Foz do Iguaçu

Introducing Foz do Iguaçu

Rising in the coastal mountains of Paraná and Santa Catarina, the Rio Iguaçu snakes west for 600km, picking up a few dozen tributaries along the way. It widens majestically and sweeps around a magnificent forest stage, before plunging and crashing in the tiered falls known as Iguaçu Falls. A total of 275 individual falls occupy an area more than 3km wide and 80m high, which makes them wider than Victoria, higher than Niagara and more beautiful than either.

Thousands of years before they were ‘discovered’ by Europeans, the falls were a holy burial place for the Tupi-Guarani and Paraguas tribes. Spaniard Don Alvar Nuñes happened upon the falls in 1541, dubbing them ‘Saltos de Santa María’. But this name didn’t stick and the Tupi-Guarani name, Iguaçu (Great Waters), did. In 1986 Unesco declared the region a World Heritage site.

The falls are unequally shared between Brazil and Argentina, with Argentina claiming the majority. On either side, a national park surrounds the waterfalls and offers extra opportunities for adventure. It’s impossible to say which side of the border is the more rewarding: the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu in Brazil offers a more panoramic view of the totality of the 275 falls, while the Parque Nacional Iguazú in Argentina provides an up-close and personal experience. Both are absolutely thrilling.

That said, it’s not possible to do justice to both sides of the falls in a single day – plan to spend a full day in either park.

The Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu went through a period of frenzied growth during the 18 years that Itaipu Dam was under construction, when the population increased by more than five times. It was an edgy place then, but it has since settled down. That said, muggings have been reported along the riverfront, on the bridge from Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) and on the road from the youth hostels near the airport. So take precautions and watch your back.

Last updated: Mar 2, 2009