Iguazu Falls National Park
From Travel Information and Popular Attractions: TravelName.com
Iguazu falls are a series of nearly 275 waterfalls on the border between Argentina and Brazil and are truly a natural wonder of the world. Its a must place to see if you are visiting either Argentina or Brazil. The two border cities are Puerto Iguazu on Argentina's side and Foz do Iguazu on Brazil's side. Puerto Iguazu is relatively small and safer for tourists.
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Getting to Iguazu Falls
Due to the popularity of Iguazu falls, there are frequent flights from Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro to here so it's quite easy to come here. Many hotels have their own sightseeing services to the Iguazu falls or through their preferred travel operator. Once you are here there are several bus or taxi services which you can also take. Friendship bridge over the falls is a short walk.
Facts of Iguazu Falls
These magnificent falls can be compared to the Niagara Falls, in fact they are taller than Niagara falls. These falls are located on the Iguazu River and form the shape of a horseshoe in a length of about two miles. Majority of the Iguazu falls are about 64 meters tall but some fall freely up to 82 meters in height. In fact there is a permanent 100 foot cloud from the mist and you can even see a rainbow.
Devil's Throat
The best time to visit is between August and mid-November. November to March is the rainy season.
Crossing the Border
Immigration officials on both side of the border are quite relaxed and will let you cross the border in most cases. However if you are an American citizen, you may need to get a visa to go to Brazil's side as they have a reciprocal visa policy (since USA requires visa for Brazil citizens, so they have a similar policy for them).
There are several flight options available from both Argentina and Brazil's side. There are boat and helicopter tours available in the area. The closest hotel you can get is called Iguazu Grand Hotel Resort and Casino in Argentina. Its a very luxurious hotel, It has a European style casino and amenities which include golf course, beauty salon , pool and more. There are several other reasonably priced options available in the area. A bus from Puerto Iguazu's central bus station is leaving for the falls every 45 minutes to 1 hour. It is also possible to take a taxi - the distance to the falls is not long.
Iguazu National Park
These falls are recognized as the World Heritage site. Iguazu National Park is rich in Flora and Fauna and there are also many jungle trails and bird hikes. There are plenty of opportunities for photography and even an inside view of the waterfall via suspension bridges. Tourists can also venture into subtropical jungles and find rare and endangered animals such as jaguars, ocelots and toucans .
You can visit the waterfalls on your own, but you will most certainly need a tour operator to explore the jungle. Many walking trails were paved throughout the reserve, and a free train brings visitors from the gate to the falls themselves. These facilities allows a close encounter with the falls.
The Park has two main gates few kilometers away from the cities of Puerto Iguazu in Argentina and Foz do Iguazu in Brazil. Foz do Iguazu receives more tourists because of its larger infrastructure of tour operators and hotels. However, tourists usually visit both sides of Iguazu falls because both provide different experience and still almost equally good.
Itaipu Dam
If you like seeing the man made wonders then do consider visiting the Itaipu Dam which is one of the largest dams in the world and contributes a large portion of power for Brazil and Argentina.
