Before leaving for Paraguay, we would have a small detour back to Argentina and then Brazil so we could visit the renown Iguazu waterfalls. We knew the waterfalls are visible from both countries, but we did not know which were the prettiest views and no one we met who had already visited it could help us much – they all seemed to have enjoyed the view from both sides. So we did like most people do, we visited the cataratas del Iguazú in the Argentinian side and the next day we drove past the border to Brazil to visit the brasilian cataratas de Iguaçu. We can now state that both countries offer stunning if different views of the waterfalls.
The Iguazu waterfalls are claimed to be one of the largest waterfalls in the world (together with Victoria and Niagara falls). Just for the numbers, the falls comprise over 275 cascades. Approximately half of the river’s flow falls into a long and narrow chasm called the Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo) which is U-shaped, it is 82 metres high, 150 metres wide, and 700 metres long. Regardless of the numbers, we guarantee that they are indeed large and impressive.
We started by visiting the Argentinian side, and were delighted by the proximity that the visit allows. Argentina has built walk platforms that allow the visitor to reach very close to the Garganta del Diablo.
It is so close that one gets completely soaked. There are other trails, all of them offering generous point of views of the falls. The feeling we had, was that in Argentinian side we experienced the Iguazu at its closest.
Next day we went to the Brazilian side, and we wondered how could these falls impress us more from this side after the spectacular visit we had the day before. And then we understood it.
The Brazilian trail starts much further away from the falls and it is then that we finally have an overview of the entirety and immensity of the falls. We get to see in one gaze several of the cascades that together create the huge fall and that view is unique. Further along the trail, we end up approaching the base of the Devil’s throat and that is, like the Argentinian side, impressing and wet!
From our experience we believe that it is worth to visit the Iguazu from both sides, and each side will offer a special moment, that is, if you don’t mind to get soaked!
