Iguaçu Falls

The Iguazu falls ranks as one of South America’s foremost attractions. It’s easy to see why after spending a day there, you will be spellbound. The falls are situated in one of Argentina’s best national parks, Parque Nacional Iguazu in the North East of the country. The closest town to the falls is Puerto Iguazu, which survives purely from the tourist business but is itself beautifully serene. The Falls came into being after a rush of lava (made up of basalt rock) suddenly stopped mid flow with the result that a huge natural cliff was created. This sheer drop happened to be spread over several ... more

This is the closest thing to paradise I have ever seen. Eden may have looked like this, if God was in a particularly good mood on the sixth day, or whenever it was he created it. The Falls mark the point where Brazil and Argentina border one another. The river Iguazu (Portuguese spelling – or Iguacu in Spanish) cascades down through a large valley at this point – see other reviews in the section for an explanation of how the valley was formed. The river itself is spectacular enough – At least to an East Londoner whose only knowledge of rivers up ‘til this point was the ... more

The stunning array of cascades is what makes Iguacu, in my opinion, the most the spectacular of the world’s waterfalls. Unlike other, taller waterfalls, the falls is made up o a semi-circle of hundreds of individual water falls, all pouring into a tempestuous river. Take a boat trip up this river to next to the falls and you are in one of the best places to appreciate them – look right, look left, look straight ahead and all you can see is walls of tumbling water crashing down over rocks with sub-tropical vegetation close by to add to the spectacle. The falls lie literally on the border ... more

Ok, some tips if you are planning to visit the waterfalls with seven jumps, even bigger than the American one. Don't forget to plan everything for their winter, if you plan to be there during December, January, February... think about this twice, you will need more than a huge bottle of water, it's summer there and specially there that is a tropical forest, everywhere you turn you'll find insects. So remember to carry, no matter when you go insects repellent all the time. The waterfalls present their best jumps in the Argentinean part that is why you will get the superb view in the Brazilian ... more

I spent 8 weeks travelling through argentina, bolivia and peru and this day trip was by far the greatest highlight - even greater than the Inca Trail! The sight of the water crashing down all around you surrounded by the uninterrupted greenery is awesome. The authorities have done a wonderful job there keeping the naural state - there are none of the mcdonalds or tacky souveir shops you would find if they were located here or in the USA - you simply pay your entrance fee and wonder round all day. The speed boat ride into the falls is well worth the extra money - as long as you don't mind ... more