Iguazu falls

Garganta del Diablo

Normal people would simply marvel at a natural wonder like Iguazu falls, but not us. We spent a significant portion of our visit pondering this very question and we reckon the answer is definitely yes … unless you had the neck of a formula one driver (seriously, most of those guys have obscenely large necks, particularly in comparison to the size of their heads).

The view from the Brazilian side of the falls

Iguazu falls are bloody massive, and if you stood directly underneath them it would definitely hurt. A lot. Of course, we’ve got no real evidence to support this theory. But we did get a speedboat to take us as close to the base of the falls as possible and we reckon we’re spot on.

On the speed boat

The water is a chaotic, swirling mass of bubbles, and there is so much spray you can’t see the person next to you. From the riverbank, it actually looks like the boat disappears for a few seconds. And don’t even get me started on the Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). An enormous semicircle of waterfalls and the centrepiece of the falls, this beast seriously has to be seen from all angles to be believed. Next to it, you feel tiny and vulnerable.

Another speedboat heads under the falls

The falls are surrounded by 55,000 hectares of subtropical rainforest. It gave us our first glimpse of South American wildlife: an alligator hiding in the shallow water, a small snake sunning itself on a rock, lizards and little animals that looked like guinea pigs scampering across walkways, and funny looking anteaters scavenging for food in the bins. One side belongs to Argentina, the other Brazil. We visited both and we’re equally impressed!