Iguassu Falls South America Travel Information
Words and photographs have tried to do Iguassu Falls justice. Both have failed. Wider than Victoria and higher than Niagara, Iguassu Falls is arguably more spectacular than both. The thunder of the water and the brilliance of the rainbow that crowns the furious torrent at first boggle the mind, then linger on as a rare testimony to the grandeur of Earth. Beginning its course close to the Atlantic seaboard, the Iguassu River then crosses the western highlands of the states of São Paulo and Paranà and arrives at the edge of a plateau unequally divided between Brazil and Argentina. There, a series of islands divides the massive falls into some275 separate waterfalls or “cataracts,” hurtling themselves headlong into the canyon below-a geologic formation aptly named the Devil’s Throat. The falls actually derive their name from the Gaurani Indian word meaning “great water.” Little wonder, seeing as how they discharge their waters at a startling rate of almost 60,000 cubic feet per second.
To truly experience the dazzling spectacle of the waters, one should really view Iguassu from both sides. Or, more appropriately, both countries. In Brazil, from the vantage point of the precipice, the grand overview is simply hypnotizing. In Argentina, you’re treated to a closer look. It’s a multi-sensory experience of roaring falls, rainbow arcs and drenching mist amidst a backdrop of parrots and hawks cruising aloft over the deep green jungle.
