Olympic Tourists Should Explore Brazil's Natural Beauty - The Brazil Blog

(ATR) Every few months Rio de Janeiro gets a bit too exhausting, so a short trip is needed to reset yourself to tackle daily life in the city.

I’ve had the luxury of being able to travel for work, or for personal reasons, but few of these endeavors have been to explore the natural beauty that Brazil has to offer. With the Olympic Torch Relay zig-zagging the country, I asked my boss to go to a few stops that coincide with attractions that are worth the trip.

I’ve only been able to go to one stop so far, Foz do Iguaçu, but it was a trip that was well worth it. It serves as a reminder that anyone coming down for the Olympic Games should not limit themselves to just visiting Rio de Janeiro.

Foz do Iguaçu is located in the extreme west of the state of Parana, right where the three countries of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay meet. It is only a 2 hour direct flight from Rio, with multiple airlines providing daily flights to the tourist town.

The rugged terrain and the Iguaçu River produced one of the most stunning natural waterfalls in the world, a must see excursion in Brazil. Visitors can tour both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the falls, and day trips to Paraguay are easily accessible.

After following the torch relay, my wife and I took a tour from our hostel on the Argentine side of the falls. The Brazilian side offers a pristine view of one section of the falls, while in Argentina visitors get to see more of the waterfall complex, while hiking to various areas of it.

The falls themselves were indescribable. Around every turn there was a new panoramic view of the landscape, and trails bring you above, below, and right up to the edge of the falls. The Brazilian side takes only a few hours to see, while in Argentina a full day is required.

In the park, trails get you as close to the falls as you can get without endangering yourselves. The trail leading to the "Devil’s Throat" section of the falls, the most well recognized waterfall in the park, takes tourists in Argentina to the precipice, allowing you to look right over the edge as the water thunders down the cliffs. Another trail near the bottom of the falls, gets you so close to the falling water that you get drenched while taking pictures.

A tour took a full day, which included transportation through the border and a guide for all of the trails in the park containing the falls. Tours can be easily booked in Foz do Iguaçu, which is a travelers town at heart. There are plenty of reputable hostels and hotels suiting all different kinds of travelers.

Foz do Iguaçu may be one of the most famous natural landscapes in Brazil, but it is far from being the only one worth visiting. Olympic tourists should keep that in mind when finalizing their trips down to Rio, making sure they book extra time to explore.

Click here to view a photodesk from the relay in Foz do Iguacu, and here to view a photdesk from the visiting the falls.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.