Extreme adventure in Foz

[highlight]Leia em Português[/highlight]

Among the novelties in Foz do Iguaçu, finding out an area that is becoming the hub of adventure sports and tourism was a good surprise. Besides offering several options for the tourists, it is the home of the Falls Half Marathon and important international championships, and will hold the X-Games for the next three years.

A revolution is going on in this city famous for the Iguassu Falls and Itaipu (a hydroelectric dam on the Paraná River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay); from now on it will be known as a destination for extreme sports and eco-adventure. Since May, Foz do Iguaçu has been excited about being the hub of the X-Games, the world’s greatest championship in extreme sports – beating São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Sydney, Moscow, Lisbon and Dubai.

It has been a while since any adventurer finds tree top walk, canoeing, cascading, climbing, rafting, abseiling, tyrolean traverse and walking and bike trails. The problem is that the tourist only learns this when he arrives, and the time is reserved for the Falls and shopping in Paraguay. I advise you to review your concepts, stay longer or do like me, go back several times. I have not been able to enjoy it all, but already did the Poço Preto trail – an ecologist-guided safari through the rainforest: you can go hiking, cycling or kayaking on Iguassu River. I intend to do all this: the tree top walk has obstacles from 4 to 8-meter high and ends with the 25-meter tyrolean traverse; climbing can be on a wall or rock, between 10 and 30 meters off ground; cascading is in Salto do Macuco, a 25-meter waterfall; rafting is level intermediate, on Iguassu River between Brazil and Argentina; abseiling is a 55-meter descent and trails all the way. You can spend a weekend of pure adrenaline.

Itaipu encourages sports actions; besides supporting the city events, it has created the Itaipu Canal (part of Piracema Canal, within the complex), especially prepared for freestyle canoeing, rafting and slalom. According to the Brazilian Canoe Confederation, it is considered one of the best places in the world for these sports. The Brazilian Canoe Team now uses the canal for practicing and competing.

Take Note

The X-Games (Extreme Games) are produced by ESPN, the American sports channel. The games are the Olympics of radical sports, with motorbike, rally, skating and bike BMX. The competitions will take place in Iguassu National Park, Itaipu and a large area across from the Conventions Centre.

Falls Half Marathon is part of the Brazilian Golden Circuit, a 21-kilometer route that has had the participation of over 2.3 thousand athletes. It 2013 it will take place in June, together with the Environmental Week. In Iguassu National Park, do adventure tourism with Macuco Ecoaventura, Macuco Safári and Cânion Iguaçu. Open from 9 to 5. Across the border, Iguassu National Park has suggestions of trekking and safaris. Open from 8 to 4.