If you are visiting the Iguazu National Park in Argentina, you can be sure to come close to abundant wildlife along with an amazing scenery. It’s common to encounter myriads of butterflies, bugs, and all kinds of multi-coloured insects. As well as plenty of birds, including parrots and toucans. As to other animals, you can be certain to come across numerous coati and a few lizards, but felines and monkeys are somewhat harder to see.

When we first arrived at the Sheraton Iguazu Hotel (currently: Gran Meliá Iguazú) room, we were surprised to find the following sign on our sliding door window.

We wondered if monkeys entering your room through the windows would be a common occurrence or if it was just some kind of joke for innocent hotel guests. Although monkeys are known for being mischievous, it seemed a bit surreal that they’d come into a hotel room.

Or was it not?

The day after our arrival, we were returning to the hotel after walking around the trails and enjoying ever so many magnificent views of the falls, when we noticed a group of guests who were pointing at the trees and taking pictures. We came closer to find out what was going on, and they told us the had spotted a group of monkeys among the branches of a patch of forest right in front of our hotel. We joined in trying to spot and take pictures of the monkeys which was somewhat hard because they were quite high up and partially hidden by the foliage.

While all of us were watching and one of the guests was filming, a monkey jumped down the tree and ran towards the hotel. It immediately started climbing up a pipe that was on the side of the room balconies. One of the windows was slightly open and the monkey went swiftly into the room and came back out producing a box of mini crackers. It sat on the railing opening the box while we were all watching in amazement. The guest who was filming suddenly noticed something…

“That’s my room!”, he said and ran off to help his wife that was having a close encounter with not one but two monkeys, since the first one had been soon followed by another monkey that wanted to snatch the box from him. She shouted back to all of us astonished guests that when she had come out of the bathroom she had seen the monkey open the minibar and carefully select the preferred snack.

The monkeys then ran up to the roof chasing each other, until the fastest one ditched the box and keeping the inside package and fled back to the forest, speedily climbed up a tree and sat down on a branch to comfortably enjoy its trophy. Apparently, it had won in full right and was not bothered by the other monkeys. Maybe next time they’d get a chance.

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See my other articles: >> Iguazi Falls: Meet the coati >> Iguazi Falls: stunning natural beauty