Braving the spray of Iguazú Falls

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI recently re-visited the Iguazú Falls in Argentina and Brazil. Justifiably said to be one of the natural wonders of the world and a World Heritage site. Earlier this year, after months of drought, the falls had been reduced to a dribble in places; recently the rains came back with a vengeance and the flow became the highest on record. The average flow is 1.7 million litres a second but in June this was up to more than 5 million, more than three times than usual rate. The result is that some of the walkways on the Argentine side have been washed away, including the one that takes you to the ‘Devil’s Throat’ the U-shaped head of the falls. There is still plenty to see and do. I do recommend a plastic poncho when you go to Iguazú, as there is a lot of spray over the walkways and at the many viewpoints. Colourful butterflies abound and cute coati mundi racoons sniff your bags for any tit-bits. The constant shifting light provides mesmerising rainbows when the sun comes out. The word Iguazú, means “big water” in Guaraní the native Indian language, the water flows over 275 separate rocky cascades. At the Devil’s Throat, It is 82 metres (269 feet) high. The falls mark the border between Argentina and Brazil. It is worth seeing both sides, the Brazilian one giving an overall panoramic view, the Argentine a more immersive experience with surrounding jungle. For a high adrenalin adventure we rode an inflatable Zodiac boat ride through the rapids to right below the falls (and got soaked in the process), it was such good fun that we demanded an encore. To plan your adventure click here.

RELATED: New flight opens between Iguazu and El Calafate

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