Iguazu Falls Travel and Tourism Information- (Argentina & Brazil)
Iguazu falls are a series of nearly 275 waterfalls on the border between Argentina
and Brazil and are truly a natural wonder of the world. Its a must place to
see if you are visiting either Argentina or Brazil. The two border cities are
Puerto Iguazu on Argentina's side and Foz do Iguazu on Brazil's side. Puerto
Iguazu is relatively small and safer for tourists.
GETTING HERE:
Due to the popularity of Iguazu falls,
there are frequent flights from Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro to here so it's
quite
easy to come here. Many hotels have their own sightseeing services to the Iguazu falls or through their preferred travel operator. Once you are here there
are several bus or taxi services which you can also take. Friendship bridge
over the falls is a short walk.
FACTS OF IGUAZU FALLS:
These magnificent falls can be compared to the
Niagara Falls, in fact they are taller than Niagara falls. These falls are
located on the Iguazu River and form the shape of a horseshoe in a length of
about two miles. Majority
of the Iguazu falls are about 64 meters tall but some fall freely up to
82 meters in
height. In fact there is a permanent 100 foot cloud from the mist and you
can even see a rainbow.
DEVIL's THROAT:
Two thirds of the Iguazu falls are on the Argentinean side of the river but they are
best seen from the Brazilian side. The highlight of the falls is the spectacular
Devil's Throat (or Gargantua del Diablo) which is a U-shaped cliff on the border
of two countries. They are 700 meters long and 150 meters high.
The falls are named from Guarani Indian word meaning "great water." On
the Argentina's side there is a free train operating along the 1km-long walkway
across the river to the Devil's Throat and back to the stand. The best view of
the Devil's Throat is from Brazil side, from both above and below.
The best time to visit is between August and mid-November. November to
March is the rainy season.
Crossing the Border:
Immigration officials on both side of the border are quite relaxed and will let
you cross the border in most cases. However if you are an American citizen, you
may need to get a visa to go to Brazil's side as they have a reciprocal visa
policy (since USA requires visa for Brazil citizens, so they have a similar
policy for them).
There are
several flight options available from both Argentina and Brazil's side. There
are boat and helicopter tours available in the area. The closest hotel you can
get is called Iguazu Grand Hotel Resort and Casino in Argentina. Its a very luxurious hotel,
It has a European style casino and amenities which include golf course, beauty
salon , pool and more. There are several other reasonably priced options
available in the area. A bus from Puerto Iguazu's central bus station is leaving
for the falls every 45 minutes to 1 hour. It is also possible to take a taxi - the
distance to the falls is not long.
Iguazu National Park:
These falls are recognized as the World Heritage site. Iguazu National Park is rich in Flora and Fauna and there are also many jungle trails and bird hikes. There are plenty of opportunities for photography and even an inside view of the waterfall via suspension bridges. Tourists can also venture into subtropical jungles and find rare and endangered animals such as jaguars, ocelots and toucans .
You can visit the waterfalls on your own, but you will most certainly need a tour operator to explore the jungle. Many walking trails were paved throughout the reserve, and a free train brings visitors from the gate to the falls themselves. These facilities allows a close encounter with the falls.
The Park has two main gates few kilometers away from the cities of Puerto Iguazu in Argentina and Foz do Iguazu in Brazil. Foz do Iguazu receives more tourists because of its larger infrastructure of tour operators and hotels. However, tourists usually visit both sides of Iguazu falls because both provide different experience and still almost equally good.
Itaipu Dam:
If you like seeing the man made wonders then do consider visiting the Itaipu Dam which is one of the largest dams in the world and contributes a large portion of power for Brazil and Argentina.
