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conscious time.

If you get off at the first stop, it's about a twenty-minute walk to the end of the trail, although this will likely be more than an hour with the numerous stops you'll make along the way to take in the views. The furry, inquisitive creatures you'll encounter along the way are Coatis; they're very cute, popular and tame enough to pose for photos, but be a little careful - they're wild, somewhat lacking in manners and will snatch food and belongings given the chance.

It's probably fair to say there's more to do over on the Argentine side of the Falls; you can get closer to the smaller ones and take boat trips out between them (more soakings). However, the Brazilian side is all about the views; what it lacks in intimacy, it makes up for in awe many times over. As such, there's little to offer by way of specific recommendations except to take your time and take it all in - the scale of the waterfalls and the mass of water rushing by is hard to comprehend, and there's a good few hours of gaping to be had here. When you're ready to head back out of the park, jump on the same shuttles that brought you out for the return trip. If you didn't pay a visit on the way in, there are some neat exhibits at the visitors' centre that will perhaps be appreciated more after visiting the Falls, put in the context of first-hand experience.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Worth the Journey? ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In short, yes - absolutely. However, there are of course some considerations - even if you can afford to get the time and money to make a trip to South America, the Iguazu Falls are still a fair way from either Rio or Buenos Aires - that said, they're in a good position if you're intending to head from one of these major cities to the other; an excellent trip in itself. Perhaps the best way to do this would be to go by air and bus; the latter is about a 24-hour trip from the Iguaz area to either Rio or Buenos Aires, although you could probably break this en route. Flights cost around 50-100, and a few airlines fly this route; Aerolineas Argentinas seem a consistently good option.

Being rather short of time on my visit, I was only able to visit one side of the Falls, and certainly don't regret my decision to go for Brazil. With a bit of pre-planning, you should be able to make space for the extra day that'll allow you to see both sides, and I'd recommend this; it's not just the cataracts that are so impressive, but equally the lush forests around them, and hopping across the border affords extra opportunity to explore these. If you're spending longer in the area, Itaipu Dam isn't far north of Iguaz, and is likely worth another day-trip.

If you can work the Falls into your itinerary, you'll be glad of it. Such spectacles of pure natural power are rarely as immense or intense as this, and if the size of the falls knock Niagara into a hat, the beautiful tropical surroundings do it twice over. Poor Niagara indeed.

Learn more about this author, Nick Adams.
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