Day 143-144: Part 2 Road Trip (Iguazu)
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Today we arrived to our main destination, the Iguazu Falls in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina. Upon arriving we checked into Hostel Inn and headed to an area called the Three Frontiers, which is where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet along the Parana River.
The falls are located along the border of Brazil and Argentina. Within a mile and half, there are over 275 separate waterfalls which draw visitors to national parks located on each side of the border. Due to Brazil's visa requirements for Americans, we were only able to see the falls from the Argentina side (Brazil charges a reciprocity tax to US, Canadian, and Australian citizens - $140 - to cross the border). That being said, about 2/3rds of the falls are located with in the Argentina side and we were still able to get a great view of the waterfalls.
To enter the Iguazu National Park there is a fee of U$25. Within the National Park there are many different activities you can choose from ranging in price. Your park entrance includes all of the trails, catwalks, ferry to the island and train to the top of the falls. But there is one company within the park that offers premium excursions, Iguazu Jungle. Their offerings include a jungle safari, two different boat excursions (short/long) and/or a float trip along the river (from U$25 to U$60). We had heard the Jungle Safari was isn't worth the time or money since you can see the wildlife easier along the hiking trails up to the falls.
The short boat ride lasted around 12 minutes and takes you around both sides of the island, under two of the cascading waterfalls. We knew we were going to be doing this so we bought rain ponchos beforehand, not wanting to be wet for the rest of the day. They provided us with a large waterproof bag to keep your belongings dry, which was completely necessary. I would recommend this boat ride because it's a memorable experience. Just remember you will get SOAKED!
The island of San Martin is located directly in the center of two grouping of waterfalls. After you ride the ferry across you can take a swim in the roped off area (although the water was freezing when we went). From the bottom, you need to climb the stairs and more stairs and more stairs to the top of the island. From the island you can walk to two viewing locations. The side towards Brazil was nothing special, you didn't see any waterfalls just a bunch of vultures and their nest. The other side was better but still not the best view of the waterfalls. It was a change of scenery but if you're short on time you can skip it and you wouldn't miss much.
There are 6 or 7 different walking paths you can take within the national park, but be aware that some close earlier in the day that others. On the Argentinean side, there are two cat walks. The first hovers over the top of a series of Argentinean only waterfalls, but the second is the main attraction. It takes you to the top of The Devil's Throat, which is between Argentina and Brazil. The Devil's Throat is a U shaped basin where an enormous amount of water comes barreling down. It's 82 meters high (269 feet) and 700 meters in length (2300 feet or about 7 US Football fields).
Finishing off our day we took one of the last float tips back down the river. The sun was setting and the colors were beautiful. Along the float we were able to see native birds, crocodiles and fish. Our tour guide was excellent, announcing everything in Spanish and English, and stopped for us to take pictures and ask questions.
You can visit the park all year round, but I think we picked the perfect time to visit. It was not to hot like it is in the summer, yes still humid but not as bad as it could have been. We got to the park at opening and were one of the last to leave and never had to wait in line for more that 5 minutes for our boat rides or the train rides.
Stats:
Total Drive Time = 16 hours
Total Distance = 1200 km
# of Toll Booths (Cost) = 8 (U$5.80)
# of Police Stops = 7
# of Tickets = 1
The falls are located along the border of Brazil and Argentina. Within a mile and half, there are over 275 separate waterfalls which draw visitors to national parks located on each side of the border. Due to Brazil's visa requirements for Americans, we were only able to see the falls from the Argentina side (Brazil charges a reciprocity tax to US, Canadian, and Australian citizens - $140 - to cross the border). That being said, about 2/3rds of the falls are located with in the Argentina side and we were still able to get a great view of the waterfalls.
To enter the Iguazu National Park there is a fee of U$25. Within the National Park there are many different activities you can choose from ranging in price. Your park entrance includes all of the trails, catwalks, ferry to the island and train to the top of the falls. But there is one company within the park that offers premium excursions, Iguazu Jungle. Their offerings include a jungle safari, two different boat excursions (short/long) and/or a float trip along the river (from U$25 to U$60). We had heard the Jungle Safari was isn't worth the time or money since you can see the wildlife easier along the hiking trails up to the falls.
The short boat ride lasted around 12 minutes and takes you around both sides of the island, under two of the cascading waterfalls. We knew we were going to be doing this so we bought rain ponchos beforehand, not wanting to be wet for the rest of the day. They provided us with a large waterproof bag to keep your belongings dry, which was completely necessary. I would recommend this boat ride because it's a memorable experience. Just remember you will get SOAKED!
The island of San Martin is located directly in the center of two grouping of waterfalls. After you ride the ferry across you can take a swim in the roped off area (although the water was freezing when we went). From the bottom, you need to climb the stairs and more stairs and more stairs to the top of the island. From the island you can walk to two viewing locations. The side towards Brazil was nothing special, you didn't see any waterfalls just a bunch of vultures and their nest. The other side was better but still not the best view of the waterfalls. It was a change of scenery but if you're short on time you can skip it and you wouldn't miss much.
There are 6 or 7 different walking paths you can take within the national park, but be aware that some close earlier in the day that others. On the Argentinean side, there are two cat walks. The first hovers over the top of a series of Argentinean only waterfalls, but the second is the main attraction. It takes you to the top of The Devil's Throat, which is between Argentina and Brazil. The Devil's Throat is a U shaped basin where an enormous amount of water comes barreling down. It's 82 meters high (269 feet) and 700 meters in length (2300 feet or about 7 US Football fields).
Finishing off our day we took one of the last float tips back down the river. The sun was setting and the colors were beautiful. Along the float we were able to see native birds, crocodiles and fish. Our tour guide was excellent, announcing everything in Spanish and English, and stopped for us to take pictures and ask questions.
You can visit the park all year round, but I think we picked the perfect time to visit. It was not to hot like it is in the summer, yes still humid but not as bad as it could have been. We got to the park at opening and were one of the last to leave and never had to wait in line for more that 5 minutes for our boat rides or the train rides.
Stats:
Total Drive Time = 16 hours
Total Distance = 1200 km
# of Toll Booths (Cost) = 8 (U$5.80)
# of Police Stops = 7
# of Tickets = 1
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