Iguazu Falls: Everything you need to know
Argentina
Iguazu Falls: Everything you need to know
The end of an epic Patagonian adventure has come. With mixed feelings, I had to say goodbye to a group of amazing people, which will be missed badly. No more 24/7 food talk, camping in the middle of beautiful nowhere, or Team Seduction photoshoots. But then again, so many adventures are awaiting me. Leaving the cold, the snow, the wind, and the rain behind in Patagonia, I couldn’t wait for some sun, heat, and even humidity. Well, that was exactly what was waiting for me up north in Argentina. Iguazu Falls were my next destination and humid it was (map).
Iguazu Falls on a National Holiday
Not being prepared for the insanity of Semana Santa, I kind of underestimated the busyness of this wonder of nature. Apparently, the whole of Argentina AND Brazil think Iguazu Falls is the place to be during this weekend. Which makes it more like Six Flags on a sunny Saturday. Even though at least a million people were crawling around, the falls did have a massive impact on me. These falls are humungous, there’s no other word for it. Wherever you look, you see water falling with a power Poseidon would be jealous of. Not only the falls itself are beautiful, but also the scenery around it is worth a stroll. The place is surrounded by rainforest filled with colorful butterflies, birds, and monkeys, and the Macuco hike up to the Arrechea waterfall gets you away from the crowds (and will offer you the much-needed dip in the water!).
Where to stay
The town of Puerto Iguazu itself is just a tourist hub, but I do have to say quite a relaxing one. If you are planning on visiting the Iguazu Falls, try to stay at Mango Chill Hostel. This seriously is one of the nicest hostels I’ve seen so far and the staff is incredibly friendly. Lounging next to the swimming pool with happy hour caipirinha’s, playing one of the games laying around everywhere, or joining in on their impressive home-cooked dinner. It will all make you one happy clam after a day of hiking around the falls.
Fall in love with Iguazu Falls
Iguazu Falls is definitely a spot you don’t want to miss out on if you’re planning a trip to Argentina. The majestic waterfalls are one of a kind and an absolute force of nature. Before planning a trip up there, however, I would check the Argentinian holiday calendar. I can imagine this place being even more mind-blowing if you’re skipping the Easter crowds. What an amazing world we live in, right? Go check it out yourself!
Adios,
Marthe
Photos by: M. Barends ©
Recap
Do you rather look at images than reading stories? No worries, we have a short recap of everything you need to know below.
Best time to visit
February - March. The water levels of the falls will still be high, while it's mostly clear blue skies.
Our hotel picks
Mango Chill Hostel
Our restaurant pick
Terra Wok & Grille
Currency
Argentinian Peso
Weather
Summer: October to April (25-32ºC/77-90°F)
Winter: May to September (20-25ºC/68-77°F)
Entrance Fee
800 Pesos/18 USD (2020)
Ushuaia: Exploring the end of the world
Argentina
Ushuaia: Exploring the end of the world
We made it! With Argentinean/Chilean passport stamp numbers 12 and 13, we finally reached the end of the world, Ushuaia (map). We doubled our travel time along the way, but hey, who’s counting? With Walter struggling and refusing here and there, there were times where we weren’t sure we would make it, but once we passed those big Ushuaia gates it was time to celebrate. Definitely a milestone for good old Walter! For the leftovers of Team Seduction (we lost an American along the way), it was another reason to open a bottle of wine or two, maybe three.
Hello, Ushuaia
Arriving there with the sun setting over the ocean and the cargo ships packing up for Antarctica we got charmed by this little town right away. For a second we all got tempted to actually board on one of those ships leaving to the ultimate end of the world, but finding a hut for six wasn’t that easy, unfortunately. Nevertheless, we were pretty excited for finally making it to the most Southern tip of South America and couldn’t wait to explore more.
Celebrations at Tierra del Fuego
Instead of taking a ship to Antarctica, we made our way into the beautiful national park of Tierra del Fuego. Here the roads will take you to the most southern point of the earth. After that only swimming will get you further. While there, the idea of quite a spontaneous sleepover took over, with once again no preparation whatsoever (think: no groceries for dinner of six, later even 9 people, nor enough wine to actually celebrate this milestone). We did what we do best; taking in the gorgeous scenery, drinking wine, making gourmet meals with leftovers, and dancing the night away on Odezsa’s Bloom-song. Days like these may last forever.
March of the King Penguin
With one more mission in Tierra del Fuego, we cruised through the National Park in order to find the King penguins. Apparently, we were already quite late in the season. After asking around a lot and some ultimate backpacker advice we found these little fellas on a deserted beach in the middle of nowhere. Being the only ones on that beach, it almost felt like we were being part of March of the Penguins. They seriously are the funniest animals alive. I could’ve sat there for hours watching them very persistently walk up and down the beach and the next moment forget where they were going.
Ushuaia: The end of an era
Our big Patagonia road trip is nearly coming to an end. Unfortunately, we are saying goodbye to most of the crew after Ushuaia and it’s just the Aussie and I working our way up the coast back to Buenos Aires. We still got about 3000km to go and lots to see along the way, but this goes way too quickly! Time really flies when you’re having fun…
Marthe
Photos by: M. Barends ©