Information
Landmark: Iguazú National ParkCity: Iguazu
Country: Argentina
Continent: South America
Iguazú National Park, Iguazu, Argentina, South America
Overview
Iguazú National Park in Misiones, Argentina, is one of the country’s most celebrated natural treasures, where the roar of the falls hangs in the warm, misty air.In Misiones Province, in the country’s northeast, the park draws visitors from around the world to see Iguazú Falls, where torrents of water roar into mist and spray.Iguazú National Park sits within the vast Iguazú Biosphere Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, covering about 67,000 hectares-roughly the size of a small city-where dense rainforest hums with wildlife and glistening leaves after rain.Iguazú National Park sits along the border of Argentina and Brazil, most of it on the Argentine side, while the thundering Iguazú Falls spill across both nations.The park is mostly tropical rainforest, warm and heavy with humidity, where towering trees rise above thick undergrowth and a stunning variety of plants crowd every patch of soil.The Iguazú River winds through the park and pours into the breathtaking Iguazú Falls, a curtain of over 275 separate cascades stretching nearly 2.7 kilometers wide.The falls split into two main sections, and on Argentina’s side you’ll find the Garganta del Diablo-Devil’s Throat-where a roaring curtain of water crashes into the mist below.The park offers winding trails, quiet lookouts, and sweeping viewpoints, inviting visitors to wander through its diverse ecosystems and take in the scent of pine as they admire the scenery from every angle.At the heart of Iguazú National Park, you’ll find its crown jewel-the roaring Iguazú Falls, where mist hangs in the air like a fine spray.These falls rank among the world’s largest and most breathtaking, known for their vast scale, striking beauty, and the thunderous roar of water crashing into the mist below.The waterfalls plunge anywhere from 60 meters (197 feet) to 82 meters (269 feet), with the tallest drop sending up a fine mist.Flow: Water thunders over the falls with astonishing force, surging at up to 6,500 cubic meters per second when the rains are at their heaviest.Garganta del Diablo, or Devil’s Throat, is the falls’ most breathtaking spot, where torrents of water crash into a deep gorge with a deafening roar and a cool mist that clings to your face.At Garganta del Diablo, you can stand so close to the roaring water that the mist cools your face, and sometimes a bright rainbow arcs through it.Other waterfalls worth seeing dot the park, among them San Martín Falls, Bossetti Falls, and the twin streams of Dos Hermanas Falls.In Iguazú National Park, orchids cling to mossy branches while toucans flash their bright beaks, part of the park’s rich mix of plants and wildlife.The park lies within the Atlantic Forest, a lush stretch of one of the planet’s most biodiverse regions, where bright toucans and countless other rare, endangered species make their home.In the park’s rainforest, thick green canopies stretch overhead, with towering Brazilian mahogany, rosewood, and graceful palms swaying in the humid air.Ferns, orchids, and bright bromeliads flourish in the park’s damp air, their leaves beading with morning mist.The park shelters a diverse mix of mammals, from the stealthy jaguar to the sleek puma and the spotted ocelot slipping through the undergrowth.You’ll often spot smaller mammals in the park, like a curious coati nosing through the leaves, or hear the distant calls of howler and capuchin monkeys.Birdwatchers will feel right at home in Iguazú National Park, where more than 450 species fill the air with color and sound-from bright-billed toucans to parrots, herons, and the mighty harpy eagle.Reptiles and Amphibians: The park’s home to everything from sun-basking iguanas to massive anacondas and tiny, bright-green frogs.The park has winding trails and hidden viewpoints, each offering a fresh angle on the falls and the lush, misty rainforest around them.The trails stretch from gentle paths where leaves crunch underfoot to steep climbs that test your legs, letting visitors take in the area’s beauty at whatever pace feels right.First.The Upper Circuit, or Circuito Superior, winds for 1.2 km (about three-quarters of a mile) along the waterfall’s crest, where you can look out over the roaring cascades and feel the cool mist on your face.The Lower Circuit (Circuito Inferior) winds for 2.4 km (1.5 miles), bringing you right to the base of the waterfalls, where the crash of water and a fine, cool mist wrap around you.Step two’s simple: mix up your sentence lengths so the rhythm feels natural.Garganta del Diablo, or Devil’s Throat, is the park’s most famous trail, drawing crowds to its roaring, mist-filled views.Visitors follow a winding path of metal walkways to the Devil’s Throat, where the roar of the largest waterfall in the system fills the air and mist cools their faces.Three.The Macuco Trail stretches 7 km (4.3 miles) into the rainforest, winding past lush greenery until it reaches a quiet lookout near the cascading Arrechea Falls.If you’re after a deeper jungle experience, this trail’s perfect-thick vines hang low, and the air hums with insects.Number four sat scrawled in thick black ink across the page.On these boat tours, visitors can glide right up to the waterfalls, feeling the mist on their faces and the raw force of the water rumbling beneath them.Boats carry visitors right to the base of the falls, where mist cools their faces and the roar of crashing water fills the air.If you’re feeling adventurous, you can paddle through churning rapids in a kayak, race downstream on a raft, or soar above in a helicopter for a sweeping view of the falls and the green valleys around them.Number five.The park’s a haven for nature lovers, where you might spot a heron skimming the lake at dawn or catch sight of deer moving quietly through the trees.Winding trails and lookout points give you plenty of chances to see wildlife-coatis rustling in the underbrush, monkeys swinging overhead, and flashes of bright wings from countless bird species.Iguazú National Park sits just 17 kilometers-about a 20‑minute drive-from Puerto Iguazú, making it an easy trip for visitors.The city’s served by Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport, where planes arrive daily from Buenos Aires, Córdoba, and other major Argentine cities.Buses and taxis run from Puerto Iguazú straight to the park gates, ready to whisk visitors past the smell of fresh rain on the road.The park’s open all year, but get there early-before the parking lot fills and while the falls still glow in the soft morning light.You’ll need to pay a small entrance fee to get into the park, though kids, students, and seniors can snag a discount.Your fee goes toward protecting the park and keeping its trails and picnic tables in good shape.For the best experience, head to Iguazú National Park in fall (March to May) or spring (September to November), when the air feels warm but not heavy and the trails aren’t crowded.Summer, from December to February, is a great time to visit, though the heat can press down like midday sun on a tin roof.
