Iguazu Falls

Some years after my trip to Argentina, I return to this country as an appendix to a Tour of Brazil. In fact, I cross into Argentine territory to visit the splendid Iguazu Falls, which mark the border with Brazil. On the advice of the reception of the Guest House where we stayed at Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, my travel companion and I take a bus to the Argentine border, where we get off to fill in the entry form. The two customs areas (Brazilian and Argentine) are separated by a bridge that crosses the Iguazu. Once the quick entry formalities are done, we wait with other tourists for a bus to arrive under the shelter. In theory the ticket bought in Brazil can be used for the onward journey, but this is only possible if we board a bus of the same company. Since all the buses pass except ours, we decide to pay for the ticket again and board a vehicle of another company.

The bus drops us at a stop near Puerto Iguazú and from here we take a new bus and a new ticket to the falls. On arriving at the entrance to the falls we buy the ticket, more expensive than the one on the Brazilian side, and go in. The falls are splendid, and from here it is possible to reach the Devil's Throat, the most spectacular point where the falls plunge with all their power into the gorge. To get there you have to follow a long but well-equipped path that often allows you to enjoy panoramic views of various interesting points. Along the way we also meet several coatis. To reach the top of the Devil's Throat you take a little train. In this park we met a couple, a brother and sister from Anacapri, who joined us. It is very hot, but the sight of the falls is truly rewarding. I had already seen Niagara and Victoria Falls, but these are decidedly more beautiful and larger.

At the end of the visit, since there were four of us to share the costs, we opted for a taxi to take us to the border. Here, however, we parted ways, because we had to re-obtain the Brazilian visa while they did not need to. We then waited a while before a bus passed to return to our accommodation at Foz do Iguaçu (see the related BRAZIL itinerary).