Iguazu Falls - the complete experience!

South America » Argentina » Misiones » Iguazú National Park
May 14th 2007

Published: May 14th 2007

Edit Blog Post

Chris Kate

Iguazu Falls, Argentina!

Seen at their best with constant rainbows making for amazing photos!

Day 135 - Day 138 (11.05.07-14.05.07)

The worldwide famous waterfalls that straddle the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay were a must-see sight in our south american adventures. Iguazu falls, composed of more than 250 separate falls, that extend over 3km across the river, is amazing to see, and recognised as the world's most dramatic waterfalls.

Keen to fully appreciate these waterfalls, we were to see both sides. First stop was logically Puerto Iguazu, on the Argentinian side.

Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

The Argentinian side, offered a rather more interactive experience, 'wet-and-wild' type thing, where there are bridges leading right under parts of the falls, where you get seriously wet from the spray and feel the intensity of the thunderous downhill falling of water. The falls tumble for 2km from the Rio Iguazu Superior down a 70m cliff to the Rio Iguazu Inferior below. At their heart, is the dizzying 'Devil's Throat' where a powerhouse of natural forces battle each other over the u-shaped cliff edge, forming an immense display of boiling, bouncing, angry waterfalls...the power of this fall is startling, breath-taking even, and also results in a spectator-drenching!

The extensive experience of the

Devil's Throat, the crunch of the falls

Powerful terrential waterfall!!! soo impressive!

falls is increased, by the well-thought out trails and catwalks taking you both below and above different sections of the falls - also for more wet thrills, should you wish which of course we did, you take a boat tour right underneath the falling water, where the driver takes joy in thoroughly soaking you, almost tipping the boat and the water is soo powerful and hard that it is impossible to see or think when under it!! But it had to be done, all in the name of experience!

The national park protecting the waterfalls, is a tropical paradise, a nature reserve full of wildlife and plantlife...out in full form were the cheeky coatis, monkeys, lizards, iguanas, butterflies of all sizes, little guinea pigs, parrots, macaws and loads of birds...and though we didn't see any...there were puma's hiding around somewhere!

Foz do Iguacu, Brazil

Hopping across the border, into Brazil the next day, which was actually more time consuming than imagined though it is only short distance, but we made it... we just had to see the Brazillian side of this world-wide-wonder!

Offering a panoramic view of the whole of the waterfall from one

Devil's Throat!

one of the biggest bits of the falls

end to the other, Foz de Iguacu on the Brazilian side is a completely different experience to the Argentianan side - and they go hand-in-hand for a exhaustive and fulfilling experience of Iguazu Falls!

Not as big as its neighbour, the brazilian-sides trail walks you along the entire view of the falls, so it is possible to see the falls we saw the day before from a distance and in the whole-some form. It is at this point, that you become aware of the size and scale of this incredible waterfall, something not easily comprehendable no matter how famous it is, and absolutley amazing to see!

There are wet-opportunities here on the brazilian side also, offerring really great view points but not soo good for taking photos! Including getting really close to a side view of a bit of the falls in its earliest stage, one of the biggest drops, where there is also a glass-lift up to a platform overlooking the falls, a wierd experience to travel up by lift next to the falling water....very cool though!

The falls, are unquestionnably recognised as one of the world's great natural phenomena, and have to be seen in