Foz do Iguaçu – The gateway is inviting. Broad gates at the end of a gigantic walkway, a shallow water fountain and a climate only offered by riverbanks and forests. It is the gateway into Iguaçu National Park, which you must cross, on the Brazilian side, to get to the waters of Iguaçu River, which marks the border between Brazil and Argentina and has its waterfalls among the world’s most beautiful landscapes.
There, at the gateway, also called Visitor Centre, it is possible to have a snack, buy a T-shirt with a panther printed on it and appreciate pictures of the region. But it is better, first of all, to follow the destination and main objective: to be bathed by the waters of Iguaçu. Yes, that’s it! It is possible to have a little bath in the waters of Iguaçu. The detail: your bath is in a boat.
Right there, at the entrance to the Park, it is necessary to take a bus that cuts through the forest and takes you to a station called Macuco. The route is pleasant, as the buses are double-deckered, with an open top. While the vehicle heads to its destination, wind caresses your face and your eyes may be filled with the lush green landscape. "Next stop: Macuco Station", says a velvety voice.
And at the station you come to a structure that separates those heading to the falls by forest and by river, for the Macuco Safari – named after the company that promotes it. Trailers with seats, pulled by electric vehicles, which do not pollute, await visitors, who are taken on their rides by order of arrival. Pleasant young men and women drive the cars and serve as guides. The vehicle enters the forest of Iguaçu National Park.
The guide explains that the forest there, which was private, was declared public in 1916, after aviator Santos Dumont visited the region and asked the government of the state of Paraná to make it so. The Park is in the city of Foz de Iguaçu, Paraná. She also explains that, in 1936, then president Getulio Vargas made the park in to Iguaçu National Park, and in 1986 it was declared World Heritage by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
But the trail goes on and the electric car stops at some points, either so you may appreciate a flower, other times for a tree. The guide shows orchid Iris, which only flowers once a year and is only open for one day. He also presents the monkey banana (Porcelia macrocarpa), speaks about the 348 species of butterflies that live there, about the jaguars that live in the vicinity and also tells stories of those who have met them. Part of the route, closer to the river, is on foot. And you may find surprises on the route, like a snake resting right beside you. It was a caninana (Spilotes pullatus), a non-venomous species. Goodness!
A little over half an hour may find you standing on the riverbank, where there is a covered structure from which boats leave. You may get there at a peaceful time and appreciate the beauty of the river and its running waters. But it may be a day of Argentine tour groups, when the hustle and bustle is great. "Nena, ponete el chaleco salvavidas", says an Argentinean, telling his little daughter to put on a life jacket. Yes, Macuco safari receives many foreigners and offers Portuguese, Spanish, English, German, Japanese and Italian speaking guides.
On choosing your seat, take one in the front if you want adventure or one in the back, behind the captain, if you want less adrenalin. The boats are inflatable and have two engines.
The trip starts with the boat heading upriver, in the opposite direction of the rapids, towards the great falls. Sometimes a large wave will make the boat jump a little. Two stops for pictures: smiles and the falls in the background. And there goes the boat, full of people, heading closer and closer to the falls. Those who have not been warned are surprised. The vessel rocks and rolls, with its front right under one of the great falls. Water is everywhere, in your face, hair and clothes!
When tourists think that the adrenalin is over, the captain turns the boat towards the falls again. And again! That is if an old lady in the boat does not yell: "Stop, please!" and all those in the boat agree to end the watery adventure there and then, at the second trip under the waters. The boats take from youths to the elderly and small children. Many parents make a point of taking their little kids for a bath in the waterfalls, seen as a blessing. But what most want is to have some fun!
After the bath, the boat heads back, now aided by the water current. The way back to the starting point is much less romantic, with no explanations by the guide. The road to and from the falls is the same, so you may have to stop for a group of Japanese tourists to drive by, saluting you while they head for their boat trip to the waterfalls. At the end of the safari, you may buy the pictures taken by the boating crew and also a video.
Once it is all done, it is time to take the bus back to the entrance of the Park. Or else, those who do not yet know the falls, may take a bus in the opposite direction and see them close by, also through a forest route. This trip involves a hike and a structure of pedestrian bridges allowing the viewer to see the waterfalls and even get splashed by them. After taking the bus back to the Visitor Centre, then it is time to shop and have a snack. In fact, in the centre of the park, at the end of the hike from the waterfalls, there is also a snack bar and restaurant, offering a better structure than those at the gate.
Service
Macuco Safári
Telephone: (+55 45) 3574 4244
Email: comercial@macucosafari.com.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
