I was really excited about visiting the Argentinean side of Iguassu Falls. Despite living in Brazil my whole life, I had never been to that place before. The RD Falls Tour Agency organized the trip for me and just before the start of the trip I met Vivian, a joyful and laughing woman who claimed to be the guide. We left at 9 o’clock in the morning and people were anxious about the tour – but Vivian gained our full attention when she started to tell us the history of Iguassu Falls and how is the routine for someone that lives on a three-border country.
Once we reached the Park people started asking Vivian lots of questions and it was really impressive as she could answer all of them. We bought our tickets (around $30 each) and got into the Park.
On our way to the train station that give access to the trails there are several trees with colorful birds! It’s an amazing spot for some photos. Once we were already at the Estación Central (Central Station) we got a train that took us to Estación Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat Station). We took a trail through the trees and this amazing environment was revealed. It was incredible how beautiful that place was. We kept going and reached the place called Devil’s Throat – the place where all the main waterfalls encounter each other. I have to say that I’ve never seen such beauty anywhere else. The sensation you have while looking to that place is unspeakable.
Access
The falls can be reached from the two main towns on each side of the falls: Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) and Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil). If you wish to hike, the Brazilian side offers wonderful trails, which provides a panoramic view on the fantastic nature around the falls. If you are not the hiking type, you can always stay inside the bus – it takes you to an elevator in the end of the trail, getting directly to the falls.
The Argentinian side has built in catwalks, ideal if you are travelling with your family, elderly or people with disabilities. The steel bridges make getting to the falls an easy task for all ages. Also on the Argentinian behalf, there is a train system with three main stations: Estacion Central (at the entrance of the park), Estacion Cataratas (lower circuits) and Estacion Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat).
View and Activities
The both sides offer tourists a peculiar experience when it comes to view points. The Argentinian side offers an outstanding variety of platforms, catwalks and stairways, enabling to see the Waterfalls from every single perspective. The Brazilian side – although showing less variety – has an excellent panoramic position, making it possible to take unique photos.
Some of the main activities are:
- Rappel and Zip-line: Two extreme activities that can be experienced on the Argentinian side – rappel down the waterfall or zip-line through the jungle.
- Boat Ride: Available on both sides, the most popular activity – the boat ride that goes underneath the falls. Be sure to take the ride, or your visit to Iguassu Falls won’t be complete.
- Helicopter Tour: Available only at the Brazilian side, an aerial tour over the falls, enable a singular view on the falls, as you can see it as a whole.
To sum up, either sides are amazingly exceptional with its own particularities. It is up to you to decide which side to visit – but if you cannot make up your mind, make it simple: visit both!
