Iguazú Falls – or Iguaçu or Iguassu – no matter how you spell the name, the falls themselves remain a magnificent sight to behold. On the border between Argentina and Brazil, the falls are unequally divided between the two countries, with about 80 per cent on the Argentine side and 20 per cent in Brazil.
To see them properly, you really need to visit both sides. In Brazil you get the big picture and in Argentina you get a closer look.
There are 275 individual falls or cataracts spread over an area three kilometres wide and 80 metres high, which makes them wider than Victoria Falls in Africa and higher than Niagara Falls in North America. The lush foliage surrounding the falls makes them especially beautiful. They were included on the World Heritage List in 1984.
There are extensive boardwalks around and in some places over the top of the falls, and from these you can see the aptly named Devil’s Throat, the largest of the falls.
It’s worth staying a couple of days or more to see the falls from both sides and although some accommodation is available in the national park, it’s expensive. Staying in town and catching a bus to the falls is more economical. The closest towns are Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, both within 20 miles of the falls.
Thank you for this post, which reminded me of a visit in 2004. We visited both the Brazilian and Argentine sides, but also
took a helicopter ride, and the views were even better.
Wow, wish we had done the helicopter as well. Fantastic experience.