The impressive Iguazu Falls, which separate the Iguazu River into its upper and lower sections, are situated along the border between Argentina and Brazil. The number and height of the falls varies throughout the year depending on rainfall. The largest waterfall is the Devil’s Throat, which is about 82 meters (269 feet) high. The Union Fall is the largest cataract at Iguazu Falls.
Local legends have it that a Naipi, a beautiful woman, was expected to marry one of the gods. Instead, she escaped from the wedding with her love, Taroba, in a canoe. The angry god, left at the altar, responded by cutting the river and creating the waterfall, so the two lovers would fall to their doom.
Guarani or Tupi words have inspired the naming of the falls. Iguazu is a combination of two words “y” and “ûasú “, which means water and big respectively.
Iguazu Falls originates where the Iguazu River spills over the edge of the Paraná Plateau; it is approximately 23 kilometres (14 mi) upriver from the Iguazu’s merging with the Paraná River. Surrounded by subtropical forest, the falls appear like a reverse letter ‘J’. The Iguazu Falls is more prominent towards the Argentine side than the Brazilian side.
The count of these smaller waterfalls range from 150 to 300, depending on the water level in the river. Around half of the river cascades down into the U-shaped Devil’s throat measuring 82 m in height, 150 m in width, and 700 m in length.
The park has a network of trains that run to let visitors easily get around the park. Besides walking around the park and viewing falls from a distance, you can also go on a waterfall boat ride to enjoy and capture the views of the waterfall from all angles.
