An Illuminated View of Iguazu Falls
A series of 200 separate waterfalls, Iguazu is best viewed when the river is high and the moon is full
- By Bruce Hathaway
- Smithsonian magazine, January 2008, Subscribe
"Muggers you won't have to worry about" advised the concierge at Hotel das Cataratas in Brazil. "Nobody ever goes down there at night. Just watch out for snakes on the trail."
Nobody is more snake-phobic than I am, but I couldn't resist seeing Iguazu Falls by the light of a full moon. Iguazu is a series of more than 200 separate waterfalls strung along 230-foot-high cliffs on both sides of a narrow gorge. At my side I could see and feel several falls right next to me. Across the gorge, in the illuminated night, a few dozen more emerged and faded into the mist like apparitions.
Only Victoria Falls, between Zambia and Zimbabwe in southern Africa, rivals Iguazu in grandeur. But the sheer variety of vistas at Iguazu—located near where Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet—give these falls a special edge.
January through March, when the river is high, is the best time to appreciate the wonders of Iguazu Falls. Nowadays, however, nighttime access to the trails is mostly restricted, except for organized group walks on full-moon nights. Boat tours and an extensive system of walkways and viewing platforms offer a wealth of views. Even veteran travelers gape at the sight. "I was awestruck," says Mara Vorhees, a co-author of Lonely Planet's forthcoming guide to Brazil. "You're nearly completely surrounded by enormous thundering water. Above there was a rainbow—a rain ring, really, since it nearly formed a circle. I couldn't stop looking."
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Comments (7)
The Brazilian side of Cataratas do Iguaçu is much more beautiful than the Argentina side. And the same as of the hotels.
Posted by Marisa on August 3,2011 | 05:24 PM
I went to visit Iguazu falls several times and what i love the most is the sound of the water, its impossible to describe. Anyway, i went to Foz do Iguacu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazu in Argentina, but Brazilian side is much more prettier, the city is more clean and modern and the people are more friendly than in Argentina. I did Macucu in Brazil and it was perfect, would love to go back again just to do that one more time! The big park full of birds is a paradise, you have to visit!
Posted by David on April 8,2011 | 12:39 PM
We just returned form Iguazu and can only rave about the 3 days spent there.
Yes, we saw a snake, up in a tree on the Green trail. Got a photo and one passer-by said it was poisonous.
I did not try to find out if that information was correct.
I have tried to add the photo of the snake I took to this comment, but it will not cut and paste to attach in any manner.
If you want to see the photo and if you can tell me what kind of snake it is, please email me and I will send the photo to you.
I would appreciate knowing what kind of snake it is.
Thanks,
Bill Baker
email: wbaker@lawbaker.com
Posted by Bill Baker on February 11,2010 | 01:02 PM
I'm sure there are thousands of snakes in Iguazú but I have been there more than twenty times - always in Summer when Nature is at its utmost - and fortnately I have never ever seen a single one. And for everybody, folks, try to plan your trip when there is a full moon, it's something surreal, allucinating that nobody should miss. An ordinary bus takes you there (it is necessary to make reservations at any local travel agency) and after, ordinary busses will be there waiting for you at the time the night tours end. Of course, they will take you to the Argentine town, Puerto Iguazú. There it's possible to take another bus to the Brazilian side if you are staying there. The comment of the concierge of the Brazilian hotel is a noughty and interested one, nobody wants in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, that tourists visit the Argentine side that by far is much more interesting and exciting. The best thing worth visiting on the Brazilian side of the park is the Parque das Aves (Birds Park), it's quite remarkable and worth while but it'll take between two and four hours. It's huge and full of wonderful birds of all kinds.
Posted by Graciela Zubasti on July 29,2008 | 04:07 PM
willis mcghee wrote: Anybody happen to know the likelihood of encountering a snake while walking on the trails at the falls during the daytime? Reply: Funny you should ask that. I just returned from the falls and while walking on the Green Trail I encountered a red, black and yellow-white snake right by the trail. I asked the park information what it was and they looked a little surprised and told me that it could "kill you within six hours." From my online searching I'm pretty sure it was a type of coral snake which is extremely venomous. From what I've read, if you stay on the trails and just avoid the snakes when you see them they leave you alone. It's pretty cool to see the wildlife in Iguazu because, except for the coati, they seem to avoid humans. If you're very phobic about snakes, I'd avoid the Macuco trail since it's less-travelled than some of the others.
Posted by Acecombs on April 17,2008 | 06:19 PM
It's worth to note that Two thirds of the falls are within Argentine territory. The falls can be reached from the two main towns on either side of the falls: Foz do Iguaçu in the Brazilian state of Paraná, and Puerto Iguazú in the Argentine province of Misiones as well as from Ciudad del Este (Paraguay)
Posted by Laura Morales on January 18,2008 | 12:51 PM
Anybody happen to know the likelihood of encountering a snake while walking on the trails at the falls during the daytime?
Posted by willis mcghee on December 23,2007 | 01:03 PM