62 RIVERS & SHORES
iguaçu
falls
PARANÁ, BRAZIL
“Poor Niagara,” exclaimed First Lady Elea-
nor Roosevelt on seeing Iguaçu Falls, for
this immense series of cataracts on the
Brazil-Argentina border is both higher and
wider than Niagara Falls (though Niagara
boasts a greater flow of water). The falls
are formed where the Iguaçu River tumbles
over a basalt ridge known as the Paraná Pla-
teau. A thunderous sound fills the air, and
spray from the 275-plus discrete falls veils
the enveloping vegetation, rising almost
500 feet (150 m) above the turmoil below.
DON’T MISS
Two trails on the Argentine side showcase the best
of the falls: the canyon-top Upper Circuit (0.6 mi/
1 km) winds past five major falls, and the Lower Cir-
cuit (1 mi/1.6 km) passes even more falls, including
the impressive Devil’s Throat.
Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay share Iguaçu Falls,
one the world’s most spectacular waterfalls.