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Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (75) Located about 18-km (12-miles) from Puerto Iguazu on the Parana River, between Brazil and Paraguay, the Itaipu Dam is the world's largest electric power generating station. When you place a 5-mile wide and 640 foot high dam across the second largest river in South America (after the Amazon) you are bound to tap into a lot of energy! It is equivalent in water flow to damming the Mississippi River in the United States.
The dam was built, and it's generators added, over a number of years stretching from 1974-91, with the last two of it's twenty units only recently being added. Although half of the generators feed into Paraguay, most of the dam's output (95%) finds it's way to Brazil and it's insatiable economy. Altogether, the twenty units rated at 700 MW each produce 14,000 MW of electricity, enough power to feed half of the maximum demand of New York State. By comparison, the 17 generators at the world-famous Hoover Dam in the United States produce only 2,074 MW of power!!
In most cases, a tour of Itaipu is thrown in as part of the half-day tour of the Brazil side of Iguazu Falls. It starts off with a propaganda film straight out of the 1950s extolling the virtues of the dam and then moves on to re-boarding the busses for a couple of viewing stops of the dam. Although a brief and distant tour, it was interesting for me to have seen the site, given that I work with electric power generation and transmission!
This photo shows some of the excess water not needed for generation being released down one of the three 'spillways' off to the side of the area that actually generates the power. It produces a water plume almost as good as Iguazu Falls itself! For more details on the dam and the nearby Brazilian city, see my 'Foz do Iguacu' page. Leave a Comment Address: North of Foz do Iguacu, BrazilDirections: On the Parana River between Brazil and Paraguay, very close to Foz do Iguacu
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Of course, the real reason we went to Puerto Iguazu was to visit and experience the majesty of Iguazu Falls, about 20-km (13-miles) away on the border with Brazil.
The most majestic waterfalls in the world (and I have also seen Victoria Falls!) Iguazu is an amazing display of about 273 different cataracts on the 2.5 km wide Rio Iguazu. The most impressive of these for sheer power and volume of water is the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) where the main body of water plunges 270 feet into the gorge separating Brazil and Argentina. On other sections of the falls, the drop is broken into two separate levels of waterfalls, the Upper Circuit and the Lower Circuit.
The Argentine-side is the best place to actually experience the waterfalls, since a series of catwalks allow you to stand at the edge of the Devil's Throat as well as explore the other smaller falls from above, halfway down and at the bottom.
Because the entire series of waterfalls on the Argentine-side is encompassed by the Parque Nacional del Iguazu, trips are also available involving the surrounding rainforest.
The photo shows Sue and I on the edge of Garganta del Diablo. See my 'Parque Nacional del Iguazu' page for more details of the whole experience! Leave a Comment Directions: About 20-km upstream on the Iguazu River from Puerto Iguazu.
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After having already seen Itaipu Dam and the Argentinian-side of Iguazu Falls, our second full day in Puerto Iguazu saw us back in Brazil again to check out the Falls view from there.
As on the Argentine-side, the Parque Nacional do Iguacu protects the flora and fauna on the Brazil-side. However, since most of the cataracts actually fall on the other side of the gorge, the walk along the Iguazu River allows you to get a better overall picture of the multiple cataracts. Too bad the morning started out with grey skies, taking away from the clearness and colour, but it was still an interesting walk.
Brazil too has it's catwalk, allowing you to walk out on a ledge of waterfalls below the Devil's Throat itself. Once again, you are into the spray from the falls, so you have to take precautions with both your equipment and your clothes! Very conveniently, once you are finished there, a double-elevator system is available to whisk you to the top of the gorge. Emerging at a gift shop and restaurant complex, you can now watch the placid waters of the Iguazu just before they begin their plunge into the depths.
Large park busses will return you to the visitor centre from there. For more information, check out my 'Parque Nacional do Iguacu' page in Brazil. Leave a Comment Directions: Cross into Brazil from Puerto Iguazu and drive up their side of the Iguazu River to the Visitor's Centre at the Parque Nacional. Note: Check VISA requirements - I needed one (first since Egypt 31 years ago) due to a little spat between Canada and Brazil.
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Having seen the waterfalls from top to bottom on the Argentinian-side, we decided to up the ante by taking the 'Grand Adventure' thrill boat ride. Large Zodiac boats equipped with twin 200-HP Yamaha engines leave the shore from just below the waterfalls, with all passengers equipped with life-jackets and plastic bags for anything that you would like to still be working at the end of the trip!
After a few high-speed turns in the gorge, the boat roars at full speed toward the foaming bottom of the Devil's Throat, pulling up just short at the last minute as the spray boils around you, making it hard to even keep your eyes open. This is followed by a spin around to the other side of San Martin Island to the almost equally impressive Salto (Waterfall) San Martin. Edging to the side of that channel, you are treated to another soaking as a smaller cataract almost plunges directly into the craft.
Finally, it is off down the river at high-speed where you will land to catch a 4WD truck for a narrated ride through a rain forest trail leading to the Sheraton Hotel. This little experience cost us US$25 each, above and beyond the booked tour - but it was worth it! The greenish (wet suit) guy at the bow of the boat is videoing the passengers so they can produce a CD to sell it to passengers when the boat docks (it is delivered to your hotel a few hours later). Leave a Comment Directions: Take the Lower Circuit walk to reach the boats.
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Walking through the Green Trail through we got a good impression of the rainforest and most of all we saw some ‘wildlife’ with thousands of butterflies all over the place, a couple of coatis and some huge iguanas crossing the tracks.
(Going by train you have to decide at the Cataratas Station to walk to the two trails or to go further by train to the Garganta Station for a visit to the Garganta del Diablo / Devil's Throat.) Just after the station we took the ‘Circuito Superior’ and till that moment we still had not seen any water at all. But we could hear, smell and feel it and suddenly we saw the ‘BIG WATERS’: the Iguazù Falls, what a breathtaking and overwhelming view !!
We looked from the platforms to the falls, which are spread over hundreds of metres in the jungle. There were a lot of people on the catwalks and on the viewing platforms, but with some patience we always got a good position to look around and to make pictures.
This Upper Trail above the falls is 650 m long (one way) and doesn’t have any steps or stairs.
There are three viewing platforms with splendid views to the Salto Dos Hermanas and Salto Chico, Salto Borsetti and perhaps most impressive Salto San Martin. Leave a Comment
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Located at our Esturion Hotel, I would have to say that this was one of the best swimming pools that I have had the pleasure of using. Not only was it surrounded by beautiful tropical plants like Bougainvillea and palm trees, but it also was perched high enough on the hillside that you could glimpse the Iguazu River only a short distance away.
With the guests at the hotel away for most of the day on various tours, it was almost like having your personal pool for the day if you happened to have a 'free' day. The condition of the water was great and plenty of lounging chairs, tables and hammocks were available for use.
The pool-side Quincho snack bar had a huge sun-shaded area with plenty of seating where we could retreat when we had had enough sun. It also supplied hotel towels for use and dispensed cold drinks and a good variety of snacks from the hotel kitchen.
For us, an afternoon at the pool made a nice break from the 3 days of hustle in Buenos Aires followed by another 2 days of tours in the Puerto Iguazu area! This view was taken from the snack bar area, looking up to the main lobby and entrance of the hotel. Leave a Comment Address: Esturion Hotel, Puerto IguazuDirections: At the end of town, where the Parana and Iguazu Rivers meet
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To get to the Iguazu Falls we just had to wait outside our hotel (Orquideas) along ‘Ruta Nacional 12’ till one of the yellow coloured buses of ‘El Practico’ showed up. For a couple of pesos we were transported to the falls 15 km's away. Just before the entrance of the ‘Parque Nacional Iguazu’ we got a glimpse of the falls seeing clouds of mist just above the green rainforest.
After buying our tickets we entered the National Park; first thing we saw was the so called ‘services area’ with a Visitors Centre, restaurants/café’s, some shops, and a lot of local people, so called 'Guarani's, selling their handmade crafts. On the way back we bought a wood carved coati, which we had seen in the park.
There is helpful staff to show you your way. At the end of the services area is the train station and you will have to decide either to walk (through the Green Trail) or to go by train to the falls.
General information:
Opening hours: 8 am to 6 pm (April 1st to August 31st) and from 8 am to 7 pm (the rest of the year).
Admission (for foreigners): 30 pesos, children between 6 and 12 - 15 pesos, younger free(see tip about a ‘second visit’).
Public bus transport from Puerto Iguazù: from 7.30 am till 6.30 pm
Public bus transport from Nat. Park: from 8.15 am till 7.15 pm
One way ticket: 2,80 pesos Leave a Comment
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Our second trip in Iguazu was again to the Iguazu National Park. Not to see the falls, but to walk the Macuco Nature Trail. At the entrance you can get a leaflet of the trail.
This track starts at the train station on the right hand side and is well sign posted. After crossing the road we entered the Argentinean rainforest and were keen to see some Capuchin Monkeys, as they were more or less ‘promised’ in some travel books and on the internet. But we didn’t see any of them.
The only ‘wildlife’ we saw were butterflies and iguanas; among them a really huge one ‘sleeping’ on the trail.
The walk through the dense and green forest is mostly flat; only the last hundred metres we had to descend rather steep to ‘Arrechea’s Pool and Fall’. The water of the falls tumbles 20 metres of the ridge into the pool, where one can take a bath.
The ‘Sendero Macuco’ is 7 km’s out and back and it takes about 2 hours walking. Along the trail are 6 interpretative stations, which correspond with the leaflet. Leave a Comment
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The down-town central triangle is built by 3 streets :
Brasil : the shopping street
Eppens : the restaurant street
Moreno.
The main streets are :
-Aguirre : contains hotels, supermarket, bank (ATM) and tourist office
-Cordoba : contains hotels, restaurants and the bus terminal
Walking around is always nice...people live in the street...so that is where you have to be in the evening! Leave a Comment
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The lower circuit brought us closer to the falls and we had a completely different view on the falls. This loop trail (about 1 ½ km’s long) has also a couple of viewing platforms. It has on some parts stairs, but it is over most of the length accessible for wheelchairs.
Specially on the platform in front of the ‘Salto Bossetti’ we got wet from the mist and drops of water. But on such a hot day just nice to cool down a little bit.
Further on we reached the water of the Rio Iguazù and had a splendid view to Salto San Martin and later on and further away to the Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat). On the other side of the river is Brazil.
Along this trail also leave the boats to the falls (which bring people very close - and wet - to the San Martin Fall) and to Isla San Martin. Leave a Comment
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- Iguazu National Park Hotel
Ruta 12 Km 5, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina - Iguazu Grand Hotel And Casino
Ruta 12 Km 1640, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina - ESTURION HOTEL AND LODGE
1215 I-30 East, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina - CARMEN
Ruta 12, km 4.5, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina - Hotel Cataratas
Ruta 12, Km4, Puerto Iguazú, Argentina
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on November 24, 2005
on February 19, 2007
on January 17, 2005
