The Iguazu Falls are inarguably one of the world's natural wonders. Surrounded by dense jungle vegetation and incredibly varied fauna and flora, the Iguazu River divides into 275 separate channels, which plunge over the lip of a horseshoe over three kilometres in length.
At their highest point the water plummets over 70 metres into the basin below. With literally thousands of gallons crashing down each second the noise is deafening and can be heard a long time before you actually see the falls for yourself. As the water reaches the bottom the spray rises and the sunlight forms numerous rainbows.
The falls form the border of three countries, Argentina , Brazil and Paraguay and are encompassed by the Iguazu National Park . The surroundings are almost as much of a tourist draw as the falls themselves and you can bathe in the warm water of the river and enjoy spotting the myriad fish, insect and mammal life that has made its home in this unique eco-system. Many of the inhabitants are threatened species and you'll be very fortunate to catch a glimpse of some of the rarer large animals such as the giant otter or the jaguar .
Up in the Northeast, south of the Iguazu Falls in the Misione region, is one of the most intriguing locations in South America . This area (including parts of Paraguay and Brazil ) was the site of the most advanced civilisation of the 17th century - the Jesuit Missions . These were a series of 30 towns ( reducciones ) established between approximately 1600-1680 by a band of Jesuit missionaries. Granted the right to do so by the King of Spain, they set about converting the native Guarani people of the region to their own brand of the Christian faith.
Although founded in religion the society that developed was the most advanced and enlightened of its time. The missionaries protected the Guarani from the European slave traders, teaching them literacy and practising an early form of communism, which actually worked. The Jesuits also fostered the Guaranis' natural skills, and established an economy based on traditional crafts.
All the reducciones were built on roughly the same model, with a church, hospital, public buildings and houses surrounding a central square. The remains of the towns, which can be visited today, show just how sophisticated these settlements were. Many were towns of up to 20,000 inhabitants - today the native Guarani number only double that. Designated UNESCO heritage sites, the ruins at San Ignacio Mini and Santa Ana are the best places to witness this unique slice of history.
