8th – 10th February

**Spoiler alert – no mention of food in this post!**

The 22hr bus ride from Cordoba to Puerto Iguazú was the best yet, unfortunately no bingo or videos until 2am but seats that fully reclined and essentially turned into beds. So, after a full 10 hr sleep (for Jase) we arrived refreshed at the most north easterly town in Argentina, Puerto Iguazú. This small town serves as a hub to the nearby Iguazú Falls which provides a natural border between Argentina and Brazil (and is one of the seven natural wonders of the world).

Checking into Hotel Saint George we were too late to visit the falls so we spent the afternoon on loungers in the 90 degrees sun – relaxing for the first time by a pool with a beer seeming a long way from those dark nights in wet tents on the Inca Trial. The only downside was the pool side bar music which consisted of various lounge music covers of Queen, Rolling Stones, Madonna, Depeche Mode, The Cure, A-Ha, Bob Marley, Guns n Roses with Radio Ga Ga seemingly on repeat!

Iguazú Falls – Argentinean Side

First the science (from Wikipedia!)

‘Iguazu Falls is located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau, 23 kilometres (14 mi) upriver from the Iguazu’s confluence with the Paraná River. Numerous islands along the 2.7-kilometre-long (1.7 mi) edge divide the falls into numerous separate waterfalls and cataracts, varying between 60 to 82 metres (197 to 269 ft) high. The number of these smaller waterfalls fluctuates from 150 to 300, depending on the water level. About half of the river’s flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese). The Devil’s Throat is U-shaped, 82 metres high, 150 m wide, and 700 m long.’

On Sunday, we got a bus to the Argentinean side which allows you to get up close to the falls. We started our trek with 100s of other sightseers in searing heat walking along the Sendero Verde (Green Path), past the Estacion Cateratas and onto the Paseo Superior which takes you to a number of walkways and viewing points above the falls to see the water crashing down below.

Along the way there were also a number of coatis (raccoon relatives) that were mixing with the visitors but with signs everywhere not to feed or stoke them as they have a nasty bite and scratch. Give us a friendly squirrel anytime!

After taking in the view from the top of the falls we then dropped to the Paseo Inferior which winds down through the forest to take you to the bottom of the falls and cools you with the mist from the cascading water.

Not cool enough, we jumped onto a boat trip that took us up even closer to the bottom of the falls. Wondering how wet we would get, our question was soon answered as we were given a waterproof ruck sack for all our belongings and the skipper and photographer appeared in head to toe waterproofs. As soon as we were all on board, the speed boat set off at full throttle straight into and under one of the smaller falls and we all got drenched. We then shot round to a larger fall and the captain headed the boat directly into the middle of the falling water, disappearing from view of the spectators on land. We emerged soaked through but in the heat we were almost dry within the hour as we took the Jungle Train and squelched our way across platforms to the Garganta del Diablo for our final spectacular photocall. We then headed back to our hotel in Puerto Iguazú for more sun and late afternoon radio ga ga.

Iguazú Falls – Brazilian Side

If Argentina has the up close experience of the falls, then Brazil boasts the panoramic views. So, with passports in hand, we hopped over the border. With buses more irregular, our trip to Brazil was short-lived as we had just 60 minutes to see the sights. Luckily, it was much quieter than on the Argentinian side so we careered round in the soaring heat to take in a widescreen view of the falls we had visited up close the day before – all culminating in another falls-edge moment at the inner edge of the Garganta del Diablo.

With no time to spare we then jumped on the bus and were back in Argentina within 3 hours of leaving (our shortest time in any country ever!) and headed back to our hotel to make the most of the pool… and of course all we heard was radio ga ga….