Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls are situated with one foot in Brazil and the other in Argentina and so you can actually visit both sides in each respective country. If you’re staying in Argentina, you can get a kind of mini visa at the border which allows you to cross over into Brazil via a local bus and then return back again later the same day. It takes about six hours to get around the Argentinian side but only two for Brazil and so you can work your itinerary around this.

On the Brazilian side, there is about a 1km walkway from which to observe the falls, with various viewpoints some of which take you right up to the water gushing down in huge volumes.

flickr image by Nouhailler

Let me say this – the falls are just ENORMOUS. They are half as tall again as Niagara and the largest falls in South America (with Angel Falls in Venezuela being the highest). They are made up of 275 falls along a 2.7km stretch and are just gobsmackingly amazing. The sheer size of them and the velocity and volume of water is immense. Set in the subtropical rainforest with a zillion butterflies of every colour you can think of, it is really I think the most impressive and beautiful natural wonder I have ever witnessed. We walk dumbstruck and in awe for the couple of hours, get drenched near the huge clouds of mist it spews up in places and then head back home for the day after being quite spiritually satiated.

flickr image by Nouhailler

The next day, we visit the Argentinian side of the falls. It does take about six hours to get round as the falls site area is so large and you certainly don’t want to rush anyway. Thanks to the amount of walkways and platforms, you can get really close to the water and as it gushes down, you can really see the power of the water – it’s amazing! Plus, now and again you see beautiful rainbows which make the trip all the more special. It’s hard to explain in words – you really need to see it for yourself.

Both sides have their own merits. The falls are more impressive from the Argentinian side as you can get right up close to them, whereas on the Brazilian side you can see them more in perspective from more of a distance and so this is a really great option too.

If you visit Argentina, Brazil or indeed South America, you simply MUST visit Iguazu Falls. Hopefully you will be as dumbstruck and awestruck as I was – in fact I guarantee it.