Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Exploring Iguaçu
The spectacular falls are located near the Brazilian city
of Foz do Iguaçu and the sleepy Argentinian town of
Puerto Iguazú. Thanks to excellent roads and tourist
facilities, the huge numbers of visitors do little to
detract from this majestic sight. Both sides are flanked
by lush national parks, abundant with wildlife, and
offering sweeping views of the falls, as well as options
to go closer to the falls by boat. The region of Iguaçu,
meaning “Great Waters” in Tupi-Guaraní
(see p47)
, was
declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1986.
The ground-dwelling red-winged
tinamou at Parque das Aves
an excellent introduction to
Brazilian birdlife. The park
consists of over 40 acres
(16 ha) of forest. The park
has large aviaries housing
some 180 species of birds
from different Brazilian eco-
systems and include macaws,
parrots, toucans, red-winged
tinamous, and flamingos.
Apart from a butterfly habitat
and a reptile exhibit, the park
also has a successful breeding
program that concentrates on
Brazilian endangered species.
KEY
International airport
Major road
Minor road
International border
Park boundary
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Parque Nacional do Iguaçu
Tel
(045) 3521 4400.
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1-5pm
Mon, 8am-5pm Tue-Sun
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www
.cataratasdoiguacu.com.br
Created in 1939, Brazil's first
national park is today one of
the most visited sights in the
country. Public and tour
buses leave visitors at the
visitors' center near the park's
entrance where they transfer
onto electric-powered, open-
topped buses for the falls,
located 6 miles (10 km) into
the park. The bus stops at the
Estação Macuco Safari, where
visitors can (for an additional
charge) transfer onto a
smaller electric-powered
vehicle that takes them along
a forest trail to the Rio Iguaçu.
There, inflatable powerboats
carry visitors across rapids
toward the Garganta do
Diabo (Devil's Throat) and to
virtually the foot of the falls.
Along the way are various
rest points from where there
are spectacular panoramic
views of the main series of
falls. At the trail's lowest
point there is a secure walk-
way that leads to a platform
where one can peer into the
stunning Garganta do Diabo,
a deep gorge into which the
fierce, cascading waters of
the falls plummet.
0 miles
10
Foz do Iguaçu
400 miles (639 km) W of Curitiba.
~
the city's main attraction, the
spectacular waterfalls located
to the east. Foz also boasts a
wide range of accommo-
dations, as well as reasonably
good bars and restaurants.
Av Jorge Schimmelpfeng,
(045) 3522 1027.
I
taipu Binacional
Av Tancredo Neves 6702.
Tel
(045)
3520 6999.
@
n
8am, 9am, 10am,
2pm, 3pm & 3:30pm daily.
#
&
8
mandatory.
www
.itaipu.gov.br
Foz do Iguaçu, also referred
to as just Foz, was a sleepy
little border town until the
1970s, when construction
work began on the nearby
Itaipu Binacional
, the world's
largest hydroelectricity plant.
Today, Foz is a base to visit
7
Y
Parque das Aves
Rodovia das Cataratas Km 17.
Tel
(045) 3529 8282.
#
8:30am-
5:30pm daily.
www
.
parquedasaves.com.br
Located close to the main
entrance to the
Parque
Nacional do Iguaçu
, the
Parque das Aves serves as
&
7
Jungle Explorer trucks transporting visitors to the falls
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp386-8 and pp410-12
