Iguazu Falls Travel Information

Location
The Falls are in the northwest extreme of Misiones province, 18 km from Puerto Iguazu, just where the waters of the Iguazú River offer a unique spectacle with its 275 falls that reach up to 70 metres. They are surrounded by the virgin jungle of the Iguazú National Park, protecting over 2000 flora species and 400 bird and wild animal species. “Iguazú” means “Great Waters” in the language of the Guaraníes, indians that lived in this region.

When to get there:
Iguazu Falls can be visited any time of year as temperatures and voluntary infrastructure of the area contribute to the path of the optimal.

Weather:
Summer is very hot, with an average temperature of 25º C and high humidity. In winter the average temperature is 15º C and the nights are cooler than the rest of the day.

How to get there:
By land: from Buenos Aires, National Route N º 9 National Route No. 12, from Corrientes and Entre Rios, Ruta Nacional No. 12, from Salta and Jujuy, National Route N º 9 National Route No. 34, National Route No. 16 and National Road No. 12.
By air: from Buenos Aires-Aeroparque Jorge Newbery, flights to Puerto Iguazú International Airport, where planes arrive from neighboring countries.

Description
Two thirds of the falls are within the Argentine limits. However, it is necessary to explore both sides since there is a very good panoramic view from Brazil. To feel the falls close enough and enjoy the beauty of its vegetation, birds and butterflies, it is essential to walk along the walkways and paths on the Argentine side.

At the Visitors' Center, located in Area Cataratas (Falls Area) of the Argentine National Park, an open train is boarded for a 15-minute trip up to Estación Cataratas (Falls Station) (wherefrom the Superior and Inferior Walkways are reached) and Estación Garganta (Devil's Throat Station) (wherefrom a 1,200-meter walkway leads to the observation balcony of the Devil's Throat, the most imposing of them all). Another alternative to reach the Inferior and Superior Walkways is a walk along the so-called green path (about 15-minute long).

The Inferior Walkway permits a closest contact with the waterfalls and the natural pools, allowing the visitor to enjoy the impressive scenery of beautiful rainbows contrasting with the bright green of the exuberant vegetation. On the banks of the inferior course of the Iguazú River is placed an improvised pier. Here you may board the small motorboats crossing the river up to the San Martín Islands or the zodiac motorboats to get close to the Arrechea, San Martín, Tres Mosqueteros, Bozetti and Devil's Throat falls.

The Superior Walkway stretches along the upper part of the falls, over the Iguazú River superior course, where the cascades start. It is possible to observe from this walkway the Dos Hermanas, Chico, Ramírez, Bozetti, Adán y Eva and San Martín falls.

From the observation balcony of the Devil's Throat you get a magnificent view of this impressive fall, indeed the most plentiful and imposing of the whole arc of the falls. The fall is 150 m. (500 feet) wide, 700 m. (2,330 feet) long.

On the Argentine side, the Yacaratia Path travels 7 km through the heart of the jungle reaching Macuco Pier, embarking or disembarking pier for the Great Adventure. Another path specially designed for photographic safaris and bird watching is the Macuco Path on the Brazilian side. Both paths, leading to the inferior course of the Iguazú River, are part of an excursion which may turn into an unforgettable experience. With different names at each side of the border, they are the passport to a thrilling adventure that starts at the very moment of putting on the life jackets and peaks when reaching the very point where the falls meet the waters of the inferior course of the river. This excursion is known as "Great Adventure" on the Argentine side and "Safari Macuco" on the Brazilian side.

Near Puerto Peninsula stands a Natural Reserve Area ideal for adventure or eco-tourism activities. Visitors can fully enjoy the subtropical rainforest, with the possibility of exploring the flora and fauna of the region. Activities such as rappel, Tyrolese, trekking and canopy can be practiced in the reserve. This tour, called Iguazú Forest, is another option to explore the beauty that nature offers in the area.

A few kilometers from the falls, in Brazilian territory, stands the Itaipú Dam, considered a masterpiece of engineering. The dam is 8 km (5 miles) long and has a spillway that can pour 60,000 m3 of water per second, a channel and an artificial lake with a surface of 1,350 km2. It is an enormous power plant, which can produce up to 12,6 thousand megawatts, considered one of the seven wonders of modern world, according to the 'Civil Engineering American Association'. Technical and tourist visits are available.

Only 60 km (37 miles) from the Iguazú Falls, situated over the Superior Course of the Iguazú River, the Yacutinga Lodge and its Wild Life Refuge are settled in the core of the subtropical jungle, where the sounds and images of the forest seem to fit perfectly with the natural-looking constructions built with local materials such as stone and wood from fallen trees. It is an important eco-touristic project never attempted before in Argentina, whose philosophy is to preserve nature and to teach visitors, through an array of different activities, to love and respect it.

On the Uruguay River, 200 km (125 miles) from Iguazú, the Moconá Falls appear in the middle of the jungle. Located in the border between the Argentine province of Misiones and Brazil, the Uruguay River forms a beautiful and imposing fall when it splits its waters in two arms and flows over its own course in a cascade parallel to the coast. Tourist facilities are scarce and the area can only be reached by small expedition groups.

A few kilometers south from Puerto Iguazú, you can visit the precious and semi-precious stone Mines of Wanda (agate, quartz, amethyst, among others, can be found there). A few kilometers further south, you reach the small city of El Dorado with its citrus, pine tree, yerba mate and tea plantations. Going on southward, along National Route 12, the city of Montecarlo stands surrounded by thick forestations in an area of hilly slopes, 130 km (82 miles) from the Iguazú Falls and 185 km from Posadas. This village, located on the banks of the Paraná River, houses the small Zoo Bal Park with a wide variety of autochthonous fauna species. Montecarlo stands out for its citrus production, reforestation activities, and cellulose production. In October, the National Festival of the Orchid and the Provincial Festival of the Flower are held in the city. From here, the road goes through the small cities of Puerto Rico and Jardín América, wherein it is interesting to see the small 10-meter (33 feet) high cascade called Salto Tabay in the middle of the thick surrounding forest of autochthonous species. After a drive of 240 km (150 miles) from Iguazú you reach San Ignacio, Santa Ana and Loreto Jesuit Ruins just a few kilometers before the city of Posadas.

Visiting
A visit to this area requires a minimum of 1-2 nights. There are a good range of hotels on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides of the falls.