Iguazu Falls Argentina
“Iguazu” meaning “big waters” -from the Guarani language
I had a tear in my eye when the plane hit the tarmac in Argentina and I’m not ashamed. Maybe it was because I was tired as the flight from Fortaleza, Brazil to Buenos Aires is long and tiring. Maybe it was a sense of relief as we finally made it to the country I’ve dreamed about for years or it could have been an emotional response knowing that I was finally going to drink as much Malbec as my little heart desired for a ridiculously cheap price!
After spending two days in Buenos Aires doing errands and getting ready to explore the country, we hopped on a bus and spent the next 17 hours riding North to Puerto Iguazu to explore the famous Iguazu Falls.
Buenos Aires Street Life
First, let me tell you there are four main ways to arrive in Puerto Iguazu from Buenos Aires. You can rent a car, fly, book a day tour or do what we did and board a bus. For the last two years, we’ve been exploring in our van and 18 ft travel trailer, so we opted to take the bus and enjoy the view whilst someone else drove. There are pros and cons to each mode of transportation so you’ll have to decide what’s right for you if you come.
If you decide on the bus route, let me suggest that you go directly to the Terminal de Omnibus Buenos Aires to book your ticket and pay with Argentine Pesos. It’s in your best interest to pay for everything in Pesos as the economy in Argentina is collapsing with inflation over 50% and changing everyday. Good for the tourist, not so for the residents.
After a tiring overnight bus ride, we walked to Casa Folks, our home for two days. We highly recommend this beautiful B & B as it’s in a central location and Sebastian and Juan are so much fun and helpful.
The town itself is located in the province of Misiones and is home to the Three Borders Landmark indicating the point where the Iguazu and Parana rivers meet at the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. The Tancredo Neves Bridge connects Puerto Iguazu to its neighbouring Foz do Iguazu in Brazil.
The area is home to the Guarani, who also inhabit both adjacent Brazil and Paraguay. The Guarani, similar to many Indiginous communities throughout the world, continue to face many challenges including poverty, discrimination, marginalization and abuse in many forms. You’ll see many Guarani women and children selling their crafts around the main square in Puerto Iguazu and along the highways in the surrounding areas.
Don’t be surprised to have little children come up to your table when you’re eating and beg for food or try to sell you their little wooden trinkets. I always find it fascinating watching tourists navigate this type of situation. Some are disgusted by the behaviour and others heartbroken.
I don’t even pretend to understand all the nuances and complexities of the Guarani but what I do know is that I come from privilege and if a child asks for food - I’m going to hand over my “papas frites”!
There are a few places to visit in the area like the museum or the artisanal fair held on the weekends, but the highlight trip has to be Iguazu Falls. You can access the Falls by both the Argentine and Brazilian sides and we highly recommend you do both. We took the bus to both areas from the Puerto Iguazu terminal at a nominal fee.
The Iguazu Falls, a designated UNESCO site since 1984 and one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World, is jaw-dropping spectactular. Remember, I’m from Canada. We have Niagara Falls and they are beautiful in their own right, but they can’t hold a candle to the Iguazu Falls.
Iguazu Falls Argentina
The Iguazu Falls consists of 275 cascades that are derived from the Iguazu River and the surrounding jungle is home to a variety of butteries, birds and mammals. As mentioned, we walked both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the Falls giving us two different perspectives and experiences. Unfortunately, the most impressive “Devil’s Throat”, on the Argentine side was closed as the walkway broke during a Spring storm but my disappointment didn’t last long. It was truly mesmerizing.
Although it’s a heck of a journey getting to this area of the country, it is well worth it and we highly recommend it. For more on our Iguazu Falls trip, watch our Youtube video here:
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Chao!
Kelly & Brent
