The Iguazu Falls became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 and was selected as one of the winners of the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition in 2011, yet they remain surprisingly unknown. It is probably the remote location of the Falls that has kept them from being more popular, however, this is also what makes them so special. Instead of being surrounded by casinos, hotels, fast food restaurants and theme parks, the Iguazu Falls are located in one of the few remaining inland rainforests in South America. The lush, subtropical national parks of the Atlantic rainforest which surrounds the Falls are teeming with wildlife and have been preserved by both Argentina and Brazil. This is a haven for more than 2,000 plant species, about 400 bird species, 80 types of mammals and countless insects and invertebrate.
The network of walkways on the Argentinian side take you right out over the water to the edge of some of the falls – sometimes just an arm’s length away – so you can witness the Falls looking down from over the top. You can get close to the most famous falls, the Devil’s Throat, as well as a number of smaller waterfalls, and easily spend a day wandering around and getting soaking wet!
On the Brazilian side of the Falls you can enjoy a more complete view of the Falls. From the shorter network of walkways, you may be further from the water but you will be able to enjoy a spectacular panoramic view. The view of the Devil’s Throat from this side is quite dramatic as the Lower Balcony takes you almost to the face of the Falls.
The amount of water pouring from these falls into the Iguazu River is equally staggering. On average, about 1,500 cubic meters of water flows every second. Depending on the time of the year, the rate of water flow can be as much as 13,000 cubic meters per second — enough to fill five Olympic swimming pools — especially during the rainy months of November to March!
So make sure any trip you plan to Argentina or Brazil includes a few days visiting these magnificent Falls. From Buenos Aires it is a 90-minute flight to Puerto Iguazu on the Argentinean side and from Rio de Janeiro it takes two hours to fly to the Brazilian town of Foz de Iguacu.
Take a look at some of our favourite South American itineraries that offer a visit to these impressive falls.