Brazil was not planned as one of our destinations. But to visit Iguazú, the largest subtropical jungle reserve, with its cataratas (waterfalls), crossing the borders Paraguay – Brazil – Argentina is unavoidable. To keep things simple, the Brazilian cataratas are included in this Argentina travel report.

Anyone coming from the north should first see the falls on the Brazilian side from Foz do Iguaçu (32 km from the park) and then the Argentinian ones from Puerto Iguazú (18 km from the park). This order saves an extra border crossing to carry on into Argentina afterwards.

We didn't want to miss the Cataratas del Iguazú on the Río Iguazú, with their 275 waterfalls, under any circumstances! They are said to be the most beautiful in the world and are unique. That is also the reason for our choice of route, which unusually doesn't go through Chile.

The cataratas in Brazil
By public bus from Foz do Iguaçu, we reach the entrance to the 185,000-hectare Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, 32 km away, in 20 minutes. Entry costs 21 reais per person (about 11 USD), which includes the bus transfer to the various viewing platforms. The 17 points of interest (bus stops) can also be reached on well-made footpaths. In good weather you can admire the whole panorama of the saltos (waterfalls) from the Brazilian side. The fine spray usually creates a shining rainbow. Today, however, the view is unfortunately clouded by a curtain of rain coming down in sheets. The day before and the night that followed, it had poured non-stop. Only brief moments allowed photos of the whole water garden.

The geological origins of the falls go back 150 million years. The Río Iguazú flows over a high basalt plateau, which suddenly breaks off in southern Brazil, in the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, over a total width of 2,700 metres. 800 metres are on Brazilian territory, 1,900 metres on Argentinian territory. The two banks are not connected. On average, 1,700 cubic metres of water thunder down 57 – 72 metres over 2 steps, creating a far-reaching mist. Even when, at peak times, up to 7,000 cubic metres of water move towards the edge, the riverbed stays 2 metres deep. The Brazilian cataratas have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986.

The cataratas in Argentina
The weather has improved a little. From Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil) we cross the border to Puerto Iguazú (18 km from the park), on the Argentinian side. At 60 pesos per person (about 15 USD), entry to the park was a little more expensive than on the Brazilian side. The well-made footpaths, 4 km long in total, let you get uniquely close to the "saltos" here. You should plan a whole day for the visit and a long walk through this natural spectacle. From the Argentinian side you experience these falls up close! The "Garganta del Diablo" in particular was a spectacular experience for us. You reach this U-shaped "Devil's Throat", 150 m wide and 750 m long, by narrow-gauge railway (3.6 km) and a 1,100 m walk. The path to the platform mostly runs directly over the river on a metal bridge.

Other attractions:
The Isla San Martín in the heart of the saltos, with a unique view of the San Martín falls. You are taken to the island by boat from the Paseo Inferior trail (1,400 m). The "Sendero Macuco", a 3-hour trek into the subtropical rainforest, with thousands of animal and plant species.

The Argentinian cataratas have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984.

On Ruta 12 to Bella Unión, on the border with Uruguay, there are still 700 kilometres to cover through the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes. The first 300 kilometres to Posadas run over well-built "corrugated asphalt". An endless up and down! The momentum from the descents is nowhere near enough for the next steep ramp. By now the temperatures have dropped so much that our ups and downs come with jacket on, jacket off. No fewer than 50 hills like this had to be conquered – an effort not to be underestimated. Amazingly, in Argentina, a mostly flat country, we had our biggest daily climb of the whole journey: 1,350 metres.

About 1 million people live in the small province of Misiones. The first Europeans to settle here, in the 17th century, were Jesuit missionaries. In total there are 30 reducciones (missions): 7 in Brazil, 8 in Paraguay and 15 in Argentina, 11 of which are in the province of Misiones. In San Ignacio we visit the ruins of "San Ignacio Miní". The mission of San Ignacio Miní was farmed by 4,000 people on 10 hectares. The remains of these ruins, with the church, social rooms and classrooms, dining hall, kitchen, workshops, prison and cemetery, bear witness to Guaraní baroque, a style of building also adopted by European architects. After the Jesuits were expelled in 1767, the settlement was swallowed up by the jungle. Only in 1941 did work begin on uncovering and restoring what is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Not much is left of the impenetrable jungle today! Because of logging, the forest is only a third of the size it was 100 years ago. The clear-cut areas are being replanted with fast-growing conifers. Despite all the environmental problems, Misiones is considered one of the most varied provinces in Argentina.

The province of Corrientes, where cotton, rice and mate are grown, doesn't offer much. Ruta 12 seems endlessly long, dead straight and boring. In places there's no overtaking lane (uphill), so lorries and buses passing each other on the narrow road becomes dangerous for us. In no other country have we been harassed and pushed off the asphalt as much as here in Argentina. The long-distance lorry drivers in particular think they are on a racetrack. Speed limits are ignored, and they drive as fast as "the engine allows". On top of that come the cars, which often race along this "cross-country motorway" at 160 or more.

For us cyclists, Ruta 12 is more of a lean stretch. The towns are often more than 50 kilometres apart, and there aren't many places to stay or buy supplies. So we enjoy the hospitality of the big petrol stations, where you can not only refill your drinking water and eat, but also get a chance to shower and do your laundry. There is usually a patch of grass too, although it can be quite noisy because it's so close to the road. In the pampas, wild camping isn't easy because the grazing land is fenced. We often cycle several kilometres to a farm, where we were always offered water and a quiet place to camp.

There are still more than 800 kilometres to go to the capital, Buenos Aires. We have already left the provinces of Misiones (Puerto Iguazú to Posadas) and Corrientes (Posadas to Paso de los Libres) behind us, and we cross the Río Uruguay again. Our "zigzag course" to our destination, Montevideo in Uruguay, requires another border crossing into Brazil. The stretch from Uruguaiana to Bella Unión (Brazil), just 80 kilometres, is quickly done, and we are in our last country, Uruguay (see the Uruguay report). From Montevideo we want to take the "Buquebus" ferry to Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires:

Buenos Aires, with about 12 million inhabitants, is made up of several districts (12). These districts each have their own unmistakable identity and were once independent communities. As they grew, however, they merged with the city. We are interested in the "barrios" of San Telmo, Puerto Madero, Centro & Retiro, and Recoleta. With our bikes we get to every attraction and don't have to worry about a parking space or a bus connection.

To really get to know Buenos Aires would probably take several days or weeks.

We limited our 5-day stay to the following sights:

The historic centre is the Plaza de Mayo, named after the May Revolution of 1810, where the 67-metre-high Obelisk stands. Here you find the presidential palace, the Casa Rosada, a striking building painted pink. The Cabildo, the former seat of the council, is right opposite – this is where independence from Spain was proclaimed – and today it houses the historical museum.

The "temple of money", the Banco de la Nación (Argentina was once one of the richest countries in the world), with its portico supported by four mighty columns. The cathedral at the political centre of the city shows the great Catholic influence in Argentina; until 1994 the office of city mayor still had to be held by a Catholic.

The Parque Colón, once a dirty harbour area. Today the new district of Puerto Madero presents itself with offices, apartments, lofts in old warehouses and lots of restaurants. In the 4 harbour basins (with pedestrian zones on both sides) there are two museum ships: the frigate "Sarmiento", the navy's former flagship, and the armoured corvette "Uruguay", which rescued an expedition from Antarctica in 1903.

The Puente de la Mujer, a futuristic-looking footbridge (it swings horizontally), which has spanned harbour basin No. 3 since 2001. The two pedestrian streets, Calle Lavalle and Calle Florida, which crosses it, and the Galería Pacífico, with lots of modern and exclusive shops – an ideal playground for keen shoppers.

The Jesuit church of San Ignacio de Loyola, consecrated in 1722, the oldest surviving church and building in the city.

The district of San Telmo was once a harbour quarter of fishermen, slaves and rich merchants. When a yellow fever epidemic broke out in 1871, only the poor and the European immigrants stayed; the rich moved to what is now the city centre. Today the big attraction is the Sunday flea market. Everything that isn't nailed down is traded, and the Plaza Dorrego and the surrounding streets become a stage. Here you'll find very good tango performances, street entertainers, and anyone who thinks they have something "out of the ordinary" to show puts it on for the public.

The district of Recoleta, built by the rich during the yellow fever epidemic, stands out for its quietly located hotels and shops with the latest displays. On the Plaza Alvear you come across dozens of the rich people's pedigree dogs on leads, taken for "walkies" by dog walkers. The cemetery with the basilica matches this exclusive district. Even after death, wealth is shamelessly put on show with oversized mausoleums and tombs in marble and precious metals.

Finding bike boxes wasn't all that easy! The few specialist shops are far outside the city or in shopping centres in the suburbs. We needed a taxi, ¾ of an hour each way, to get our packing material. By now we are well practised at taking our Kogas apart, so our luggage was quickly packed ready for the flight.

After 760 kilometres we leave Argentina with these memories:

The Cataratas del Iguazú, the largest waterfalls in the world, especially the "Garganta del Diablo"

The mission "San Ignacio Miní", a ruin from the 17th century.

Corrugated asphalt, 1,350 metres of climbing – the biggest day's effort of the whole journey

A TV interview in Santo Tomé

Ruta 12: dead straight, boring and dangerous. Long-distance lorry drivers think they are on a racetrack.

Towns up to 50 kilometres apart; places to stay and buy supplies are scarce.

A casino in (almost) every town. Gambling seems to us to be Argentina's "national sport"

The hospitality of the big petrol stations, with camping, showers and laundry facilities.

Buenos Aires:

The harbour area, the museum ships, the swing bridge "Puente de la Mujer"

The Plaza Dorrego in San Telmo, with its flea market, tango, street entertainers and artists

The first and only time we had an excellent piece of meat, at the restaurant "Piegari Vitello e Dolce"

The Recoleta cemetery: mausoleums, tombs, black marble and crumbling coffins

Biker info for the route

-	Active (8 days of riding)	760 kilometres
-	Total climbing	5,100 m
-	Average speed	18.5 km/h
-	Riding time in motion	41 hours