Iguazú Falls: The New Wonder of Nature

Six Months in South America, Part 7

After quickly leaving the country in 2020, I wasn’t sure when I would return to Brazil. The country holds a place in my heart after we went through the first few months of the pandemic together. I used the Portuguese word saudade to describe when I had to leave in May 2020. 

At the time, I wrote on my blog:

Saudade signifies an intense feeling of longing. People often use it when they want to say, “I miss you.” But it is deeper than that. I could use the word “nostalgia” which would be a good attempt, but it isn’t enough.

I feel a heaviness in my chest when I think about Brazil—how beautiful and biodiverse it is, the welcoming kindness of its residents, the friends I made, the things I got to do and see. And then I think of all the things I never did and never will. Brasil, eu adoro. I will be back.”

And then, three years later, I was on a plane after touring northern Patagonia and heading to the border of Argentina and Brazil. It took a couple bus rides and a quick customs crossing, and I was back to the first South American country I’d ever visited. 

Kim and I had arrived at Iguazú Falls, one of “the New Seven Wonders of Nature.” 

An Unesco World Heritage site, Iguazú Falls sits at the borders of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. Both Argentina and Brazil take care of the national park, which is one of the most visited spots in the region. 

Iguazú Falls is a chain of hundreds of waterfalls, nearly three kilometers (almost two miles) in length. There are two sides to the park: the Argentine side (which is much larger) and the Brazilian side (which allows you to get closer to the spray). 

We began with the Argentine side. You can take several pathways through the park including the Circuito Inferior and the Circuito Superior. Boat rides to a small island, San Martin, are available, as well as jeep treks in the surrounding jungle. The highlight is walking out to the Garganta del Diablo, a 1.1km walkway that takes you right over the falls. 

A park ranger told us the best route to see the park is to start by walking the Circuito Inferior. This gives you great views of all the waterfalls from far away. Then, you’ll walk the Circuito Superior and actually walk over several falls, while seeing more in the distance. 

To end, you’ll take a little train to the Garganta del Diablo, which is the fiercest part of the falls. This area is definitely more crowded but worth the hype.

 Kim and I stayed in Iguazú, Argentina, where there are plenty of hotels, hostels, and air bnbs to choose from. To get to the Brazilian side of the park, we took a bus from the main bus station in Iguazú, went through a customs checkpoint, waited for another bus to pick us up, and then headed to the park, which had lockers where we stored our luggage. 

We spent a few hours at the Brazilian side, which is much smaller than the Argentine park. We were able to head out on walkways to get right next to the spray, where many tourists were soaked from the falls. At both parks, we saw tons of wildlife, including mischievous coatis who would snatch food right from visitors’ hands and bags.

Overall, I preferred the Argentine park, mostly because there was more hiking and better views. However, you can’t go wrong with either side, and if you’re in the area, a visit to this new wonder of nature cannot be missed. 

I was afraid I would never come back to Brazil, so I’m grateful I began my return trip at Iguazú Falls. The park lived up to and ultimately surpassed all expectations, and I would go back which says a lot about a place for me.

Thanks for reading the Six months in South America series! Stay tuned for next week when I go surfing in Rio and get body slammed by some rogue waves.