WOW! The Breathtaking Majesty of Iguazú Falls: Wet and Wild
I keep looking at synonyms for amazing. South America has some amazing places. The Galápagos Islands are amazing. Chilean fjords are amazing. It’s all just so amazing, different, weird, gorgeous, unique.
Yes, there are other countries and states with protected land. But none have protected hundreds of thousands of hectares of land and everything living in it.
So, it is with Iguazú Falls. This space was once owned by one very rich man, the land including the falls. In 1934 the Argentinian President declared the Falls a national park. The government took the land back to maintain it and make it accessible for all. Creating an enormous park safe from any human development. The Guarani occupied it then and now.
Iguazú Falls are divided between Brazil (20%) and Argentina (80%). Two very different sides of the same coin.
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February 20 8:15pm EST
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Iguazú Falls were named a UNESCO Heritage site in 1986 and Seventh Wonder of the World. This is good but increased tourism significantly. They are HUGE – height, depth, sounds, volume of water. The sound of the falls is definitely a roar you hear before you see it. The volume of water flowing over the cliffs varies but can be 24million liters of water per second. This is 16 times higher than the daily average of 1.5million liters per second.
You can see and hear the wildlife in the park. It is diverse from beautiful butterflies and birds to monkeys and coati as well as many fish. Other animals are nocturnal, and you’ll never see including puma and jaguars. The flora and fauna make up a jungle which grows deep and thick left untouched by humans. For more information, please see Wikipedia.
The Iguazú Falls experience is beautiful, awesome, and striking. It is also very hot, humid, and close especially on the Argentina side. Walkways get full. Slow, large tour groups make the heat and humidity seem worse. There is a fair amount of walking without seeing or hearing the Falls to get to over looks.
January and February are the hottest months in Northern Argentina. The temperature at Iguazú Falls was 95F with 80% humidity. My clothes were soaked with sweat before noon. There are places along the pathways to stop, rest, get something to eat or drink and cool down. But it hits you again as soon as your start walking. Just be aware as you are planning your travels.
The Brazilian side offers spectacular views of the Argentina side. It is shorter with a wider path including wonderful walkway out and over the river and close to the Falls.
If I was going to go again I would:
Go through a tour company to get me to and from Buenos Aires including a tour guide – perhaps private to move a little more quickly.
Enjoy the Brazil side with the helicopter ride. After walking the Brazil side enjoy the lunch buffet overlooking the river and falls.
Take a ride over the three corners where Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay meet and the Parana and Iguazú river meet to head to the Falls.
Call it a night and enjoy a hotel with a nice pool and restaurant.
Next day do the boat ride into the Falls and wander a bit. I didn’t feel it was necessary to do the lower and upper trails on the Argentina side.
