How to Get Wet at the Iguazu Falls

If you want to get up close and personal with oneplane. Plan to spend at least a day touring the falls. A
of the world's largest and most impressive waterfalls,visit would not be complete without admiring the falls
take a boat trip on Iguazu River to the Iguazu Fallsfrom the many vantage points in the surrounding
on the border of Argentina and Brazil. The Iguazunational parks. The whole area has been named a
Falls, with water flowing at 61,600 cubic feet perUNESCO World Heritage Site, and the National Iguazu
second, puts Niagara Falls to shame. Plus, thePark has preserved almost 200,000 acres of jungle.
surrounding subtropical forests on both Argentina'sIn the forests you can see toucans, parrots, and
and Brazil's borders are beautiful and worth at least amany other beautiful jungle birds, as well as a
day of exploring.plethora of butterflies, and maybe even some
The Iguazu Falls is not the longest freefalling waterfallmonkeys and anteaters.
- that would be Angel Falls in Venezuela - nor is itIt's best to take a romp through the forest on the
technically the largest - that award goes to theBrazilian side of the falls first. The hike is easy and
Victoria Falls in Southern Africa - but it is a toptakes about 45 minutes from the entrance to reach
contender in both categories. Tons of water perthe falls. At the edge of the river, you will have an
second rushes over basalt rock ledges, some ofexcellent view of the falls, especially Floriano Falls and
which are over 250 foot tall. The name Iguazu itselfthe Devil's Throat. Visitors can also take the free
means Big Water in the indigenous language. A cloudTrain of the Forest, or Tren de la Selva. This train
of mist rises 100 feet above the splash zone, aalso stops part way so that visitors can get off if
spectacular sight since the sunlight often is reflectedthey wish or continue on to the falls. From the
off the mist in rainbows.riverbank you can take a boat cruise that takes you
There are several waterfalls, actually, that make upinto the splash zone, where you can get as close as
Iguazu. About 270 smaller falls converge at the mostpossible to the falls.
impressive cataract of the falls, the Devil's Throat. SoYou can spend the afternoon, or another day,
named because the cataract is U-shaped, visitors cantrekking around the Argentina side of the falls, which
get close enough that they are surrounded by a wallaffords more great vistas, especially of the Devil's
of water on three sides.Throat, and numerous trails that allow you to get
Visitors can get to the city of Iguazu by bus or bycloser to the falls than you can on the Brazilian side.