Iguazu National Park, Argentina

Iguazu: The Falls Eleanor Roosevelt Called the Most Beautiful Thing She Had Ever Seen

When Eleanor Roosevelt first saw Iguazu Falls in 1945, she reportedly said “Poor Niagara.” The comparison has been made many times since, and it is fair in the specific way that quantitative comparisons are fair: Iguazu is roughly 1.7 kilometres wide with 275 individual falls, compared to Niagara’s single large drop on a 1-kilometre front. Iguazu’s Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo), where 14 falls converge in a horseshoe of continuous white water, is a significantly different physical experience from the American and Canadian falls. Neither is “better” as a concept; Iguazu is bigger, more complex, and in a more remote setting.

The falls straddle the Argentina-Brazil border. Approximately 80 percent falls on the Argentine side, where the park gives you access to multiple viewpoints and trails at different elevations; the Brazilian side, across the Iguazu River, provides panoramic views of the entire system from a distance. Both sides are worth visiting if you have the time.

The Argentine Side

Three circuits approach the falls from different angles. The Upper Circuit is elevated, giving views of the crests and the spray from above. The Lower Circuit is at the base, where the mist and noise are visceral and you understand scale by looking up. The Garganta del Diablo is reached by a raised walkway over the river – the platform at the edge of the horseshoe gives you full immersion in the spray and sound at the centre of the falls system. This is the moment that most visitors describe as the reason they came.

Boat tours run from the Lower Circuit directly into the spray beneath several falls, which involves getting substantially wet. The experience is the intended experience.

The park has significant rainforest wildlife: coatis are persistent and bold around the picnic areas (keep food secured), toucans and butterflies are common along the trails, and the rainforest in the early morning before the day-trippers arrive from Puerto Iguazu has a quality of light and noise that rewards starting early.

Practicalities

The nearest airport is Cataratas del Iguazu International Airport (IGR), with direct flights from Buenos Aires (about 1.5 hours). Puerto Iguazu town is the base for accommodation, ranging from jungle lodges to budget hostels. Most hotels run shuttle services to the park entrance. The park itself is open daily; peak crowds are concentrated around 10am to 3pm.

The Argentine peso situation means that USD-to-peso exchange matters; verify current rates before travelling and carry sufficient local currency for park fees, which can fluctuate with inflation. April through November offers the best conditions – the rainy season peaks in December through March and can increase water volume dramatically (which is spectacular but also means more mist and less visibility on the platforms).

The Brazilian Side

A day trip to the Brazilian side via Foz do Iguacu is straightforward if you have a Brazilian visa or can obtain one on arrival (policy varies by nationality; check current requirements). The 1.5-kilometre walkway on the Brazilian side runs the full width of the falls system and gives you the panoramic view that the Argentine side’s immersive trails don’t provide.

The two perspectives together give you Iguazu completely – inside it and across from it.