Iguazu Falls – Argentina

Pick up was at 07.45 where we joined 8 others, a smart touring van and a guide. We were their last stop as We are based in the forest. About 20 minutes later, arrived at the Argentina side of the falls. Some confusion followed as 6 of the group were booked on the big adventure – the clue is in the name! Fear of missing out the remaining 4 of us opted to do the same….and by the way it is raining. Hesk buys a fetching MAC and I stand smuggly in my Uniqlo rain resistant jacket – big mistake, huge! We board an open air truck with plenty of very wet seats … I wiped mine with a hankie and one of the guides sniggered! Twenty five minutes later in an open top vehicle gradually making its way via a cut through path in the jungle to the river, the rain resistant jacket, resisted no longer! I was very damp, David however remained reasonably dry.

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As a precaution we were all given special dry bags to place our back packs, cameras etc.. another serious clue that left me a little concerned. We boarded the speed boat having donned life jackets. Apparently sitting somewhere in the middle was supposedly the driest spot. Seriously looking back I think they were toying with us. At least it was no longer raining and I didn’t feel quite so wet. Zoomed through the rapids, stopped to view the spectacular falls from below, then told to put phones and cameras in the dry bags. One of the guides questioned my intelligence as to why our shoes weren’t in the dry bag. Too late! They only went right into and under the falls and not one but several different ones…. wasn’t funny at all, water seeped into every area, soggy shorts, knickers worse, water trickling down my front, forget the hair and why did I put mascara on this morning! Seriously think I won the ridiculously most saturated being that disembarked that boat! Moral go with swimmers and flip flops, add a change of clothes to your back pack. At least I had a dry hat which I hid under to disguise the Bridget Jones hair! Stopped for a quick snack and David attracted a new friend from the raccoon family, a Coatis. Drip dry time followed, as we went off on the lower trail to view the falls in a civilised manner! However it took some hours until I was squelch free.

Spotted a Toucan and the odd lizard before getting glances of the falls from another perspective. The best was yet to come.

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We moved onto a train that took us to a one kilometre walk along a purpose built walkway that brought us to the TOP of the falls, the devils throat. Seriously impressive.

On a note for a visitor, no need to book a tour – just get a cab [cabs are inexpensive] to the park and take it from there. You do not need a guide. In this instance we paid around £100 (£208 for 2 days both sides) that gave us a ride to the park, a guide that frankly we would have been as well off without and a ride home. We still had to pay for the entrance fee and the big adventure – fun but wet, wet, soaked! What seems worthwhile if you are a birder / twitcher is taking a private guide to one of their secret locations..

PS had an amazing meal at Aqva – highly recommend, can’t book but turn up and queue.