"Poor Niagara! This makes Niagara look like a kitchen faucett!" Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed when she first saw Iguassu (Iguazu) Falls.
- set in a national park of 500,000 acres in Brasil & 150,000 acres in Argentina
- as the bird flies, it's 100 miles across the park
- 275 falls with an average height of 218 feet span a 1.6 mile precipice
- the falls spew 388,000 gallons a second, on average
- it is the 2nd largest aquifer in the world with 10,000 cubic miles
- the park gets an average of 85 inches of rain a year
- there are 301 species of birds (officially) including migrating birds; 40 to 45 species on average all the time
It is a "must" to do both sides. Doing one side only is only half the experience. So, despite the hassle of getting a Brasilian visa, plan to get the visa in advance and do both sides.
From the Brasilian side you have grand panoramas. Concrete walkways take you on an ever descending path to a wooden walkway that takes you out into the mist to look up and into Devil's Throat.
On the Argentine side, it's "up close and personal". A new train takes you through the park to a series of metal catwalks for a half mile stroll over the water and with resting spots, to the edge of Devil's Throat where the roar of the water is astounding.
The logistics are simple. Arrive and depart Brasil, sleep Brasil. Arrive and depart Argentina, sleep Argentina. Arrive Argentina and depart Brasil, sleep Brasil. Arrive Brasil and depart Argentine side, sleep Brasil unless the flight is early morning.
In the park at the falls on the Brasilian side is the historic
Das Cataratas,
recently taken over by Orient Express and being "Orient Express-dized" as this is being written. When present work stops in August all the public areas and accommodations except in one wing will have been brought up to Orient Express standards. That remaining wing will be renovated during April-August 2010. It is the only hotel on the Brasilian side in the National Park.
On the Argentine side, the
Sheraton is in the National Park, with great long-view vistas of the falls and offers great access to the upper and lower catwalks. While rooms are not spacious, the recently remodeled hotel has all the facilities including a business center, great pool and spa. The big advantage is being right inside the park with close access to the catwalks.
There is a new hotel on the Argentine side (not in the National Park) worth paying attention to - for those who don't want Sheraton because it is a Sheraton and looking for an alternative: the
LoiSuites Iguazu.
Just opened in March, they are still finishing 8 one bedroom villas that will feature views to the river, wrap around decks with jacuzzi and plenty of space. The multiple buildings are tucked away in the rainforest. The accommodations are spacious and took the cue from Explora: there is a window between the bathroom and bedroom allowing you to look from the bathroom across the bedroom out into the rainforest. There are multiple pools, poolside bar and light-fare cafe as well as a restaurant. Future plans include a funicular to the river with boats to take you to the falls.
And for those who want an even more intimate experience, 40 minutes away is
Posada Puerto Bemberg, with only 14 rooms, a pool, a deck sticking out over the rainforest and river, small but excellent restaurant. In addition to visiting the falls, you can hike trails, arrange a boat ride on the river to nearby waterfalls, go biking, enjoy birdwatching or simply relax around the pool and watch spectacular sunsets from the deck.
Iguazu in the language of the Guarani Indian means "Big Water". Indeed it is, and there is plenty to do on both sides.