Within the next few weeks, we expect to write more details
about our trip and some of the unexpected experiences along the way. That’s what makes travelling fun, the
unexpected experiences… You are correct,
some are good and others are not so good…
Wait until we write about our experience exchanging dollars
for Argentina currency.
Since Iquazu Falls is on the border of Brazil and Argentina,
you can stay at a hotel in either country.
However, If you stay at a hotel in Brazil, you need a visa. From the US, the Brazilian visa is difficult
to obtain and it’s expensive. If you
stay at a hotel in Argentina, you need to pay the “reciprocity fee” and carry
the documentation to prove it. While at
the falls, you can visit both sides, but you will need both the Brazilian visa
and the Argentine Reciprocity Fee document.
Since our cruise was to start in Buenos Aires, we stayed at
the hotel on the Argentina side of the falls.
You can see more of the falls and walk more of the trails, but we were
told the best overall view of the falls was from the Brazilian side.
Visit either side of Iguazu Falls, it’s really a trip of a
lifetime! When we were there, the skies
were mostly clear, but the breeze blew the water vapor on all the trails and
catwalks. Take a poncho or raincoat. Forget about an umbrella!
While you are there, you can take a river boat ride under
the falls. Well, the guide didn’t stay
under the falls, but I cannot imagine getting that wet unless we were directly
under the waterfall. He said it would be
the equivalent of being doused with 10 buckets of water. Somewhere, I lost count… I understand many in
our party enjoyed the experience. It’s one way to beat the tropical heat.
When you walk the trails around the national park, you can
expect to see Coati, the local version of a raccoon. They are not like the ones
we have in the US, they have a long snoot and big teeth. They will steal food and bite if they feel
threatened. Don’t go near the mothers!
While in the park, we saw one Coati steal someone’s lunch. The hungry owner chased the critter, but he
should be thankful he didn’t catch it…
There is a Sheraton Hotel inside the national park on the
Argentina side, but it is almost always fully booked. Our hotel was about 20 miles away and we took
the tour bus. Our three day trip to the
falls was part of our pre-cruise package with Celebrity Cruises. The national
park opens about 8AM, but if you stay at the Sheraton, you can see the falls
from the hotel property and walk the grounds – you can visit the falls early in
the morning for great photos.
