Iguazu Falls Extension

Fly this morning from Sao Paulo to Foz do Iguacu and continue to Hotel das Cataratas, typically arriving around lunchtime. This grand Portuguese colonial-style property is located just a few hundred yards from Iguazu Falls and is the only accommodation inside Iguazu National Park. The hotel grounds feature lavish gardens filled with orchids nourished by spray from the nearby falls. The name Iguazu comes from a local Guarani word meaning "great water," an apt description for the 275 waterfalls that pour into this horseshoe-shaped canyon along a 2-mile stretch of the Iguazu River. The noise alone is astounding, but the vistas are even more impressive. Suspended catwalks along the canyon rim offer different vantage points over the cataract. At the end of the trail lies Devil’s Throat, the thundering maw at the heart of the main falls. This is the most dramatic section of the falls, where 14 separate waterfalls plunge 350 feet into the canyon, creating a perpetual plume of rainbow-accented spray. The falls are surrounded by Atlantic rainforest, one of the most threatened global conservation priorities. Meet your guide on arrival to explore the Brazilian side of the falls, then enjoy a relaxing evening with dinner included at the hotel.

Meet your guide this morning and cross the Tancredo Neves Bridge for a day-long exploration of the falls from the Argentina side. Our tour begins at the national park visitor center, with interpretive displays explaining the exceptional biodiversity found in this subtropical humid forest. While the falls are the centerpiece of any visit, the national park—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—is full of other wonders, too. Located just across the border from Brazil, Argentina's Iguazu National Park covers 167,000 acres, protecting one of the most biodiverse areas in the country. The Paranaense subtropical rainforest, a continuation of the southern Brazilian jungle, is a nearly virgin preserve that holds more than 2,100 known plant species. Within its verdant depths we find pindo palms, gigantic trees, 50-foot-high tall canes, arborescent ferns, orchids and huge bromeliads called caraguata. Looking up, we may spy toucans and harpy eagles among the many bird species in the forest. The park also shelters mammals like tapir, coati, tirica, anteater and rarely seen wild cats. To reach the catwalks overlooking the falls, we board a train to the Upper Falls Circuit. Here, a guided walk over the Upper Iguazu River leads to balconies that offer a thrilling panorama of Devil's Throat, the thundering maw at the heart of the main falls. This is the most dramatic section of the cataract, where 14 separate waterfalls plunge 350 feet into the canyon, creating a perpetual plume of rainbow-accented spray. This evening, cross back over the border into Brazil to return to Hotel das Cataratas.

After breakfast, spend time viewing the Brazilian side of the falls once more on your own. From our hotel, we have access to the national park before it officially opens for the day, assuring a quiet interlude at the falls. After lunch at the hotel, a transfer to the airport is included to meet departing flights.