Big Thunderous Waterfall

Wow! The waterfalls at Iguazu are amazing. I´m not really sure how I can describe them and still do them justice, but one thing I will say is that, having seen them, I´m even more surprised how few people we spoke to before we left had heard of them, especially considering how many people have heard of Niagra. Not trying to take anything away from Niagra falls, but I just don´t see how it can compare to these. They have to be one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world, and although as yet I've not been fortunate enought to see Angel or Victoria falls they would have to be something extra special to top the Iguazu falls.


The falls sit on the border between Argentina and Brazil, at the point where the Igauzu (Iguacu in Brazil) and Parana rivers meet. Legend has it that they were formed when a forest god became enraged as a warrior and his lovers tried to escape dowriver by canoe. In his anger, the god caused the riverbed to fall away in front of the couple creating the huge "Devil´s throat" falls over which the girl fell, and upon hitting the bottom turned into a rock. The warrior survived, and to this day remains at the top of the falls as a tree that still looks down on his fallen lover below. The geological explaination for the falls origins is a little less dramatic. In southern Brazil, the Rio Iguacu passes over a basalt plateau that ends just above its confluence with the Parana. Before reaching the edge of the plateau, the river divides into several "cataratas" which tumble over forming the impressive falls.


The most impressive of them all is the "Devil´s throat", this huge horseshoe shaped falls is incredibly loud and gives a real feeling for the power of the falls as the huge quantities of water thunder over it´s edge and disappear into the mist below - and thanks to some Argentinian engineering, it is possible to get a very close up view of this in action. There is a collection of walkways that have been built a few feet above the river allowing you to walk all the way out from the Argentinian side of the falls to a viewing platform right on the edge of the devils throat. The view, and the sound, when you are stood there is incredible. We tried to capture some of it in picture and on video, but I doubt those clips will do it justice - of course it didn`t help that we could only film for a few seconds before having to hide the camera away again to prevent it getting a soaking from the spray that erupts up from the falls!

In total we spent 2 and a half days visiting Iguazu from both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides. You have to do both sides to see everything. The place works very well with good cooperation from both countries meaning neither has exloited the falls too much. Most of the original jungle environment still remains with only a few paths cut through it to allow visitors to get to the falls from the modern welcome centers, restaurant and hotel that are on offer a further kilometre away on either side. After a helicoptor ride over the falls, jungle walks to get the best view points from both sides, and getting very wet on several viewing platforms (along with the devils mouth platform, there are viewing platforms at 7 or 8 other point in the falls), I think we`ve finally managed to see most of it, and it was a fantastic experience - definitely somewhere I`d like to come back to again and would highly recommend to anyone - especially if you´re currently thinking of heading to Southern Ontario or New York state to see the alternative on offer up there ;-)

Steve