Iguaçu Falls, Waterfalls on the border of Brazil and Argentina
Iguazú Falls is a waterfall system on the border between the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentine province of Misiones. Hundreds of individual cascades drop into the Iguaçu River along a jagged line that cuts through rainforest on both sides.
A Spanish explorer reached the falls in the mid-16th century, becoming the first European to document them and bring word back to Europe. National parks were later created on both sides of the border during the 20th century to protect the surrounding forest and manage visitor access.
The name comes from the Guaraní language and means great water, a term travelers see throughout the bilingual signage in both parks. Guaraní artisans sell handmade wood carvings and ceramics along the park trails on both sides of the border.
Both sides of the falls can be visited in a single day, with each side offering different walkways and viewpoints that bring you close to the water. The nearest airports on both sides are about a half-hour drive from the park entrances, with regular shuttle services available.
The horseshoe-shaped section known as Devil's Throat funnels several cascades into a single roaring chasm, sending a continuous cloud of fine mist rising above the canyon. On sunny days, rainbows form in the spray, and this section tends to be louder and more intense than anywhere else along the falls.
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