Puerto Iguazu Destination Guide

The Iguazu National Park is a reservoir of nature’s splendour and a well-known UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are over 275 waterfalls spread as cataracts, forming a crescent shape at the borders between Argentina and Brazil. At an average height of 70 metres, each fall, cascades down with such force that sprays of water droplets sheath the entire area; and when sunlight trickles down they spread a fascinating interplay of colours. Some cascades that are very popular with tourists are, the La Garganta del Diablo, meaning "the Devil's throat". Here visitors can take their boats along the Devil’s Canyon up to the fall itself. This apart there is the Bozetti, Rivadavia, Three Mosqueteros, Dos Hermanas, San Martin and Adám and Eve.

The park is also home to a variety of subtropical flora and fauna – this includes over 2000 varieties of plants; over 400 species of birds and rare types of insects, over 500 types of colourful butterflies, as well as some endangered animals like jaguareté (Jaguar), caimans, tapirs, monkeys, snakes and friendly coatíes. It’s so diverse a natural reserve that the park is considered one of the richest biomes on the planet.

Visitors can reach the falls on a special bus from the gates and savour the beauty of the place while walking down its many trails. For those who wish to soak in the magnificence of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers at night, there are special tours held 5 nights each month.

At Iguazu Central Cafe and Casino, fun and games can be experienced along with refreshments at its cafeteria. Some of the best casino games can be found here.

The Itaipu Dam is one of the largest dams as well as the biggest hydroelectric power plant in the region straddling the borders of Brazil (Foz do Iguaçu) and Paraguay (Ciudad del Este).

Kayaking down this lesser known, yet beautiful river is an ideal way to look at water plants, striking species of birds, the caimans and the capybaras. The Ocoi River flows into a large reservoir.

The Iguazú River is literally the river of life for the region – and to explore it well tourists can navigate through it to learn more about the Guarani Indians, the flora and fauna, the charming city and the wild forests as well as landmarks like Museo Bertoni.

The Oga Guire reserve is the best place to spot birds of the Misioneran Jungle including the crested eagle and over 20 varieties of hawks and other birds.

Orchidarium, as the name suggests is a sanctuary for orchids where tourists will find various species of the plant – 20 different kinds – and fascinating man made orchid hybrids which take about five years to blossom.

Puerto Iguazo’s great Spanish history of conquests comes alive in the form of fascinating murals made by Argentinean artists in Plaza San Martin. This unique landmark is located at downtown Puerto Iguazo ahead of the Triple Frontier.

Bertoni Museum, the former house of the famous Swiss botanist Moises Bertoni, is situated at an hour’s distance from the Paraná River at Port Bertoni. The house has the rarest collectibles by the scientist, which give a peek into his lifestyle, the early 20th century era and its culture. There are invaluable antiques as well as Bertoni’s private collections including his library, interesting assortments of animal fossils, insects and reptiles.

Rappelling down the rocks at the Iguazu Falls is nothing less than an adventure – while descending you get amazing views of the gushing water, the burly rapids of the Iguazú River, the basalt rocks and the rich flora and fauna of this subtropical area.

Riding in this region on well-trained horses is an experience to savour – you will pass through subtropical forests, watch the Guarani inhabitants in their villages, get familiar with their lifestyle and learn their quaint methods of laying traps and hunting.

The natural rock formations of the Iguazú River area are ideal for rock climbing. The 33 climbing routes in use are all located on the right side of the Iguazú River, which is towards the Brazilian side. Interested in rafting down the river? You can do so after reaching the top of the cliffs.

Declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site in 1983, the San Ignacio Mini Ruins lets you relive the fascinating history of the region. Built in 1696 by Jesuit monks, as a mission where natives would be converted to Christianity, this landmark was witness to their banishment from the country later in 1773 due to political reasons. Today the ruins house a museum, which presents the life of the Guarani natives, the Spanish conquests and their missions and also tells the story of their destruction.

An interesting landmark here is the Tancredo Neves Bridge, commonly known as the Fraternity Bridge (in Portuguese called ‘Ponte da Amizade’ and in Spanish known as ‘Puente de la Fraternidad’). The bridge built across the Iguazú River, connects the city of Puerto Iguazu to the Brazilian city of Foz do Iguaçu.

Standing atop a 260 ft (80m) tall cliff, at the confluence of the Iguazú and the Paraná rivers, the Three Frontiers Landmark or the Triple Frontier offers scintillating views of the surroundings here – the rivers, the cargo freighters sailing along and clear views of up to 20 km including the Paraguayan territory in the west and the Brazilian border to the north.

The adventure filled ride aloft the trike flight at an altitude of 600 metres is a must. The flight departs from the grass filled strip at the Três Lagoas Airclub located 15 kilometres from downtown Foz do Iguaçu. You can also get a panoramic view of the Itaipu Dam and hydroelectric power plant, the lake; and on clear days the Iguazu Falls, which is at a distance of 30 km from the area.

A quarry of semi precious stones under the open skies, the famous Wanda mines are located at a distance of 43 km (27 miles) on the way to another landmark, the San Ignacio Mini Ruins. Shops here sell interesting pieces of jewellery made of these stones.