I’ll try to convey the highlights of my trip to this wonderful country of tango dancers as best as I can.
First, let me explain how I ended up choosing Argentina as a destination. It had been an extremely busy year—we had achieved the highest-ever growth for KFC and Pizza Hut in Türkiye, opening 25 restaurants in just the past six months alone. The first six months were dedicated to restructuring the company, addressing deficiencies, strengthening the foundation, and planning. After a year of working night and day, I felt I had truly earned a good vacation. Initially, based on my friends’ suggestions, I decided to go to Tanzania. After organizing the entire trip, the travel agency told me—just two weeks before departure—that “we’ll have to change the hotel you chose, it’s fully booked.” That really pushed me over the edge, and I canceled all my plans for Tanzania. Also, the idea of getting vaccinated before visiting a country didn’t sit well with me. That same evening, I remember opening a world map and asking myself, “Where can I go now?” My eyes kept drifting towards South America. I’d already been to Brazil and Colombia. While looking at my options in South America, I decided Argentina was a country I really wanted to see. So, I made up my mind and started planning the very next day.
Since there were no direct flights to Buenos Aires at the time, I began my journey by flying from Istanbul to São Paulo, Brazil. I can’t say I have many positive things to say about the São Paulo airport—it was chaotic. You had to put in serious effort to find the right gate and not miss your flight. We had arrived at the international terminal, but our connecting flight was a domestic one headed to the Brazilian side of Iguazu. I remember there was an issue with the screens, and we had to ask at least 6–7 people to find the correct gate. One of the few positives at the airport was that Brazil does not require a visa for Turkish citizens, so we entered quickly and without hassle. Meanwhile, citizens of some G7 countries were stuck in long lines and had to go through fingerprinting and various procedures. For the first time, I felt a true benefit of holding a Turkish passport—and it made me feel proud.
We landed safely in Iguazu. Since our hotel was on the Argentine side, we took a taxi from the Brazilian town of Foz do Iguaçu, crossed the border, and checked into our hotel in Puerto Iguazú around 3 a.m.
The next day, we headed to the waterfalls. By chance, our taxi driver Eduardo, a warm and friendly Argentine, started telling us about Iguazu and his country along the way. When we arrived, he offered to take us on a “three countries in one day” tour the next day. We accepted right away.
For those wondering how that’s possible, the 1,320 km-long Iguazu River, which feeds the falls, also forms a natural border between three countries. It begins where the Irai and Atuba rivers merge near Curitiba, and flows into the Paraná River, creating the Iguazu Falls. At this border, the Argentine city of Puerto Iguazú (Misiones province), the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu (Paraná state), and Paraguay’s Ciudad del Este all meet. Take a look at the image below to see what I mean:
When we entered the national park and finally reached the falls, I remember watching this stunning natural wonder in total awe.
Here are some pictures of the Iguazu Falls from the Argentine side to give you an idea:
And here’s a video we took to better capture the grandeur of this incredible waterfall:
At one point, we even went down to the river and took a boat ride close to the falls:
I had previously visited Niagara Falls during my four years in Canada, and back then, I found it very impressive. But after seeing Iguazu, I can confidently say it’s the most magnificent waterfall I’ve ever seen. In fact, it’s fair to say Iguazu is the widest waterfall in the world. It stretches 2,700 meters across and drops 75 meters in two stages, with an average flow of 1,700 cubic meters per second.
Iguazu covers a surface area of 400,000 m2 compared to Niagara’s 183,000 m2. However, experts say that due to Canada’s climate, more water flows through Niagara annually. To me, Iguazu is a breathtaking natural spectacle that showcases the raw power of nature. It’s also home to many plant and animal species unfamiliar to most Turks.
In Latin America, it’s common to come across animals we don’t have back home. For example, here’s an Argentine raccoon:
At the end of the waterfall tour…
After a full day at the falls, we returned to our hotel. The next morning, we set off on our “three countries in one day” trip, starting from Puerto Iguazú with a small car ferry near our hotel.
First, we crossed from Argentina to Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. To be honest, Paraguay was a bit of a letdown. Compared to Argentina, it felt more underdeveloped—similar to Turkish slums, with lots of disorder and chaos. After spending 2–3 hours wandering around and shopping in the local market, we continued on to Brazil.
In Paraguay, even motorcycles serve as taxis:
And here’s a shopping mall in Ciudad del Este.
The moment you enter Brazil, you can feel it’s the most developed of the three countries. Our first mission was to find a good restaurant—and we succeeded. If you’ve ever been to a Brazilian restaurant, you’ll know they have amazing buffet-style dining and delicious grilled meats. Some give you a card with a red and green side. If the green side is facing up on your table, staff will come over with skewers of meat and cut it right in front of you. You grab a slice with tongs and place it on your plate.
The Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls is like the Argentine side, but with some differences. Brazil’s facilities are newer and more modern, while Argentina’s falls are more majestic and surrounded by more stunning nature. The economic disparity between the two countries is immediately visible in terms of the quality of infrastructure.
Here’s a photo we took while driving through Brazil:
And this is how the Argentine side of the falls looks from Brazil:
It’s worth noting that the national park covering both sides was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. After touring the Brazilian side, we spent our last hour or two relaxing by the pool at a boutique hotel inside the park, sipping local drinks. If we’d had more time, we would’ve loved to take a helicopter tour—but the poolside was a nice consolation.
Afterwards, we regrouped and headed back to the Argentine border with Eduardo. On the way, we stopped at a roadside coconut vendor. They pierced the coconuts, inserted straws, and served us a delicious, ice-cold drink.
Here’s a picture on the bridge over the river that separates Brazil and Argentina. One half of my body was in Argentina, the other in Brazil.
On our last day in Iguazu, I wanted some action, so I joined an adventure tour. We did “canopying” (basically zip-lining across a high drop from tree to tree) and rappelled down a waterfall.
View from underneath while I was on the canopy.
While preparing for the canopy.
An amazing view of the Iguazu River, taken on our walk down from the waterfall.
In the videos below, you can see my canopy and waterfall descent adventures. It was an amazing adrenaline rush for us.
It was a thrilling experience full of adrenaline. That evening, we had dinner at a lovely Argentine restaurant with live music. One thing I admire about Latin Americans is how naturally they engage with music and truly enjoy themselves in live settings. The food was excellent (I’ll talk more about Argentine cuisine in my next post), and couples danced to the beautiful Argentine melodies.
After that delightful night, we headed to Buenos Aires the next morning…
Tag: memoir
