Travel Trip Journey : “Iguazu Fall” Brazil and Argentina

One of the great natural wonders of the world, the Iguazu Falls are situated near the border of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. Iguazu Falls, called Foz do Iguaçu in Portuguese, and Cataratas del Iguazú in Spanish, lie on the Argentina & Brazil border and are on the list of UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site. The name of the waterfalls comes from the Guaraní word for "great water". The Iguazu Falls is Taller than Niagara Falls, twice as wide with 275 cascades spread in a horseshoe shape over nearly two miles of the Iguazu River. The magic beauty of Iguazu Falls is the result of a volcanic eruption which left yet another large crack in the earth.

In 1541; the first Spanish traveler to see the falls was Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca but the vast power of the falls was not fully utilized until the construction of the huge Itaipu hydroelectric power plant built jointly by Paraguay and Brazil. It was completed in 1991 and opens for public. The dam provides substantial 12,600,000 KW of power almost 40% of Argentina and Brazil power needs. The dam is one of the largest in the world and touted by both countries as a masterpiece of modern technology.

During the rainy season of November - March, the rate of flow of water going over the falls may reach 450,000 cubic feet (12,750 cubic m) per second. To view the matter of fact, the tremendous amount of water thundering down 269 feet. The sheer beauty is bigger than four times the width of Niagara Falls. Iguazu Falls are divided by numerous islands into separate waterfalls. One of the best known is Devil's Throat or Gargantua del Diablo with its continuous spray high over the falls. Other notable falls are the San Martin, Bossetti, and Bernabe Mendez.

The Iguazu falls are part of a singular practically virgin jungle ecosystem protected by Argentine and Brazilian national parks on either side of the cascades. Almost 2/3 of the falls are on the Argentinian side where you can also trip to Iguazu National Park consists of jungle trails and bird hikes. You may plan a full day trip to the park to fully adore the wildlife flora and fauna. Therefore; it is possible to grasp the falls and surrounding area in a lightning trip but it is highly recommended to make a plan for at least two days. The view from the Brazilian side is the most panoramic and there’re helicopter rides out over the falls from Foz do Iguaçu. You may also take boat rides out to the falls.

If you want to some special photographs then you’ve to visit in the early morning, when lights are in the best shape. It is believed that best seen from the Brazilian side is the remarkable Devil's Throat, Garganta del diablo, where fourteen falls drop 350 feet with such force that there is always a 100 foot cloud of spray overhead. The amazing seen is to watch the extraordinary rainbow! For a closer view, walk through the subtropical forest of National Iguaçu Park to the base of Salto Floriano and take the elevator to the top of the falls. Or you may walk out over the falls at Salto Union.

However; from the Argentine side you can proceeds a series of catwalks over the water rushing into Devil's Gorge. However; protective rain suits are provided. There’re some areas where it is possible to swim in the spray of the cascades. But highly recommended to seek locals guide and instructions but be sure that you might have a resulting problem with cuticle parasites. Therefore; best times to view the real beauty of Iguazu Falls are in the spring and fall. Summer is intensely tropically hot and humid, and in winter the water level is considerably lower. There’re hotels on both sides of the river and many tour agencies provide sightseeing opportunities around the area.

You may found more detail of hotels on the internet for Brazilian side of the falls, or these on the Argentine side. Downstream from the falls where the Parana and Iguazu rivers meet, so do the borders of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Each country has created a landmark in their national colors on a spot in each of their countries where you can understand all three. To the matter of reaching the location it is not too difficult as both the Brazilian and Argentinean cities have nearby airports. Upon seeing Iguazu, the United States' First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt reportedly exclaimed "Poor Niagara”. Iguazu is also often compared with Southern Africa's Victoria Falls which separates Zambia and Zimbabwe. The only wider falls are tremendously large rapid-like falls such as the Boyoma Falls. With the flooding of the Guaíra Falls in 1982, Iguazu currently has the second-greatest average annual flow of any waterfall in the world, after Niagara Falls. Iguazu Falls experiences a humid subtropical climate with abundant precipitation and high temperatures all year-round.