Iguazú Falls

Living the park from the inside

There are destinations that deserve to break the piggy bank.

For us, that was the case of the Iguazu Falls, almost as if honoring the Guarani meaning of its name, big waters. We decided to stay at the Gran Meliá hotel, the only one inside the Iguazú National Park, with a dreamy view of one of the seven natural wonders of the world.

Authentic five stars in terms of services, decoration and gastronomy, a constellation would not be enough to define the area where it is located. Truly unsurpassed, something that few hotels in the world can boast.

From the balcony of the room you can see and, even better, hear the roar of the Devil's Throat, the most famous waterfall.

With our extraordinary share of luck, our stay matched the full moon nights, so we did not hesitate to make the night walk and take the first impression of its immensity under the silvery light, which defined the outlines of the jungle in the immense twilight.

The Iguazú River is clear with its white flashes, and the intensity of the sound of the million and a half liters per second that plunge into the falls is thrilling. Besides, walking along the walkways listening to the nocturnal symphony of nature is already a priceless spectacle.

At dawn that first night, a thick mist covered the horizon, but by the time the sun was about to rise, the imposing waterfalls had already taken over the scene. 

After an opulent breakfast with natural juices, espresso coffee, high bakery, a variety of cheeses and hams and, of course, chipa and m'beju from the coast accompanied by omelette, it was the turn of La Gran Aventura (The Great Adventure). It is the vertiginous excursion by boat that allows you to experience in your own body the fall of the waters: an authentic river shower. It takes place under the Tres Mosqueteros and San Martín falls. First the boat begins to cross the rapids at full speed, and then approaches the mentioned falls until it faces them. Adrenaline boils in the veins in that minute of waiting. Suddenly the boat accelerates and heads straight for the torrent. For us, it was not only the moment when the boat literally entered the formidable torrent that was fun. So was the return trip, already soaked, when the tour operators, followed by several adventurers, reminded the boats on the Brazilian side of the still fresh victory of Argentina in the Copa America 2021. There was little our neighbors could do about the jokes: the Iguazu River is the natural border between the two countries.  

The good weather that Monday made us spend the rest of the day at the hotel's infinity pool, enjoying the tremendous view. We only interrupted the plan for an obligatory visit to the spa, with dry and wet sauna and a heated pool with hydrotherapy circuit.

At sunset, the rooftop Alter was the unavoidable option. The drinks menu is the responsibility of the renowned bartender Inés de los Santos. In our case we opted for a Spritz based on pineapple and sweet wine, enjoyed while the unreal red full moon rose behind the jungle.  

For dinner, although the restaurant offered a menu according to the rest of the services, we considered prioritizing the unique view from our balcony, added to the music of the roar of the water. A margherita pizza and a cheese burger, with a fresh beer the first night and a pinot noir the second. We are not used to ordering room service but the occasion at the Gran Meliá, rather than meriting it, demanded it.

On the third morning it was inevitable to tour the falls from the inside, so we took the upper circuit tour. As the weather and the humidity were shy, we went on the continued visit to the Devil's Throat after a short ride on the park's train.

The pandemic forced to organize the visits accompanied by a guide and in defined groups, but it should be clarified that the so called bubbles are only imaginary, especially in the train stations and in their wagons. The average tourist is chaotic, thoughtless and often discourteous, with no protocol whatsoever.  

The Garganta del Diablo (Devil's Throat) is impressive. The great waterfall is surprising for its strength, immensity and the roar it produces. Truly impressive, there are no words that can narrate that moment.

On the other side, the Brazilian jungle covers the basaltic rock, creating a green wall between the white of the turbulent water.

Before heading back, at the train station, the coatis, hungry for food - because of their addiction to the meals that tourists share with them - approach us in a friendly manner and get all our attention.  

Another charm of the Iguazú National Park is the quantity and diversity of butterflies that live there. They fly overhead accompanying the visitor in each circuit or tour. Of course there are also birds and monkeys, but not as visible as the butterflies. Although we did see a woodpecker in its nest on the way to the nautical excursion. Some lucky ones, every now and then, manage to spot one of the two hundred yaguaretés that inhabit the jungle. 

On the last day, having already enjoyed the Paraná rainforest and the big waterfalls at hand, we went to the city of Puerto Iguazú to experience its gastronomic offer.

We chose to stay at a highly recommended boutique house, very close to downtown. It is Rincón Escondido. It has seven rooms, each one individually decorated. Pablo, its host, welcomed us in the Yerba Mate suite, where the color green obviously predominated and the antique furniture stood out.

In the afternoon we visited the Aripuca Park. I confess that I expected more. The only mildly interesting things were the huge old trunks. The guide made meaningless jokes, his only explanation was the one referring to the name of the park, which in Guarani means trap that does not harm, and which is replicated in the heart of the property on a large scale. The handicrafts are not pretty and even products from other regions are offered for sale, such as typical aguayos from the north of Argentina or -in the middle of the jungle- Patagonian lambskins. Incomprehensible.

We still had certain expectations because the stall offered the characteristic rosella and yerba mate ice creams. With the hope that they could save the entrance ticket we bought two cones... but it did not happen. The Aripuca is a walk without pain or glory. To top it off, although we had been told that the prices there were very convenient, we bought a yacaratiá candy, the typical edible wood of the region. Not even twenty-four hours later, in Garuhapé, on our way to Posadas, we came across a fair selling regional products where we bought the same sweet at half price.

Of the three scheduled restaurants in Puerto Iguazú, Toscana, La Rueda and Aqva, we opted for the latter, the one that honors the good reviews it receives in every travel portal. We arrived early, it was not even eight o'clock and we were lucky enough to get the only table available for that Tuesday night. Although it was empty, it was not fifteen minutes before the reserved tables began to be occupied, and the unsuspecting tourists who opened the door ready to dine were given the news that they would not be able to stay in that select dining room.

The scene confirmed that the banquet we were about to enjoy was going to be outstanding. For starters, toast with creamed spinach. For the first course, a selection of authentic local cuisine: missionary antipasto, with Paraguayan soup, surubí croquettes, fried cassava with provenzal, avocado and m'beju.

The main courses were cassava gnocchi with a soft cheese cream and surubi ravioli with tomato concassé. That night there was no more -unbelievably- room for sweets.

The next morning, after breakfast at Rincón Escondido with fresh fruit and an extraordinary bakery, we got ready to take National Route 12, where we stopped at the various Guaraní communities that offer their typical products on the side of the road. Whether it was the bromeliads or orchids of the jungle or their beautiful tacuara basket work, @tripiticty_ honored their custom of buying something authentic at each stall. 

Once we filled the truck with handmade baskets of all shapes and sizes, we continued our journey to the Garuhapé stop where we bought sweets and yateí honey, a little missionary bee that builds its honeycomb in the hollow trunks. We had been able to see one of these small honeycombs at the Posada Puerto Bemberg. 

The solidarity stop was the best farewell to a memorable tour, full of sensory experiences and, above all, of relaxation.