Iguacu Falls travel in Brazil

The spectacular Iguacu Falls are a holiday magnet for tourists with airline tickets for travel in South America.

Iguacu Falls is deep in the south of Brazil within the Parque Nacional Iguacu near Puerto Iguacu, just east of the confluence of the Iguacu and Parana rivers.

Many rainbows continually lace the waterfall mist as more than 13,000 cubic metres of water per second plunge as far as 82 metres into the abyss below, and about 5 million tourists visit the waterfalls each year to witness this ongoing spectacle.

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Iguacu Falls provide a spectacular vacation drawcard in the southern Brazilian state of Parana on the border between Argentina and Brazil in South America. The waterfalls stretch for more than four kilometres, carrying almost 13,000 cubic metres of water every second during the wet season and tumbling an average 70 metres into Iguacu River.

Numerous rocky and wooded islands are located on the edge of the escarpment over which the Iguacu River drops. These divide the waterflow into about 275 separate waterfalls or cataracts. The Brazilian side has the most panoramic views.

Iguacu Falls, often spelt with a "z" as in Iguazu or with "ss" as in Iguassu, was the setting for the film The Mission and the area has historic ruins of Jesuit missions. The falls are known locally as "Cataratas do Iguacu". Brazil spells the waterfalls "Iguacu" and Argentina spells them "Iguazu".

The name of the waterfall is derived from the Guarani Indian word meaning "great water".

Most holiday-makers marvel at the falls from footbridges and platforms. It's worth considering travel to Iguazu Falls in winter as there are shorter queues of tourists and less mosquitoes - although the water levels are lower. It's also worth noting that the Brazilian side of the falls usually gets about 8,000 visitors a day compared to 2,000 a day on the Argentinian side.

Tourists who want to thoroughly enjoy their South American holiday can buy tickets for a jet-boat ride on the river below... but be prepared to get wet.

Travellers can also hire a 10 minute helicopter ride over the falls, as well as jeep and bicycle tours through the surrounding jungle.

These waterfalls in South America were declared a Natural Heritage of Mankind by UNESCO in 1986.

The surrounding 55,000 hectares of subtropical rainforest are lush with wildlife and plant species. The surrounding park is home to 2000 plant and 400 bird species. The Macuco natural trail provides a great hike for travel through dense rainforest with occasional highlights such as tree-swinging families of monkeys.

A plane flight north from Buenos Aires to Iguacu Falls takes about 90 minutes. Aerolineas Argentinas flies twice daily to and from the capital. The best time to book your airline tickets is from August to November when there is less risk of floodwaters blocking the waterfall observation decks.

Iguacu Falls is a "must see" holiday spot, particularly if your tour of South America involves travel between Argentina and Brazil.

Travellers have a choice of countries where they can seek accommodation when visiting Iguacu Falls, assuming visa requirements are met.

Puerto Iguacu is on the Argentina side of the river, Foz do Iguacu is in Brazil and Ciudad del Este is in Paraguay. A thriving black market can be found in Ciudad del Este with the usual associated dangers and traps for the unwary tourist.

Make sure you arrange your travel visas beforehand so you can cross easily to the various sides of Iguacu. Beware that the various tourist shops in Iguacu National Park overcharge for items such as bottled water.

Three aerial walkways built on concrete pylons allow tourists to walk several metres above the jungle floor and above the water to locations such as the main waterfall called Garganta del Diablo, or the Devil's Throat, which stretches 600 metres into Brazil and 2100 metres into Argentina. There are plenty of viewing platforms.

The 1400 metre Lower Circuit aerial walkway is the most difficult and doesn't cater to wheelchairs, unlike the other two walkways. The spectacle of Iguacu Waterfalls can be awesome, particularly on viewing platforms near the bottom of the falls which are just a stone's throw from the thundering avalanche of water.

The flora and fauna of Iguacu are delightful. Tourists are often surrounded by swarms of butterflies, darting hummingbirds, monkeys, tapirs, parrots and occasional toucans.

Click here for another picture of Iguacu Falls and further holiday tips about this spectacular location.

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