Our visit to Iguazu Falls  gave birth to a new catchphrase: ‘Exxxxcellent splennndoooooourrrrrrrrr of the universssssse’. This has to be shouted in a mighty way as if a superhero, preferably with one joyous hand thrust into the air.

At the end of out trip, we had a tiredness that reminded us of days spent at theme parks as teenagers, fuzzy from the repeated rush of adrenaline. Every view is like a ride with the La Garganta del Diablo (the Devil’s Throat) being the main event. It’s the mind boggling moment that the placid river meets the furious rush of the falls, creating a magnificent roar and an incessant cloud of steam. You can stand startlingly close to the mouth, requiring a leap of faith in the park’s safety standards. Every time we tried to leave, we felt pulled back towards it. “Again, again, again!”

Contemplation at La Garganta del Diablo

Some of the guide books say to save this until the end of your visit, but we went first thing in the morning when the crowds were smaller. You have to get there by train so if you wait until your train load has had their fill, you might be lucky and get some time at the throat almost alone before the next train arrives. It’s a wonderful place for contemplation so there’s no need to rush.

Although the Devil’s Throat is the most spectacular of Iguazu’s sights, the rest of the park is stunning too. There are over 150 waterfalls of all shapes and sizes, which can be explored on upper and lower trails through the forest. Go on a sunny day and you’ll likely see rainbows in the fall’s spray and butterflies darting about. It’s like a fairytale land.

Another highlight was an exhilarating boat ride under the falls. Before trying it ourselves, we saw people clapping at the end and thought ‘how sweet’ until we emerged clapping manically after our own go. It puts any water ride to shame and beware: you will get wet!

Splendid creatures at Iguazu

You will also undoubtedly see Coatis, furry little scamps with long noses who potter around the park looking cute but ready to bite. We also saw incredible, brightly coloured butterflies and some monkeys. There is also a quieter trail you can follow where it’s easier to spot wildlife. We saw a capybara, and my favourite – the armadillo! There’s a natural pool at the end of the trail where you can swim.

This all happened on the Argentinian side of the falls, but we also visited the Brazillian side, which is where our catchphrase was born. On the Brazillian side, you get an overview of the falls, where as on the Argentinian side, you can see them up close. Both are beautiful although Argentina offers much more to explore so takes more time. If you can only do one, then Argentina is definitely it.

We hope you enjoy our photos and feel inspired to cry with us: Exxxxcellent splennndoooooourrrrrrrrr of the universssssse! Yeah!