Rumble in the jungle

And here we are right at the base of one of them - in what may as well be a rubber dinghy. The thunder of the water drowns out all sound bar the muffled screams of delight and whoops and whistles of ecstatic tourists.

As our driver moves away from the direct impact of the falls, we wring the bulk of the water from our hair, wipe it from our faces, take a deep breath and heave a huge sigh.

Only to be taken back in again ... and again.

He knows we can't get enough. We're cheating the elements and loving it.

It's not until after we've sloshed out of the boat and up the steep stairs to a lookout point that we see what we've done.

Madness, really. A few metres closer and we would certainly have been crushed under the wall of water. But what a buzz, and the adrenalin rush lasts for hours.

We had expected a good ride; a bit of whitewater rapids, they said, before we reach the main falls.

And then the "best and closest view possible" of Garganta do Diabo, the Devil's Throat. The most vicious point where the Iguacu River tumbles over the Parana Plateau.

"Be prepared for a little mist," the guide advised as he handed out plastic bags for camera gear and personal belongings.

Soaked is a better description. We should have had an inkling when the driver and camera man donned life jackets and covered up - completely - in full wet-weather gear.

Iguacu translates as "big water", which is a bit of an understatement. The Iguacu River basin extends over 62,000sq km.

The river flows 1300km across the Parana Plateau, collecting water from about 30 rivers before reaching the falls. All this adds up to make Iguacu Falls wider than Africa's Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara Falls in the US.

Former US first lady Eleanor Roosevelt is said to have exclaimed: "Poor Niagara! This makes Niagara look like a kitchen faucet."

But you don't have to risk whitewater rapids to see the falls and feel their impact. A network of walkways and vantage points ensures visitors get up close and personal ... and wet. Some even cross the rivers as they drop over the cliff tops.

In fact, it's the fourth set of walking trails that have been built - the others have been wiped away in floods.

Think about that as the absolutely awesome amount of water rushes under your feet.

It's a beautiful panorama from any lookout and a bombardment of the senses.

A sweet, pungent smell fills the air. You're surrounded by rainforest. The sights are spectacular. Green and white dominate the colour scheme, with tropical plants clinging for life as walls of water rumble past.

There are rainbows and butterflies wherever you look and a cool mist tries to tame the 38C temperatures. But the heavy heat gives way completely to a drenching cloud as you approach the waterfalls.

And the noise is like thunder.

Iguacu Falls are surrounded in both Argentina and Brazil by national parks. The added humidity works in favour of the subtropical rainforest, building an environment rich in vegetation and wildlife.

There are 400 species of birds, including five members of the toucan family, more than 100 different butterflies, iguanas, deer and tapir.

Parrots and hawks cruise over the deep green jungle and vultures hover from sunup to sundown, searching for snakes. Lots of them, too.

Each night when the moon is high, there's a pale glow in the distance as a mountain of mist hovers above the treetops.

A hush levels over the jungle but the water keeps coming, and that rumble never stops.

FAST FACTS

• Iguacu Falls are about 1070km north of Buenos Aires on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Most tourists include Iguacu as part of a wider itinerary.
• Aerolineas Argentinas flies six times daily between Buenos Aires and Iguacu Falls. Return flights cost from $225 (including tax).
• Adventure Associates has three-day packages from $395 a person (twin-share) land only, or $620 including air fares from Buenos Aires. [Ph Toll Free: 1800 222 141]
  
• The package includes two nights twin-share accommodation at the Sheraton Internacional Resort, Iguacu, breakfasts, airport transfers, afternoon tour of Argentinian falls, morning tour of Brazilian falls and national park entrance fees.
• Visas are required for Argentina and Brazil.
• Aerolineas Argentinas, Lan Chile and Qantas fly to Argentina.