by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 3:00 PM ET, Wed April 7, 2021
WHY IT RATES: Iguazú National Park offers plenty of ways to experience the glory of the park's rainforest, wildlife and stunning waterfalls, and has been certified as a safe travel destination by the World Travel & Tourism Council. -- Lacey Pfalz, Associate Writer, TravelPulse
Iguazú National Park, home to one of the world's most famous waterfalls, is located in the northeastern province of Misiones where Argentina borders Brazil and Paraguay, and is a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Site. Upon entering the park, one can hear the roaring thunder of the 275 waterfalls that extend for nearly two miles with heights ranging from 200 to 270 feet.
The surrounding lush subtropical rainforest houses over 2,000 species of plants and 400 species of birds, as well as a variety of wildlife including tapirs, giant anteaters, howler monkeys, jaguars, and caimans.
Visitors have various alternatives to visit the waterfalls. The lower and upper trails are the most popular way to experience this natural wonder. The lower trail gets visitors down to the base of the waterfalls. More adventurous visitors can ride a small boat from here to San Martín Island where a climb up 190 steps through different pathways will reward them with more panoramic views of the falls. The upper trails have various lookout points offering picture postcard views of the falls and surrounding natural environment.
The most impressive of the falls and the park's top attraction is the Devil's Gorge (270 feet high, 492 feet wide, and almost 2300 feet long) with its roaring thunder and thick mist.
Iguazú offers a wide array of experiences to satisfy all types of visitors. Families can ride the Ecological Jungle Train that runs on biofuels at about 12 miles/hr. The train has a special area for baby strollers and wheelchairs for greater accessibility. Visitors looking for a closer contact with nature, can hike the numerous trails that allow for getting up close and personal with the local fauna and birdlife.
One of the most memorable ways to view Iguazú Falls is on a full moon evening tour. This two-and-a-half-hour-long experience is offered five evenings a month and led by an expert guide. The tour leads visitors through the various walkways and ends up at the Devil's Gorge lookout ensuring idyllic views of the falls reflecting under the moonlight.
The Victoria Austral, a 300-passenger catamaran that is currently operating at 50% capacity to ensure "Safe Travels" protocols (the park is open to domestic visitors only as Argentina's borders are currently closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic), operates two evening excursions: the first an hour long trip that includes a live music performance and a tour of the tri-border area where Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay converge at the union of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers and along the Tancredo Neves bridge that links Puerto Iguazú with Foz do Iguaçú across the border in Brazil. The second tour lasts 90 minutes and, in addition to the hour-long tour, also includes a ride along the stream in the Iryapu jungle, a natural reserve that is home to a local Guaraní indigenous community.
In November 2020, Iguazú National Park received the World Travel and Tourism Council's (WTTC) "Safe Travels" stamp for implementation of and compliance with international health and hygiene protocols providing travelers and locals alike with greater confidence and peace of mind.
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