Porto Iguazu

One of the most powerful waterfalls in the world are the Iguazu falls, a massive cascade that sits on the Argentine-Brazilian border. We decided to check them out from Argentina first.

Our first day in Porto Iguazu was supposed to be a relaxation one, but it ended up being somewhat nonsensical. We needed to get cash one last time, and in the small town of 50,000 or so, there’s not really many options. We went with Western Union again, but everyone else in town has that plan. We lined up an hour and 10 minutes ahead of opening to ensure our spot. It was 35 degrees out too, so thankfully there was shade in the line.

Finally the opening came, and the manager announced that they only have enough cash for 8 transactions. We were 9th in line. Wait and see.

Fortunately for us, and most unfortunate for them, someone ahead tried to withdraw above the individual limit. They got sent away, as well as one more, and we were able to sneak in for the second last spot.

Our hostel was very lovely. It was run my a family who lived behind the hostel. They had a nice pool in the front that we used excessively to cool down while we were there. It was 35 and really humid! Each family member was very welcoming and kind. It was one of our favorite hostels of the whole trip. We went for dinner with a big gang from our hotel. 10 of us went out, and a all had a nice lively conversation about life and travel.

On to the main event. We got up at 6AM for a 6:30 bus departure. We were not sure about a 6:30 bus actually existing, but there were a lot of buses headed the half hour to the falls, and I was really excited. I love waterfalls.

The bus was around seven, which is fine, we were 2 of the three tourists on the bus. We would have the falls all to ourselves. Then the bus started picking up people that looked like staff…

Good tip, before going to a national park, check when it opens. The park doesn’t open till 8. So we waited half an hour for tickets and the gate. Then we booked the boat tour, which didn’t start till 9. I guess I was a little too excited.

We killed time by checking out the visitor centre, which gave us a history on the area. The falls are in the middle of a protected Paranaense rainforest. Only 6% of the rainforest remains, with almost the entire Brazilian section logged and burned for farmland, and most of Paraguay’s as well. The water of the Iguazu river is also brown, which is a recent phenomenon, as all the sediments from the newly cleared land are flooding down the river. These compounds are the reason that the Buenos Aires ocean is brown.

Finally it was time for the boat tour. Almost. We got on a open roofed bus through the jungle down to the docks. We were joined by Jim, a traveler in his 70s who has spent the better part of his retirement travelling. A lovely companion for the ride.

It started raining on us while we were driving out, understandable for a rainforest. It gave the whole thing an Indiana Jones vibe. The whole rainforest, for people who have never been to one, felt like a movie set. That would be a theme moving forward too. It was a really cool experience watching the plants and vines move past, catching glimpses of a yellow flower in the canopy.

We separated from Jim at the boats, trading him in for dry bags and a life jacket. We took off our shoes and some clothes, and prepared for a shower like we had promised. One more thing before the boat though! While boarding, we saw a family of capybara’s hanging out having a swim!

Rio Iguazu is a real jungle river. The dark brown water is wide, fast flowing, and has a lot of large rapids. The banks consist of medium sized cliffs covered in vegetation and moisture with a rocky slope to the water at the base. We were apparently lucky again, as the flow this day was twice that of the average.

Finally we arrived to the waterfalls, and we had our first views in person. Words cannot describe it, so instead here are the pictures. Sorry they’re a little foggy. Its a double flow day.

There was one more surprise to the boats. We were gonna go under the falls and get sprayed! Not directly under, the power of the water is too much. But right beside in the splash zone. It was good fun. We went under in two places, enjoying the soaking.

The afternoon was spent walking around the park. Argentina has set up boardwalks slightly above the ground in the jungle to give you some great viewpoints of the falls. They crossed over rivers, over falls, and over a bunch of vegetation. There were quite a few animals as well. The most common are the monkeys (of the stealing food variety) and coatis, an adorable raccoon possum type thing. We also saw some birds and lizards, as well as some gorgeous butterflies.

The falls were brilliant too. The first loop we did was called the inferior loop. It went across from the falls, so you could get a nice cross sectional view or the Argentine side. We ended up doing this loop twice, as the first time we ahd everyone from the boat rides there, making it super busy. All of the railings were hogged. The second time was much lest crowded, with only 10 people or so at each lookout point.

The second loop is the superior loop, and it is a boardwalk mostly above river, just above where the falls overflow. We saw Jim again here, and must have talked for half an hour or so about travel, life and everything in between. It was a really nice conversation to have, and whether he knew it or not, gave us some nice wisdom from his perspectives of the world.

The views form above on the falls were massive too. We saw a boat head into the splash zone, reminding us of our morning. We could also see just how tall the falls were from above. The final section of this walk, as well as a whole other walk to the “Devil’s Throat,” was wiped out from a flood a month prior.

Exhausted, we took a train back to the entrance gate, cause that’s an option for some reason, and then headed back to the town for some rest.

And that’s our final adventure in Argentina! There was a torrential downpour that evening which was fun to watch. We had a nice morning in the hostel one last time, said goodbye to our friends, and headed to the bus station to a brand new country for Christmas. We will see you across the border!