I have always had an affinity for water. Be it at the beach, in the river, or by a pool, I am often to be found near it or in it. And I have always thought that there is something especially magical about a waterfall. So it should come as no surprise that witnessing the mighty falls of Iguazú has been something that has been at the very top of the list of things I have been most excited for in South America. Having now achieved that goal, it is difficult to put the experience into words. This was a place that, to me, was so extraordinarily beautiful as to be overwhelming. Could it be my favourite place on Earth? Very possibly. And it was not just the unimaginable forces of the waters as they cascaded over the plateau that were a marvel to behold. It was the awe and the sheer joy on the faces of the people around us. It was the skies full of butterflies that fluttered along the paths keeping us company. It was the monkeys playing in the jungle canopies overhead and the calls of the toucans perched in the trees. The giant hawks and tiny swallows swooping through the canyons and between the waters to make their nests. And the sun lighting the foaming spray with rainbows. It felt like everywhere I turned was another miracle of natural beauty. But above that, I think the great surprise for me was how much sheer fun it was to visit. We took off in a helicopter, rode a glass elevator up the cliffs, boarded a charming train for a ride through the jungle, off-roaded on an open-top jeep safari, looked straight down the Devil's Throat, felt the whipping spray of the waters on cliffside boardwalks, and got completely drenched on a speedboat adventure directly under the falls themselves.
I'd do it all again in a heartbeat.
A suggested itinerary for visiting Iguazú
There is a lot of advice out there about the "best" way to explore Iguazú Falls. I've only done it one way so can't say for sure if this was the best way. But, for posterity's sake, I will offer an itinerary that I can't imagine could be improved upon. It is worth noting that some people suggest you can visit this area in one or two days (and many gringos we've met along the way haven't had Iguazú on their itineraries at all!), but we had three days and could have had longer. You may also read that the falls are best visited in the wet season or soon after (in March/April), as they are then at peak flow. This may indeed be a more impressive sight (hard to imagine), but they also apparently flow a murky brown colour at that time as the river collects silt and debris. I think the stunningly clear blue/green flow of the river in the dry season would be my pick any day. Plus you get to see the fish from the boardwalks, and the egrets diving under to catch them!
Day 1 - Arrive to Foz de Iguazú, on the Brazilian side of the falls. Assuming the perfect weather conditions and crystal clear skies that we enjoyed, take a scenic flight over the falls to get your first glimpse of them. This vantage will help you to appreciate their enormity and the expanse of the jungle that they are nestled amongst. If this is all you do during your time here, you will not be disappointed. Note you can't do this at sunrise or sunset - the best time is apparently around 3 or 4pm before the glare of the late afternoon sun becomes too blinding (this is exactly when we went up, and we didn't know this until afterwards when we wanted to go again and the guide said we'd already seen it at its best. How fortuitous!).
Day 2 - Engage a taxi for the day to drive you across the border to the Argentinian side of the falls. On this side you will get up close and personal with the falls. There are several trails providing opportunities to walk over and around the falls, as well as the chance to take either a wet or dry boat trip right up to them. There is also an option to swim under one of the smaller falls via one of the longer trails or to take a ferry to an island in the middle of the canyon for a more adventurous hike (neither of which we had time for). You will need a full day on this side, but could easily spend two (the second day's entry is half price).
Day 3 - Say a final farewell to the falls with a shorter walk on the Brazilian side of the falls. This walk includes a boardwalk at the base of the falls looking straight into the Devil's Throat (the most impressive of the 300 odd falls that collectively form Iguazú Falls). It also affords the most expansive view of the falls system. This is because 80% of the waterfalls flow on the Argentinian side of the river, and so are actually best viewed from the Brazilian side. Leaving this to last is a good way of maintaining the sense of wonder each day. You only need a few hours for this walk, but if you have time the nearby bird sanctuary is absolutely worth the other half of a day. There is also an 18km hike through the jungle that is meant to be teeming with wildlife and would absolutely be worth an additional day (and which we did not know about beforehand!).
I suggest this itinerary in the hope that you, reader, will book a trip to visit this incredible place immediately. Seriously, what are you waiting for?
Patient reader wildlife reward
Magnificent 😍😍😍