Be prepared to have your breath taken away by the sheer awesomeness of this geographical feature. The Argentinian’s have done it so well, the park is spacious and not at all gimmicky or touristy (as expected- damn those expectations again). The park opens at 08:00 and I would recommend getting there for then, the town is about 30 minutes away so that would mean leaving your accommodation at 07:30. As there was 3 of us we booked a taxi to drop us off and collect us. As the bus is 800 pesos both ways it was only a little bit more and way more comfy! I think most people fly to Iguazu as flights are cheap and it is fairly difficult to get to by bus. If you are on a tight budget though definitely check buses out as it is feasible.
The Park is not only about the waterfalls but also the nature and jungle vegetation that surrounds you. As we were some of the first people in the park, we were greeted by a family of coati mundi’s who emerged from the bushes! We discovered that these coati’s pretty much ruled the park and would always hang around the eating areas. Watch your food! We had one cheeky fella go into our bag and take a pack of cheese out! As we walked round the park we were also lucky enough to see monkeys, catfishes and massive spiders. The sound of cicadas also added to that tropical feel.
The national park is split into two sections, the trails which take you round the whole park and lead you to different viewing platforms where you can see the different waterfalls at different angles. Remember Iguazu is a collection of all sized waterfalls which lead to the huge one at the end. This is the other section of the park, you are required to catch a train to the final viewing platform. Bear in mind that the park fills up by lunchtime, we decided to do the trails in the morning where there were less people and it was also less hot, this made the walk very pleasant. We did the viewing platform at about 13:00pm and the crowds of people were a little annoying.
The park costs 130 soles and you need at least 6 hours to explore the park. The town Iguazu itself is a little run down and disappointing so I would recommend only staying there 2 nights. There are tonnes of hostels around so you will have no trouble finding a good spot. I heard some of my friends went out in Iguazu so there is a bit of nightlife.
You also have the option to see the falls on the Brazilian side, but I heard that the Argentinian side is much better. You also have the option of visiting the park a second day in a row (for half price) you might want to do this if you want to enjoy the boat ride to the falls or even the helicopter ride if you feel like splashing out!
Romy's Roamings 