Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
The first thing that hit us when we stepped off the bus in Puerto Iguazu was the humidity, even at 8am in the morning it was oppresively hot! Luckily we didnt have far to walk to find accommodation as the town itself is very small. Neither of us slept well on the journey there so it was an opportunity to relax and brace ourselves for the following days visit to the falls.
We found great accommodation at a family residencial home suppling us with the luxury of our own kitchen, tv and stereo. Not one to waste a cooking opportunity we hotfooted to the local fruit and veg shop stocking up on lots of fresh goodies, heaven! With the sun beating down relentlessly we retreated to our room for a siesta (embracing the argentinian culture). Evening was spent sat around the kitchen table, eating home cooked food, listening to music and exchanging travelling experiences with 2 German girls who kept us talking into the early hours.
An early rise, followed by a hearty breakfast we were ready to face the day ahead. A 40min bus ride took us straight to the falls. As it was low season we weren´t faced with long queues and were 1st in line for tickets, allowing us to get straight into the park. First stop was the very informative visitor centre which explained the history and diverse wildlife in the park. Following the park rangers advice we took the green trail.....a 30min walk allowing us to appreciate nature. One of the first things to catch our attention were the Butterflys, there were hundreds! All different colours and sizes, it was like we were in a fairytale, they were beautiful. Secondly were these strange four legged creatures (cant remember their proper names!) with long snouts, they looked a little like ant eaters and were totally oblivious to our presence, which suited us as we heard they sometimes bite and can become quite aggressive....yikes!!
Consulting our map we made our way onward through the park to the lower falls. WOW, OMG were the first words to escape our mouths on first glimpse, the sheer size and power of the falls were amazing and these were the LOWER falls! What added to the spectacle were the numerous rainbows caused by the rising mist as it hit the sun´s rays, truly breathtaking. A trek across a stone path brought us to a boat that made a short trip across the river to the Island of San Martin. Several people in bikinis and swimwear (1 or 2 nudists!) were sunbathing on the small pebble beach. We climbed the steep stairs to the top of the hill and walked the full circuit, again allowing us to appreciate nature, mostly lizards (lots of hazard signs warning you about the snakes, we didnt see any) and many different beautiful birds that we had never seen before.
We managed a 6km trek through the jungle to visit the origins of the Iguazu falls which is now nothing more than a trickle in comparison. A mention of a possible encounter with dangerous animals (i.e. Jaguars) kept us feeling on edge the whole time.
Catching the last train, hoping to avoid the crowds to view the tremendous Diablo Falls, also known as Devil´s Throat. Nothing could have prepared us for the thunderous and sheer power of this attraction. Words can´t justify our sense of awe, its a destination you have to visit in order to appreciate its magnitude. We both felt hypnotised whilst watching the cascade, it was almost as if it was drawing us within. We overheard one guide explaining that due to the recent heavy rainfall the sheer volume had increased significantly. We were able to experience this personally when the wind decided to suddenly change course leaving us and several others drenched.......heavenly!!
Alot of our time was spent in sheer contemplation, often left completely speechless. We were the 1st to arrive and one of the last to leave. An opportunity we nearly missed but thankfully time and fate were on our side. A place we recommend everyone should see at least once in their lifetime.
- comments