I have travelled extensively and would put the Iguassu Falls in the top 10 places in the world that you really should not miss. Mrs Roosevelt, wife of the US President, said when she saw them, "Poor Niagara " and that just about sums it up. More striking too than the Victoria Falls or the Angel Falls. We stayed in Das Cataratas Hotel on the Brazil side and spent one day walking Brazil side and one day walking the Argentine side. The force, the power of the water, the spray and the noise. The fact that you can look down the Throat of the Devil from walkways, it is just stunning
The Brazil/Argentine border runs down the deepest point of the river, hence the falls can be seen from either, or better both, countries. The Iguassu Falls form where the Iguassu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau, 23 kilometres upriver from the Iguassu's confluence with the Paraná River (we later saw the Paraná River as it forms the Paraguay/Argentina border) Numerous islands along the 2.7-kilometre-long edge divide the falls into many separate waterfalls and cataracts varying between 197 to 269 ft high. Approximately half of the river's flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo). The edge of the basalt cap recedes by about 3 mm (0.1 in) per year.
On the Brazilian side, there is a walkway along the canyon with an extension to the lower base ofthe Devil's Throat. Helicopter rides offering aerial views of the falls are available from Brazil: however, Argentina has prohibited such helicopter tours because of the adverse environmental impact on the flora and fauna of the falls. There is an entrance fee to the park on both sides. Brazil provides free buses to various points within the park from the park gates, private cars are banned: but some registered guides, like ours, are allowed to bring their own cars into the park. Interestingly our guide was given a GPS transponder at the gate, which is used to ensure that cars comply with the speed limit
The Argentinian access, across the forest, is by a Rainforest Ecological Train. The train brings visitors to the entrance of Devil's Throat, as well as to the upper and lower trails. The Paseo Garganta del Diablo is a 1-kilometre-long trail that brings visitors directly over the falls of the Devil's Throat, the highest and deepest of the falls. Other walkways allow access to the elongated stretch of falls across the forest on the Argentine side
Iguassu is often compared with Victoria Falls in Southern Africa. Iguassu is wider, but is split into approximately 275 discrete falls and large islands, whereas Victoria has the largest curtain of water in the world, at more than 1,600 m wide and over 100 m in height. Strange business defining the "biggest " waterfall . Iguassu affords better views and walkways than Niagara or Victoria and its shape allows for spectacular vistas. At one point you can stand and be surrounded by 260 degrees of waterfalls. The Devil's Throat has water pouring into it from three sides. So you get to the heart of the waterfall and experience the power, the noise and the feel of the falls, and come away more "impressed" than at Victoria Falls. Iguassu just seems much bigger, and was in full flood when we were there.
The Brazilian Side of the Iguassu Falls
Click on any of the thumbnails below to get a bigger photograph
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The Argentine side of the Iguassu Falls. With a guide, the border formalities are very smooth. You avoid the queues, and the guide sorts out your passport stamping in and out of each country
Click on any of the thumbnails below to get a bigger photograph
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If you have made the journey from home to see the falls, then, if you can afford it, then stay at Belmond's Das Cataratas Hotel. It is right in the Park, the only one on the Brazilian side (and far better than the Sheraton, which is the only one in the park on the Argentinean side). You can enjoy the falls after the hordes of tourists have gone for the day, and after all you have come all this way to enjoy the falls - a truly awesome sight. Das Cataratas, claims to be, and is, a five star hotel. The service is excellent. The rooms probably not more than standard for a 5 star (very few have a view of the falls)
There is, in theory, a choice of 3 restaurants - more below of this.
The service round the swimming pool is exceptional, from the speed at which they find you a sun-bed, give you towels to the little snacks that come round during the day
So if I was bowled over by the hotel, what are the "failings"
1.Their check in time is 2pm, and they will not let you into your room, even if it is ready, before that. The lobby area looks like a refugee camp at this time, with waiting guests and their luggage piled up in an unseemly way
2. The A la Carte Restaurant is very good, and the ambiance very atmospheric, particularly if you can eat outside on the terrace. However they will only give you one booking per two days. The "withheld" bookings appear to be released about 4pm each afternoon, and they go round the pool offering them. There has to be a better way of doing it!. The alternatives are substancial snacks in the bar or a buffet
in the main restaurant where breakfast is also served . I don't like buffets, and even the hotel tries to gloss over the' buffet' option, by calling it a barbecue (which it is not, with the vision that barbecue conjures up: it is merely a buffet). You certainly cannot eat elsewhere , as the hotel stands alone and is miles from any other restaurant
Click on any of the thumbnails below to get a bigger photograph
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