But in real life, you don't just see Iguazu, you feel it in the stinging spray as you stand on catwalks overlooking wickedly sharp descents, in the toppling gusts created by the sheer power of crashing water. To experience Iguazu Falls, you must visit above and below, in Argentina and Brazil. From Argentina, the view is intimate, the waters genial and approachable. The cascades are smaller, less overpowering. Opaque streams glide into picturesque pools nestled in bromeliads and palms.
Paths lead over falls and through leafy jungle into thickets and turns, where serenity reigns.
In the preserve beyond are pumas, ocelots and tapirs, though not often seen. Toucans and crocodiles are common. From the Argentine side, you can drive to the deceptively gentle waters above. A short boat ride across the half-milewide stream leads to a boardwalk of sorts over the top of the river, past the occasional heron. Suddenly, you are at the top of the tumultuous vortex called the Devil's Throat, a trio of cataracts relentlessly rushing, plunging, crashing about 250 feet.