Argentina - Iguassu and Buenos Aires -2018

Iguassu Falls – Argentina side

There is a way to cross the border from Brazil into Argentina we had studied as part of researching, which involves catching a public bus to the Brazil border, getting off for immigration checks, waiting for another bus to take us to the Argentinean border and immigration, then wait for yet another bus to take us to Puerto Iguassu? then yet another bus to the entry of Iguassu National Park.

Whilst it’s hugely cheaper, the time taken we thought was way too long, so after talking to the hotel in Brazil, one of them came with us to negotiate a fixed rate for a taxi to take us through all the borders and to the National Park entry.

Apart from being significantly shorter in time, it ended up being the quickest set of border crossings we had experienced in a long time.

From Brazil into Argentina

With all our bags soon stored in lockers, as we were only be visiting for a 4-5 hours before flying to Buenos Aires, we walked to the first of a number of railway stations, where we collected a free ticket to catch a small train to the next station.

Trains within Argentinian Iguassu Falls National Park

Our carriage was full of a large group of extremely happy tourists who sang very loudly as we rattled along the tracks. We were going all the way to the end so we collected yet another ticket and were soon off again.

From the next station, we had to make a 1.5km walk along a timber boardwalk above a very fast flowing river until we reached our objective… The Devil’s Throat.

Standing on walkway across river heading to The Devil's Throat

As we approached the end of the boardwalk and the deafening sound, we could also see we were in luck, the wind was blowing all the heavy mist away from us… we wouldn’t get soaked!

Nearing The Devil's Throat

In front of the railing was the fast flowing river coming towards us before  literally dropping over the curved falls in front of us and disappearing into the mist seemingly below our feet.

The Devil's Throat

It was staggeringly beautiful as we absorbed what we were looking at, the sheer power of this mass of water flowing over the falls.  It was simply mesmerising! 

It was truly hard to leave this spectacular place but we had limited hours so we made the return journey along the boardwalk and one train, where another circuit walk of ~2kms begins.

This time we were greeted with a walk following along the face of where multiple falls cascaded down long drops at viewing points very close to the flowing water.  The Argentinian falls seemed to be a more intimate experience because of how close we were to the spectacle that is Iguassu.

Standing near the edge of the falls

A boa approaching the falls below

With a palpable sense of elation and having collected our bags, we made our way to the airport for our early evening flight to Buenos.

Flight from Iguassu to Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires – Palermo

Having visited Buenos in 2014, we were only having a 2 night stay this time and had chosen to stay in the arty and hip district of Palermo, and as promised by Priscilla, our host during our stay, Roberto was waiting to transfer us from the airport.

Roberto, a very affable elderly gentleman, spoke no English but during our drive kept describing very loudly, well we think that is what he was doing, the various sights along the way.

Once in the hotel, he showed us up a flight of stairs, opened the door to our room, explained where everything was, pointed to some signs telling us when and where breakfast was, then said, “Priscilla morning” and left.

Rob leaving our boutique hotel in morning

Priscilla was a vibrant individual when we met her in the morning and paid for the room, constantly advising us on things we could do and see in Palermo, markets to visit, the best places for coffee and other things to see.

Artwork in great coffee shop in Palermo

She also told us we should consider trying the restaurant at street level directly below because they have good food and happy hour starting from 6:30pm.  She also told us the restaurant had been rated in the top 50 within Latin America.

Priscilla was very open about the current state of the Argentinian economy, which she described as going back into the GFC with very high inflation and a currency out of control.

More street art in Palermo

Enjoying a beer at a roof top bar

Well we took Priscilla’s advice and spent a delightful and relaxing day roaming extensively throughout Palermo until it was time for dinner, so elected to try out the restaurant below us.

We went downstairs at 6:20pm to enjoy happy hour to be met by a queue of people already waiting on the footpath… little odd we thought.  Right on 6:30pm, the doors opened and a man came out.

On hotel balcony with the restaurant below

He explained that happy hour wasn’t what we thought it was, happy hour was the opportunity to get a 40% discount on anything on the menu, so long as we had paid and left the restaurant by 8:00pm.

The Argentinians love their meat, so we both ordered a steak and one side each.  Next lesson about Argentina came when our meals arrived… they were huge, so large in fact that we couldn’t eat it all!

Promptly at 6am next morning, Roberto was again waiting for us to take us to the correct port to catch a ferry to our next destination across the River Plate.

Our route within a small part of Buenos Aires

Whilst our time in Buenos Aires may have been short is was most enjoyable indeed and until the next post… go well.

Brazil Iguassu Falls - 2018

After leaving the Pantanal we headed to one of the worlds natural wonders, located on the borders of Brazil and Argentina by flying into Foz Do Iguacu in Brazil.  After checking into the hotel, we found the local bus terminal and headed for a late afternoon rendezvous with Iguassu Falls.

Flight from Cuiaba to For Do Iguacu, Brazil

Public bus trip from For Do Iguacu to the falls on Brazilian side

After reaching the National Park entrance and buying tickets, you then catch a double decker bus at an allocated time and it takes you to various other attractions before stopping at the start of a 1.5km multi-stair walk down to the face of the falls on the Brazilian side.

The first views of it were stunning… along with the amazing roar of the water and plumes of spray going everywhere!

First sight of the falls we saw at the beginning of the walk

These falls are huge in terms of physical size, for example a few 'falls facts'.  There are 275 individual falls along 2.7kms of the Iguazu River and they average about 64m in height but a few are 82m high.  That wasn't too bad was it.

Shows only a small number of the total falls which make Iguassu

One of the walks you can take is along a boardwalk out towards the middle of the river, just above the surging water flowing away from the falls.

Rob standing on the walkway out towards the base of the falls

We walked out separately so one of us could look after backpacks and stop them getting soaked and soaked we both got but it was exhilarating. Trying to get any photographs was tough because of water constantly falling on camera lenses.

View from the end of walkway

We continued on our walk up to an area directly opposite the falls face, so close you could almost reach the water, our eyes constantly being dragged back to the amazing scene laid out in front of us.

No matter where we walked, we were not only kept company by LOTS of other tourists but also by the cute looking Coatis running around between people or climbing up onto handrails, their mission… food.

Rob and coati 'friend'

There were warning signs everywhere to not try to pet or feed the Coatis because they can bite and do a lot of damage.

With the sun setting and the park drawing close to closing time, we caught a bus back to the park’s entrance and then caught a local bus back into town and ready ourselves for a return visit next day.

We followed the same routine to find ourselves back on exactly the same buses and walking tracks, but this time much earlier in the day, so the sun shone differently onto the falls.

With more time available we slowed ourselves down and took more time simply watching in awe the spectacle that lay in front of us… truly breathtaking!

Truly stunning

With many more photos under our belts and many hours, we reluctantly left the Brazilian side of the falls, a storm forming on the horizon.

A short walk from the Park’s entrance is a bird park, highly recommended to us, so with the storm heading towards us, we found ourselves standing in front of many very exotic birds, some of which we hope to see in the wild later in this trip.

Here are just a few photos of what we saw…

The very majestic Harpy Eagle

With rumbling sounds directly above us, we boarded yet another local bus back into town and made it back to the hotel just as the rain came pouring down and continued into the night.

Our enjoyable time in Brazil had come to an end as we prepared to cross the border into Argentina next morning.

Go well!