all the tour is good just of the driver even do not know English, he should have some English Notice prepared for a simple introduction where, how and when the meet.
Review provided by Viator
756izana
Dec 26, 2023
I would have preferred to walk. - We had the excursion on 12/20/2023, the micro bus arrived 30 minutes late at the stipulated arrival time, at first everything was great, we went in the direction of the Wanda mines, where the hiker treated us kindly and was Well, regarding this complaint it is towards the driver, when we got back on the mini bus, we headed towards San Ignacio where he drove aggressively, without any need since we were in good time, the reason for this style of driving. Driving was not very good, upon arrival in San Ignacio we stopped directly in front of a food establishment and the same waiter from the restaurant opened the door for us, like cornered chickens they made us sit down. We paid for a transfer and coordination for our guides, not a mere unnecessary inclusion to a food establishment, the same driver sat down and, like others, ate, clearly after eating a steak, he got up without having to pay. I now understood exactly why he drove so aggressively, so he could get to that free steak that was waiting for him. By arriving at the site earlier there is no other option than to wait for the scheduled entry time, that time was 1:30 p.m. and we arrived at 12:10 p.m. Attached I leave you photos of other companies parked in front, they even take advantage of the same situation, for a mere free meal…. The mini bus we came with is parked behind the premises. The issue of reckless driving is extremely serious since during the journey from Iguazú to the mines and other visiting points signs of animals are shown, with large slopes the driver put the minibus in neutral in order to pick up more speed than allowed, remember that the vehicle is limited! Pay attention to the fact that there were occasions when it exceeded 135km/h. To add to all this, the collection was easy and simple but they should clarify the amount of obsolete taxes since the payment of pesos is penalized... from 26,000 pesos to 40,000 pesos when the invoice arrives. Apart from that, we had no choice but to laugh because, at the end of the ruins, the driver parked in front of a souvenir shop to earn some commission, obviously speaking of ignorance. To say that the mines were great and the mission ruins in San Ignacio incredible. But hey, I wouldn't recommend this company at all.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Marcelo
Nov 24, 2022
Go just to Wanda - Wanda is an amazing place, close to Iguazú. San Ignacio is way far. The worst preserved Jesuit complexes in Argentina and Brazil. Nothing of interest to be seen.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Teresa_t
May 31, 2022
Disappointed about not... - Disappointed about not having English speaking guide. One in Wanda mines- very basic english. Nobody speaking english in San Ignacio ruins. The day was awfully long, the jerba mate not necessary at the end of long day. The tour should be split in two separate days. Left home at 7amand came back at 8pm 14 long hours. Wouldn't recommend to anyone. Very deceptive about english speaking guide, even though it was requested.
Review provided by Viator
From $57
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).