Iguazú: The best waterfall you’ve never heard of… before today
Reportedly, upon seeing Iguazú Falls, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed, “Oh poor Niagara!”
Having been to both, I can say that Iguazú is by far the more impressive of the two.
It is several times larger.
Like Niagara, Iguazú Falls marks the border between two countries. In this case, Argentina and Brazil.
The Brazilian side has the larger population base. The Argentine side has the better views. (This too is similar to Niagara where the American side is more populated but the best views are from the Canadian side.)
Niagara is said to have two Falls: Horseshoe Falls and American Falls. Depending how one defines what makes a distinctly separate waterfall, it may actually have something more on the order of 40-50 distinct falls. Iguazú has over 275.
Like Niagara, it is possible to take a boat ride almost right underneath the giant plumes of water. There are also very nice walking trails to both the base and the top of Iguazú Falls.
Quite unlike Niagara, the Argentine government also operates two train lines with service around the gigantic 259-square mile park which encompasses Iguazú Falls. Riding the trains is free but does require tickets. One of the trains ferries passengers from the park’s main gate to the trailheads. The other carries passengers up to an area known as “the devil’s throat”.
The subtropical park is home to a lot of wildlife including monkeys, jaguars, and coati (“kwah-tee”); a curious mix like something between an anteater and a raccoon. Coati are quite easily found throughout the park and are popular photographic subjects.
