Wow, wow and double Wow!
Welcome to the Iguaza falls.
Taller than Niagara Falls, twice as wide with 275 cascades spread in a horsehoe shape over nearly two miles of the Iguazu River, Iguazú Falls are the result of a volcanic eruption which left yet another large crack in the earth. Just like Niagra falls the falls are split across two countries; in this case Brazil and Argentina…. These facts however do nothing to describe the grandeur of these gorgeous falls.
We arrived in Iguaza and were taken in to the Brazilian side national park, where there is just one hotel. The benefit of staying in this quintessential hotel is that you can walk round the waterfalls early in the morning when the other visitors are not yet allowed in… you can follow the guided path all the way round the waterfalls to the Brazilian ‘death point’…. attempt to stand there and not feel the power of the waterfalls, I dare you!
The best thing about Iguazza falls is at every corner there is an even more spectacular view.
There are trips which take you on to the Argentinan side too where there are treks around to see the falls from different angles. The most fantastic thing about the Argentinian side was the number of opportunities there are to get up close and REALLY personal to the falls. You can almost touch the gallons of water that are thundering down.
The really cool part of the falls is all the activites you can do. We took a 8km trek, cycle and canoe ride around the luscious green woodlands surrounding the area. Then there is rapelling, which is where you climb down a rope with the views of the waterfall behind you….. Despite my fear of heights, I couldnt say no, although the pictures perhaps give away my fear!
When you get to the bottom, you walk over the rocks and go white water rafting. Unfortunately the rapids weren’t so rapid, but the kind speed boat drivers (see below) would whizz the speed boats around us creating a bit of turbulence for us to fight against… and ofcourse if all else fails, you just jump in!!! EEEK!!! SO COLD, but SO MUCH FUN!
One of the coolest parts of the Iguaza falls activities has to be taking the speed boat trips though. You can go from the Brazilian or Argentinian side. The speeed boats literally drive headfirst into a part of the waterfalls. Hold on tight. Absolutely soaked and totally exhilerated. Could there be any better way to admire the waterfalls than from beneath it?! 🙂
And if all of that is not enough. We also took a helicopter ride over the falls and went to a bird sanctuary….. well hey, you got to make the most of the place right?
Iguazza falls totally rocked…… it has got to be a must see on your list!