The Greatest Waterfall System in the World

It’s now my second time there, and it never ceases to amaze me. It’s like being in the Avatar movie, and even more unique. What you experience when you start walking the path along the stretch of waterfalls is just sublime. Undescribable.

It’s not my first time at a place like this. I was fortunate enough to have visited Niagara Falls, have camped at the top of Mount Roraima (which inspired the movie UP), as well as at several waterfalls across “La Gran Sabana” in Venezuela. This is just something different. In here you really experience the power of nature, of God, and how small we are compared to it.

Qoatis, a friendly hommie!

“Small but not powerless”.  Just the idea that we, humans, are now able to visit and transit a placelike this, really blows my mind. Any of Iguazu National Park’s attractions, it’s an expression of human resolution-to go kayaking on the Iguazu river right below more than 200 waterfalls, or simply staying put while getting soaking wet below the biggest fall of all, “La Garganta del Diablo”. Yes, you can actually walk right below it, like 30 meters apart from it.

Getting to Iguazu is not as straight-forward as you might think, considering is one of the World’s 7 Wonders (or used to be?, I don’t remember). Although it sits almost in the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, there’s no direct flight to it. Also, considering South America’s flight costs and driving distances from main cities, it’s not that easy to come here. But it’s totally worth it. 

My parents and I drove from Asuncion to Ciudad del Este, Paraguay’s border city with Brazil. A 5 hour-drive along a narrow road, with pretty scenery. Very Pretty! If you get to do it, don’t hesitate to stop at Lactolanda, about an hour and a half before arriving to Ciudad del Este. It’s a small dutch community that settled in Paraguay many years ago and founded a dairy company called Lactolanda (that’s actually not the name of the place, but I couldn’t remember it), pretty popular in here. Get an ice cream there, they are unbelievable. Also, the experience of gettin to know the locals (blond haired, very blue eyes) is very interesting.

Ciudad del Este is even more interesting. I was actually impressed, as it’s a city and not a big, border town. It’s a big city! but the area surrounding the border it’s just insane! INSANE. The street that turns into the bridge that crosses into Brazil is just borderline crazy. The traffic, the amount of people and motorcycles and trucks just coming out from every corner is just too much for a first-world tourist (beware). But it’s quaint. I liked it.

If you come from Paraguay into Brazil, they don’t even ask you to roll down your window at the border. NOTHING! We actually went and crossed the border for ice cream at 11 pm, just because we craved a Brazilian ice cream chain. Yep, as easy as that.

So crossing the border into Brazil, you will reach PARADISE in about 15-20 mins. The Park is extremely organized and clean, and you will probably not feel in Latin America anymore (not judging Latinos, but it’s a reality). We only walked, but there’s plenty of activities to do, so you can probably stay for even 2-3 days to fully enjoy it all. You can even stay inside of the National Park, at a very beautiful yet expensive hotel called “Las Cataratas de Iguazu”, cliché.

If you are travelling to either Argentina, Brazil or Paraguay, and want to experience rainforest and waterfalls, yet in a confortable way, come to Iguazu. The driving or flying there is totally worth it!!