Iguazú Falls

I have seen some spectacular natural wonders on this trip, but Iguazú Falls are something else! One of the seven natural wonders of the world, for good reason, and the largest waterfall system in the world. This miracle of creation is nature on the grandest scale, and it left me in awe, feeling very small and, (if you’ll allow me to get philosophical for a moment), feeling mankind’s delusions of grandeur are just that: delusions compared to the majesty with which nature sometimes confronts us!

The falls are deep in the subtropical Atlantic Rainforest, on the border of Argentina and Brazil – which are separated by the Iguazu river. Today we explored the Argentinian side, and our first sight of the falls was at the so-called “devil’s throat”:

To reach the viewpoint we had to follow walkways across the 1km width of the river

The viewing platform was very crowded, but we managed to find a space for the obligatory selfie!

Not visible here, but swifts were darting into the mist and turkey vultures circled overhead

This is but a small part of the full waterfall system, but the power on display was awesome

After lunch, we approached the base of several cascades by boat: a hugely exhilarating experience! We swerved through the rapids, paused for some pictures then, with phones, shoes and other belongings consigned to waterproof bags, headed for a shower! In the mist of the falls, the air became water. We were soaked through, could barely see a thing and all I could hear above the roar of the water was the shrieks of laughter coming from Mum!

The journey through the jungle to reach the boat was also a feast for the senses

As we dried off in the 30 degree heat, we walked around the elaborate network of walkways that connected islands in the river at the top of the falls.

Individual cascades were named after great explorers or figures from the nation’s history. There was also a pair named “Adam and Eve”, due to the paradisiac nature of the place.

Each new vista was spectacular, and the Genesis theme continued with gloriously bright rainbows appearing in the mist.

With our guide Matias, who did a great job of looking after us when it turned out we were the only non-Spanish speakers in the group!

The colours, the power, the scale: photos and videos can only capture these to a small extent.

The area also has a fascinating array of wildlife:

These lizards were a foot or two in length

There were lots of colourful birds, including this magpie

The coatis were seen as a pest: we saw one raiding someone’s picnic!

As in Peru, there were a huge number of butterflies

Estefi found us a lovely hotel, so, after busy days, we have enjoyed unwinding in the pool, bar and restaurant. It’s been the first time on my travels I’ve engaged in more classic holiday pursuits, and I won’t pretend not to have enjoyed it!