Iguacu Falls is a popular tourist attraction on the frontier or border of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay.
Using AIR PASSES, we can normally 'add' a side trip to visit Iguacu to most 'travel pacotes'. I suggest at least one or two days to be able to see the 'falls' ............
Located near the junction of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, Iguacu Falls (pronounced eeh-gwa-SUE) is a must-see: It may be the greatest waterfall in the world. There are 275 cataracts in all, stretching 2 mi/4 km from bank to bank and reaching a height of 300ft/90 m. The falls, on the Parana River, are best seen October-December and March-May. We suggest flying from Rio or Sao Paulo as early as possible, overnighting at the falls, then flying to another destination the next evening. That way, you'll have a lot of time at the falls, which look and photograph differently in different light. The adventurous can go by train, road or riverboat (the boat trip takes about two days from Rio). A four-minute helicopter ride goes up the river into the falls and over them, then circles and comes down in to the falls again before landing (there's about a 1-mi/2-km walk back).
About 35 mi/55 km south of the falls, you can drive into Argentina via a bridge, or continue on to Paraguay. We don't recommend it, however. The traffic is horrendous, as the area is jam packed with South Americans shopping for discounted (and often counterfeit) goods.
We suggest, instead, that you stay longer at the falls or visit the old missions in the area. Keep in mind that you'll need a very long day to see both the Brazilian and Argentine sides of the falls. On the Brazilian side, you'll see the falls from a distance (although the views are breathtaking), while the Argentine side has catwalks that take you deeper into the jungle setting and right up to the edge of the roaring waters. (You can even take a boat ride quite close to the edge.)
The park has an aviary with more than 200 types of birds, most of that are native to Brazil. An easy side trip is to the vast Itaipu Dam built jointly by Brazil and Paraguay, where you can take a free tour. It's one of the largest hydroelectric works projects in the world (55 stories high and 5 mi/8km wide-12,800 megawatts).
Copyright © 2000 / 2001 - AndeTUR Brazilian Travel Club.
July 07, 2001