Iguazu Falls Part 1

We caught the local city bus to take us to the National Park of Iguazu Falls and were there by about 8:30 AM.

Upon paying the entry fee ($25 each) we went to take a tour we booked yesterday. The tour started with a jungle trek (we sat in the back of a truck fitted with about 25 seats). We got extremely lucky on the five km drive as we stopped to watch a small troop of Capuchin monkeys cross above us in the tree canopy (a couple had babies on their backs)

Take a close look at the dead tree in the middle of the photo. Now look VERY close. The top of the tree stump is actually a nesting bird with its beak pointed in the air. The bird is camouflaged perfectly!

We got to the river and were soon in a powerful speed boat that held about 70 people. We cruised up the river going through rapids and around large rocks and not too long after we started there it was: IGUAZU Falls! OMG they are HUGE!! We took the left channel and went towards Devil's throat. About half the water in the falls goes through this section. Soon we back tracked and went up the right channel. This is where the fun begins. We were instructed to take our photos NOW and then put the cameras and anything else we needed to keep dry into the supplied water proof bag (in which we had been instructed on how to close so no water could get in).

The captain revved up the engines and started up towards the falls. Soon we were getting wet with spray and then we went into the falls. While getting soaked everybody was whopping and hollering. It was a hoot. So after we came out we went back in again. What fun! Too wet to take photos!

After that it was time to head back to our start point. The tour truck took us back the way we came in and the guide continued giving us information on the jungle.

By now it was 11 AM and we wanted to go to the Devil's Throat. In order to get there you have to take a train as it is quite a ways; technically you can walk the 5 or 6 kilometers to get there but almost nobody does, and the temperature was on its way to 34 degrees so train riding was the best option. Unfortunately everyone in the park was heading up there at the same time so we had a 90 minute wait (sigh). Upon arrival we walked out on a series of raised pathways and bridges with many of the bridges going over water that would soon be over the 275 different waterfalls here.

Devil's throat is the main waterfall and about half the water goes through this portion. You can really feel the power of the water

The photo on the left is taken to the immediate left of the photo of me.

We spent some time there and after waiting only 20-30 minutes for the train back we were soon back to the main station.

By now it was 3 PM and the park closes at 6 PM so we had to really get moving as there are two different walking circuits that are a MUST be take. To be continued......