5 September 2016 / leggypeggy

Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian side

Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls, Oasis Overland, overland travel, water, waterfalls

A catwalk out to the falls

A lot of water on the Brazilian side, even if it has the smaller flow

My mother travelled quite a bit in her later years. Cruises with her mother in the Caribbean and Mediterranean, trips to visit us in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and a journey to South America.

With all those travels, she decided she had two most favourite tourist destinations—the places she thought the most scenic and rewarding. One was the impressive archaeological site of Ephesus in Turkey and the other was the magnificent Iguazu Falls that straddle Argentina and Brazil.

Looking at a stretch of the falls on the Argentine side

Mum saw the falls from the Argentine side, which I have already written about. We’ve been lucky enough to see them from both countries on our travels with Oasis Overland.

People still debate whether the view is more spectacular from Argentina or Brazil. I’m sort of on the fence.

Iguazu Falls are located where the Iguazu River tumbles over the edge of the Paraná Plateau. In terms of area, it is the largest waterfall system in the world. It is 2.7 kilometres long and arranged in a way that resembles a reversed letter ‘J’.

The border between Brazil and Argentina runs through the U-shaped Devil’s Throat, which is something like 1000 football fields in size (if I did the calculations right).

Most of falls (80 per cent) lie on the Argentine side. It’s easier to get up close and personal on that side. The catwalks are longer and get you closer to the famous Devil’s Throat and the San Martin Island. Plus there’s a boat that takes you near to the fall, where you can be guaranteed to get wet.

The falls stretch for 2.7 kilometres with 80 per cent in Argentina

But the Brazilian side has a lot going for it. That side, which we visited second, is more compact. But it gave us great views of the large expanse of Argentine falls and another catwalk that got us really close to the Devil’s Throat.

There was also an option for a helicopter ride over the falls. I suppose it’s not really environmentally sound, but I did it anyway (at Poor John’s urging). My dad was a pilot and I suppose he’d be cross if I passed up any opportunity to fly. I’ll post about that soon.

But overall, I’d have to say that the view from the Argentine side is probably marginally more spectacular, but I’d still do either again any time.

P.S. I’ll post the aerial pics soon because they have great views of the Devil’s Throat.

P.P.S. If all this water is making you thirsty, check out this typical Brazilian drink—caipirinha—on my cooking blog.