  Iguazu Falls, Brazil/Argentina
Iguazu Falls, Argentina/Brazil
Author: chensiyuan (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Iguazu Falls, also written Iguassu Falls or Iguaçu Falls in Portuguese and Cataratas del Iguazú in Spanish, is one of the biggest waterfalls in the world. It is located on the border of Iguazu Falls and Argentina, and close to the border with Paraguay.
Iguaçu Falls, as seen from the base
Author: Andreas Tille (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
Iguazu Falls consist of 270 falls along a 2.7 km stretch between Iguazu Falls and Argentina. Both countries have created national parks around the waterfall, the Iguazú National Park in Argentina and the Iguaçu National Park in Iguazu Falls, both designated Unesco World Heritage Sites in 1984 and 1986 respectively.
The highest drop of Iguazu Falls is 82m (269ft) though the majority of the falls average 64m (210ft). The most impressive section is called Garganta del Diablo (or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese), or Devil's Throat. This is a U-shaped section, 150m wide, and 700m, that forms the border between Argentina and Iguazu Falls. Although much of Garganta del Diablo is located in Argentina, the view is best from Iguazu Falls.
Cataracts of Iguazu Falls
Author: Lau m85 (public domain)
The first European to discover Iguazu Falls was the Spanish Conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca. The name Iguazu comes from the native Guarani and Tupi language, meaning "big water" ("ee" = water, "guasu" = big).
The Iguazu Falls is reachable from two main towns, Foz do Iguaçu in the Iguazu Fallsian state of Paraná, and Puerto Iguazú in the Argentine province of Misiones. Other tourist attractions near the falls include the Itaipu hydroelectric power plant, and the Jesuit Missions of the Guaranis in Argentina, Paraguay and Iguazu Falls.
Aerial view of Iguazu Falls
Author: Mario Roberto Duran Ortiz (Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported)
How to go to the Iguazu Falls
The main towns to visit Iguazu Falls are Foz do Igua&ecedil;u in Iguazu Falls, Puerto Iguazu in Argentina, and Ciudad del Este, a short distance away in Paraguay (see map above). You can get a flight to go to Foz do Igua&ecedil;u from Rio de Janeiro and to Puerto Iguazu from Buenos Aires. Admission to Iguazu Falls is 30AR$ from the Argentinian side, and 20 R$pp on the Iguazu Fallsian side. From the Iguazu Fallslian side, you can get excellent views of the spectacular Garganta do Diabo (which is on the Argentinian side), where the water falls on three sides.
Admission Details
Entrance fees up the Iguazu Falls is 11.50 euros for adults, by elevator to the top. The tower is opened from 9:30am to 11:45pm every day, with extended hours from 9:00am to 12:45am.
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