"Niagara on Viagra" is how one visitor put it when he saw Iguazú for the first time. Twenty-three kilometers (14 miles) of deafening waterfalls plummet up to 70m (229 ft.) into a giant gorge in a spectacular subtropical setting. The sheer power is overwhelming. You come face to face with raging sheets of water, with sprays so intense it seems as though geysers have erupted from below. Iguazú is a must-see on any trip to Argentina.
It's shocking that this ecological blockbuster is a 90-minute flight from the civilized, cosmopolitan buzz of Buenos Aires. Many people drop into this humid corner of Misiones province on a day trip or for 2 days max. Yet this fascinating jungle zone of red soil, giant butterflies, and comical toucans has more to offer than jaw-dropping waterfalls. Misiones Province is a heady mix of strong indigenous tribal culture, blond eastern European settlers, and tropical frontierland. Its abundant wildlife and its long-fallen, mysterious Jesuit ruins are worth exploring. With its multitude of isolated national parks and huge swaths of untouched rainforest, it is an eco-tourist's paradise, with several genuine jungle lodges. Civilization has encroached in the form of tea plantations and pine forests, yet it is possible to get off the beaten track and visit isolated wonders such as Esteros del Ibera, a vast marshland teeming with wildlife that is fast becoming one of Argentina's hottest destinations.
