Iguaçu Falls: A Private Viewing

Footprint's Liz Harper enjoys a private viewing of the most awe-inspiring waterfall in the world: Iguaçu Falls.

It’s 8.00am and as I make my way along the “Path of the Falls” and down to the viewing platform for the U-shaped Garganta del Diablo, or “Devils Throat” (the most impressive of all the falls), I feel a little apprehensive. The platform extends out across the river, directly in front of the falls and the water thunders underneath my feet, the spray completely engulfing me. The sound of pounding and crashing water is almost deafening: the scale and physical force of these falls indescribable. As a rainbow forms in the morning sky it dawns on me that I’m standing in front of one of the world’s most incredible sights, and I’m completely alone.

Iguaçu Falls, in the Iguaçu National Park, is one of South America’s must see sights. Spanning the Brazilian and Argentinian borders, the extensive ecosystem and biological diversity of the park, together with the spectacular beauty of the falls themselves resulted in Iguaçu National Park being the first conservation area in Brazil to be nominated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

The falls themselves are made up of 275 individual falls along a stretch of water a little over 1.5 miles long. At the height of the rainy reason the flow of water going over the falls reaches some 450,000 cubic feet per second – now that’s a lot of water by anyone’s standards! Taller and wider than Niagara, and without all the commercial trappings of the well known Canadian falls (no Starbucks or revolving restaurants here), they are, without a doubt the most overwhelming and spectacular waterfalls in the world.

Whilst the Brazilian National Park opens to visitors between 9.00am and 6.30pm, it is, unsurprisingly, often heaving during these hours. The way to really experience the park, and the falls, is to stay at The Orient Express’s beautiful Hotel das Cataratas. Positioned on the Brazilian side of the park (undoubtedly offering the best panoramic views of the falls), it’s the only hotel within the National Park grounds: its position providing residents with exclusive 24 hour access. This alone is reason enough to stay here: the beautiful rooms, excellent facilities and impeccable service offered by the hotel is just an added bonus. The ability to get up early and watch the sun rise over Iguaçu, walk the trails and observe the falls in relative privacy .... simply priceless. If you’re unlucky you may bump into someone else from the hotel, the chances are you won’t – you’ll have this incredible spectacle all to yourself.

And whilst, during park opening hours, the coach loads of sight-seers hustle for the best photo opportunities and fight for prime positions on the observation decks, well ..... take a hike or bike ride through this extraordinary park and discover the flora and fauna of the area ..... or perhaps chill out by the Hotel das Cataratas’s swimming pool, soak up the sun and sip the complimentary caipirinha’s.

Later, as I sit on a bench overlooking the falls and watch the evening light disappear, the roar of water drowning out the birdsong, a solitary toucan (my first sighting during this trip) flies towards the setting sun. There’s not a soul around, and soaked to the bone by the spray, despite my distance from the water, it strikes me again how lucky I am to have my own private viewing of one of the most beautiful and majestic waterfalls in the world.

Click here for more information on Iguaçu Falls.

For information about the Hotel das Cataratas, visit their website at www.hoteldascataratas.com