IguaÇu

The Iguaçu Falls bordering the southern state of Parana, Argentina and Paraguay are probably the most impressive sight in Brazil, if not in the whole of South America and are considered to be one of the natural wonders of the world.  Approximately 275 individual waterfalls combine to form this spectacular sight; a waterfall nearly 3 km in length with a deafening sound that can be heard from miles away.

As well as the falls themselves, Iguaçu National Park has a lot to offer. The vegetation in the surrounding area is incredibly lush and the sub-tropical climate makes it a superb location for bird watching, as well as being a 'hotspot' for huge numbers of butterflies and orchids.  The landscape in the south changes and is subtropical, with pines rather than palms and the terrain is more rugged but very fertile. It is in the south that Brazil's grain is grown, where the gauchos live and where the cattle herds roam. The people here are rather different too and of a more European extraction.

These spectacular falls can be experienced in many ways, but for the more adventurous we would recommend that there is no better way to take in the vast area of the falls than by helicopter.