I’m not really into waterfalls. I wouldn’t travel to see one around the world… until now! If I’m at a destination and a waterfall is a highlight, I would for sure visit it. I’ve seen the Niagara Falls that way and many smaller and also other nice waterfalls around the world. But have I experienced a waterfall yet, where I would buy a flight ticket for, just to go and see this one? Yes! I have now! The Iguazu Falls in Brazil are massive and worth to plan your next holiday around.
Tips for Visiting Iguazu Falls in Brazil
There are different ways to see the falls and I can highly recommend you to plan in at least three days to experience the falls in its full size and possibilities.
Start with the Brazilian side and you will get your first “Wow” effect. Get out your comfy shoes and walk along the shore of the river. It’s a beautiful scenic walk and you should be prepared to get wet, even on sunny days.
The falls are so massive and got so much power, that the water drops flies dozens of meters after hitting the ground for the first time. So don’t forget your rain jacket and maybe a good cover for your camera.
Explore your way forward and start at the furthest point away. You will get some really nice views of the falls on the Argentinian side.
After a couple of hundred meters you will reach a lookout platform and that’s where you can get really close to the falls and on different levels. But not just that, you will also be able to see it from different angles and that’s where you are going to get wet, if you like. And you should like it! 😉
The different views are amazing and will make this trip worth it for the first, but not last time.
Experience Iguazu Falls By Boat (and Prepare to Get Soaked!)
Do it!
We were a bit unlucky for that one, as there was just too much water coming down and we couldn’t make it all the way to the bigger falls. The river had a strong current, so we could only get really close to smaller side falls, which was still good fun.
Some of our group didn’t feel safe, but I’ve done and experienced the one or other action adventure and I didn’t feel uncomfortable on the boat at all. I also saw no bigger risk and would recommend you, going for this ride… unless you feel uncomfortable getting wet.
Other Ways to Experience Iguazu Falls in Brazil or Argentina
One would be wild water rafting. I haven’t done that, as there was just too much water, which makes it a bit more boring. Really? Yes! There was so much water that the rocks didn’t slowed it down, which makes the boat just ride over the rocks with a good speed, but with less bumps.
But why should you go wild water rafting, if you have half the fun, right?
So I chose another exciting activity!
Abseiling!
I’ve done some serious and adventurous abseiling in Wadi Rum, Jordan. That was awesome and set my expectations limits quite high. How to top that?
But it’s not about topping an experience, it’s about enjoying each single one.
And I’ve enjoyed the hanging in front of the Iguazu Falls.
It was a looooong hang!
You’ll do the abseiling from a platform, which is about 50 meters high. Another option was to do it from a smaller waterfall, but that one was unfortunately closed, because there was just too much water.
Get to the abseiling step by step and start with a round in the climbing garden. Get comfortable with the heights and finish that round with a jump from a 5 meter high pole to a bar, which is ‘only’ 1,5 meters away. But let me tell you, that it is much tougher than it sounds.
It’s not really the jump to the bar, but standing on top of that pole with nothing to hold on, which gets your adrenaline pumping. But don’t worry, you are attached to a safety rope all the time.
Next is the 50 meter drop abseil!
If you have never done that before, it’s the first step, the leaning outside and backwards, which creates some serious excitement. You’ll handle the speed and everything yourself and there will be someone at the bottom who is able to stop you from falling down in free fall.
I’ve missed the wall where to jump away from while dropping down. But still it was fun. As there wasn’t a wall, that gave you actually more of a feeling being high above ground.
And then there was the view!
Stop in between and take a look what is around you! You won’t find many sceneries in the world who are that spectacular, especially not while hanging in the air!
It seems that too much water isn’t too good to experience the Iguazu Falls, because many activities are closed or no fun?
Well, that’s wrong. Get your second “Wow” effect on the Argentinian side.
