Argentina – The Iguazu Waterfalls, one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular showcases!

Argentina – The Iguazu Waterfalls, one of Mother Nature’s most spectacular showcases!

An absolutely mandatory spot to visit on your South American Bucket list has to be the giant Iguazu Waterfalls on the border between Argentina and Brazil. These falls will amaze you, surprise you and leave you speechless. Here you will experience one of nature’s most incredible performances.

We do get why the falls over and over again are voted to be amongst the most imposing natural wonders of the world. In 2011 The waterfalls were voted to be one of the worlds new seven natural wonders and has been declared a world natural heritage by Unesco.

This view gave us a sense of participation in the Blockbuster movie “Avatar”.

You might have seen pictures of the falls or even a tv program but nothing can prepare you for this meeting with Mother Nature’s roaring unparalleled power demonstration. Every year the falls have more than a million visitors. We are sure that they all leave with an unforgettable experience deeply rooted in their hearts

iguazu, argentina, brasil, waterfalls
From the wooden platforms, you get the best views towards the falls. Although there are many people, there is room for everyone. The platforms are huge.

We visited the falls in March, during the rainy season, when the amount of water is on it’s highest. The amount of water pouring through the falls can vary throughout the year but during the rainy season, it can rise to more than 13000 cubic meters every second. The Iguazu waterfalls extend over 2.7 kilometres and consist of more than 275 falls. The number varies according to the season. In native Guarani language, Iguazu means “big water”. No wonder why !!!

Devil’s gorge.

During our visit to The Iguazu Falls, we stayed in Puerto Iguazu in Argentina but you can just as well stay in Foz do Iguazu in Brasil. We had just joined The Vendemia in Mendoza and were going to Buenos Aires after Iguazu so for us, it was a question of convenience. Puerto Iguazu itself hasn’t much to offer its visitors but you will find satisfying accommodation, nice restaurants and cafes and a place or two where you can chill and grab a beer after a long eventful day at the falls.

Booking.com

Puerto Iguazu seems to be a quiet and safe town and it offers very good transportation connections. However, you should also visit the Brazilian part of the falls to get the true feel of this magnificent phenomenon of nature. It’s quite easy to arrange day trips to Brazil from Puerto Iguazu.

iguazu, waerfalls, argentina, brasil

When visiting the mighty Iguazu waterfalls you should spend at least 4-5 days. When staying in Argentina there are several different tours, trails and circuits to choose from and to get the best impression of the falls you should take a big mouthful of it all. We especially recommend The Upper Circuit, The Lower Circuit, The Devil’s Throat tour and a slow ride aboard the almost silent Ecological Train that runs through more than 3,5 kilometres of the most fantastic rainforest.

View towards the small island of San Martin. Take a free boat ride to the sandy beach. From here you will get a spectacular view of San Martin Waterfall.

You can also take a free boat ride to San Martin Island. From here you will have spectacular views towards The San Martin Waterfall and experience the tremendous power of the curtain of falling water directly in front of you. You will get goosebumps all over, even in places you didn’t know existed. This is truly one of Mother Nature’s grand spectacles.

plush-crested jay, iguazu
A beautiful and almost tame Plush-crested jay joined us for lunch.

It is obvious that the waterfalls are the biggest attraction in this area of South America, but having said that, you should also have your eyes open to the immensely unique flora and fauna you will come across in the surrounding rainforest. Here you will find more than 2000 species of native flora, 450 species of birds, 80 mammal species and not to mention the abundance of colourful butterflies.

iguazu, butterflies, Argentina, Brazil

coati, omnivorous, iguazu, argentina, brasil
A little family of coatis in search of food. They are very curious and omnivorous. If they smell food in your bag, they immediately will go for it.

Another absolute must see when visiting Iguazu is the mighty Itaipu Dam. One of the largest and most expensive man-made constructions on the planet. The Itaipu is the worlds second largest hydroelectric power station. It’s as high as a 65-story skyscraper and has a length of more than 7200 meters. More than 40000 workers participated in the construction that took approximately 10 years. With the amount of concrete used a 4500-kilometre long two-way highway could be built. This is a truly jaw-dropping structure.

Itaipu Dam, hydroelectric power plant, iguazu, argentina, brasil
The mighty Itaipu Dam.
Good to know
  • General admission fee is 500 Argentinian Pesos or 24 US$ on the Brazilian side (2017)
  • Cash in Argentina. Credit cards accepted in Brazil
  • Opening hours Argentina 8 am to 6 pm. Brazil 9 am to 5 pm (2017)
  • Restrooms and bars/cafes are located throughout the parks
  • Use lots of insect repellant
  • Bring sunglasses
  • Use sunscreen
  • Wear light clothing
  • Bring a towel and a waterproof bag, Iguazu is a very wet place
  • Wear hiking boots of shoos with a good grip. The trails can get very slippery.
Our Iguazu top pics
  • Upper and Lower Circuits
  • The Devil’s Throat
  • Boat ride to San Martin Island
  • Flora and fauna tour
  • Visit the Itaipu Dam
  • Ride the Ecological Train
We stayed at

www.hoteltierracolorada.com.ar

The Tierra Colorada Hotel offers very basic accommodation. The hotel has a perfect location in a quiet neighbourhood only a few hundred meters from the city centre and the central bus station.

The superior rooms offer aircon, and all rooms have a private bathroom. Continental breakfast is served. There is a courtyard with a small pool.

The staff is friendly an helpful. In general, the hotel seems worn out, tired and charmless. Too expensive compared to the somewhat low standard.

Accommodation value for money

Useful links

www.welcomeargentina.com/puertoiguazu/iguazu-falls.html

www.iguazufalls.com

 

Iguazu gallery – just enjoy or click for next image.

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