Iguazu Falls

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Wow, what a place!

Iguazu Falls, although they should be called rainbow falls as everywhere you look there are rainbows!!

The falls can be reached from the two main towns on either side of the falls: Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil or Puerto Iguazú in Argentina. Both sides have huge national parks attached to them which have virgin rain forests and a whole host of animals and birds including Jaguar and Puma (although you never see them). There are plenty of birds in the park including the fabulous Toucan (think Guiness adverts) which have to have the most amazing bill of any bird. There are also plenty of Parrots and other birds as well.

We visited both sides of the falls to appreciate it as they are both very different. Most of the falls are on the Argentinian side so you can walk along the whole length of them and get up close to them as well thanks to the special walk ways that are constructed at one point you can stand and be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls. The Devil's Throat, in Argentina, has water pouring into it from three sides and is like a cauldron of foam and spray. The Brazilian side is much better for views as you are opposite the falls so can get a true vista of them. It also has a great walkway that takes you under one of the main falls although you do get soaking wet.

Iguazu is also often compared with Southern Africa's Victoria Falls which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe. Iguazu is wider, but because it is split into about 270 discrete falls and large islands Victoria is classed as the largest curtain of water in the world, at over 1,600 m (5,249 ft) wide and over 100 m (328 ft) in height its is also taller as well. Its hard to compare the two of them as they are in completely different settings. Victoria has 5 huge gorges and the main fall is like a huge scar on the land as it falls into the first gorge and you are right opposite it so it has no walkways like Iguazu does. One thing I will say about Victoria is that is has the mighty Zambezi flowing into it and after the falls are some of the best white water rafting on the planet with 22 rapids upto grade 5 which are incredible, it also has a bungee and a gorge swing that Iguazu does not. Iguazu does not feel like one huge waterfall but hundreds of connecting waterfalls so it has literally hundreds of view points and we happily spent most of a full day at each side where as at Victoria you only really get a few viewpoints.(although we did see it in the dry season)

Anyway they are both amazing to see although Victoria has more to do in the surrounding area, but for me the title of greatest waterfall in the world goes to Iguazu!

Next stop a flight upto Bahia Salvador in the North of Brazil

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Comments

[Emma McClement]

Noisy!
Wow! Looks amazing. So pretty but so loud. At least you look warmer than in the last photos! The birds are lovely too. I'm off to make curry. Enjoy the rest of Brazil and try some churasco. Yummy, oh and some feijoada.

[Rachel Baldwin]

Hi
Hi, Like the video - it looks really amazing there. You (or Louise) are getting very good at the scenery and wildlife shots. Glad you're seeing some great things, but looking forward to having you back. See you soon!