FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1mH6Jw_pRs&list=PLCOI4-MGzpJtTH3IBrRTLNzq6VtCkafNQ&index=7

1 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Iguazú Falls
The largest waterfalls system in the world

Background Information

Iguazú Falls: The waterfalls of the Iguazú River are located on the border of the
Argentine Province of Misiones (south and east), the Brazilian state of Parana (north), with
Paraguay located across the Parana River (west). For most of its course, the Iguazú River
flows through Brazil, however, most of the falls are on the Argentine side. The river forms
the boundary between Argentina and Brazil.

2 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

The Legend…

The name Iguazú comes from the Guarani or

Tupi words “y” meaning “water,” and “uasu”
meaning “big.” The legend: Every year the
Guarani tribe would sacrifice a beautiful girl to
the serpent god, M´Boi. One day, M´Boi saw
Naipi, the most beautiful girl in the tribe. He
decided he had to have her, but she was already
in love with Taroba. The lovers agreed to try to
escape M´Boi & made arrangements to meet at
the Iguazú River & run away. M´Boi saw this &
raced to catch them. Taroba rowed fast & this
made the M´Boi so mad that his body expanded
to the size of the river. He slithered& squirmed
causing the river to form new curves. When
they fell from the canoe, M´Boi changed Naipi
into a rock & Taroba into a palm tree and
created the falls in between them so they could
always see each other but never touch.
Although Naipi & Taroba can never be together,
they show their love by forming a rainbow which
starts at the palm tree on the Brazilian side of
the falls and reaches over to the rock of Naipi
in Argentina.

3 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

A Little history…

The formation of the Iguazú Falls started over 100 million years ago when
massive volcanic eruptions took place. These eruptions resulted in several huge
lava flows that were turned into a rock called “basalt.” The Iguazú area is made
up of three layers of basalt. After the volcanic eruptions, seismic movements
moved the layers of basalt vertically and horizontally which created cracks in the
earth. The Iguazú River runs through these cracks or “faults” which created the
Iguazú Falls. The falls have been enlarged by the erosion of water. Because the
basalt combined with sandstone is so strong, erosion is a slow process.

Basalt rock formed by lava eruptions

The first European to record the existence of the falls was the Spanish conquistador
Alvar Nuñez Cabeza de Vaca in 1541. He was looking for a river route to Paraguay and
the falls presented themselves as a startling obstacle. He named them the “Waterfalls
of Saint Mary” but the falls ended up being known by their original Indian name of
Iguazú

Fun facts!
 Iguazú is retreating due to erosion; the original location of the falls when formed was actually
28 kilometers downstream from present day!
 Some of the basalt rock around the falls is as thick as one kilometer!
 2/3rds of all of the falls are located on the Argentine side, where you can get much closer to them!

4 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Before we arrive in the falls, we are going to visit an Argentine staple in Gobernador Virasoro, in the province
of Corrientes: The establishment "Las Marías." Drinking mate can seem very normal and part of life, but it´s
part of what makes Argentina so unique. Mate was discovered by the Guaraní Indians and industrialize d by the
Jesuits in the 16th and 17th centuries. Establecimiento Las Marías, the largest producer in the world of Yerba
Mate; it develops them all the way from plant to package. It is a source of tea, and its lands and subtropical
soils are the producers of yerba mate. Taragüi, Unión and La Merced are some of the products since the
Navajas family first started production in 1924.We will learn, step by step, all the secrets of a good mate and
the best Argentine tea during our tour of the facilities.

5 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

IGUAZÚ NATIONAL PARK

We start our day at the Yvirá Retá Interpretation Center which means “land of trees” in the Guarani language.
This is a visitor’s center and eco-museum and here we will meet our local guide who will explain some of the
plants, animals, and insects we are about to see along with explaining the history of Iguazú and the groups
that inhabited the jungle region not long ago. We can also see artifacts from the Guarani people such as
musical instruments, traps, and a canoe!

We will board the Rainforest Ecological Train until we get to the Upper Circuit Trail which leads thru the
forest, full of vines, thick with trees, wildlife, and culminating with a breathtaking walk along the edge of the
cliff overlooking the river, the falls and in some places the metal gangway takes visitors over chasms with
raging water below.

6 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

While we are on the train and during our walks around the park, look out for some of the amazing Iguazú
National Park FLORA!

One of the more typical species of the Park is “Palo Rosa” (pink stick) which
grows more than 40 meters high, dwarfing even the trees. It is named for the
color of its wood, which is even more pronounced when it is recently cut. Due
to its declining numbers it has been proclaimed National Monument.

These giants live side-by-side with another more common species, the palm
tree, which grows in groups. The internal trunk of this plant is edible and very
tasty, but its extraction causes the tree to die, which is putting the species in
danger of extinction.

Other common plants are orchids, the “guatambú”, the “pindó” and other
hanging species.

And the ceibo, a tree whose red blossoms are the national flower of
Argentina.

7 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

THE MAP

The Iguazú Falls are part of a semi-tropical jungle ecosystem. In 1934, the falls were protected in a 67,000
hectar national park in both Argentina and Brazil. It is located within one of the few remaining inland
rainforests in South America, the Atlantic Rainforest. On the Argentine side there are jungle trails and bird
hikes. There are 2,000 species of plants, 500 species of birds, 80 species of mammals, and an immense variety
of reptiles, fish, and insects. The butterfly population is amazing. It´s not uncommon to see toucans, monkeys,
or even jaguars on the way to the waterfalls!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAD7z1UdNTU

8 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Upper Circuit
After our train ride, we will visit the Upper Circuit, which begins two hundred meters from The Rainforest
Train Cataratas Station. Along the way we can enjoy a panoramic view of the semicircular waterfall chain that
includes 7 waterfalls. It is characterized by having its trails set on top of the waterfalls edge, which allows a
vertical view from the top, something really electrifying.

The gangway crosses the Superior Iguazú River to reach the edge of the second largest fa ll of this beautiful
system: The San Martin Waterfall.

This balcony has the best and widest panoramic view of the whole Iguazú Falls from Argentina side: you will be
able to Brazil, the balconies of Upper and Lower trails, the San Martin island and the gangway to Devil’s Throat
on the Argentinean side.

 Length: 1.750 meters long

 Waterfalls: Dos Hermanas, Chico, Ramírez, Bosetti, Adán y Eva, and Bernabé Méndez, Mbiguá, and San
Martin
 Estimated time of visit: two hours aprox.

9 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Lower Circuit
On the way out of this waterfall, 20 meters away, there is an access to the quay from where visitors can board
a boat to San Martín Island. The Circuit goes on along the border of the Iguazú River opposite to the island,
and visitors will marvel at its beaches and cliffs. The second part of the Lower Circuit ends at the lookout on
top of where this branch of river meets the Iguazú canyon, and the impressive Devil’s Throat and its typical
mist can be seen at the far. Up to here, all the visited locations are 100% accessible.

The third and last parts of the Circuit, which lead back to Dos Hermanas Square, have stairs and go through
the Lower Iguazú shore where Alvar Núñez, Elenita, and Lanusse steep waterfalls can be enjoyed.

 Length: 1,700 meters long

 Waterfalls: Alvar Núñez, Elenita, Dos Hermanas, San Martin and Lanusse
 Estimated time of visit: an hour and 45 minutes

Some Study Questions!

How tall are the tallest waterfalls in Iguazú? 82 meters, making it the 2nd tallest waterfall in the world, second
only to Victoria Falls in Africa which stands at 108 meters. But Iguazúis significantly wider making it largest
system of waterfalls in the world.

10 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

How much water pours from these falls? On average, 1,500 cubic meters of water flows ever second! During
the rainy season, this can increase to be as much as 13,000 cubic meters per second!

In the bottom canyon of the Iguazú

River we will take a Nautical Safari!

Besides getting an amazing and unique view of the waterfalls from the boat, we will also be able to observe
some of the riverside birds of the Iguazú jungle. Be prepared to get wet!

Herons Toucan Urraca

Great Dusky Swift Parrot

11 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

IGUAZÚ – THE DEVIL´S THROAT

The entirety of Iguazú Falls is made up of 275 waterfalls and it spans an area 2.7 kilometers wide. The tallest
of these waterfalls is called the Devil´s Throat. Fourteen waterfalls make up Devil´s Throat, the major highlight
of the falls. The force of the water causes spray to rise 30 meters and results in ever -present giant rainbows.

Our second day at the falls, we will take the Ecological Train again and then walk along the catwalks until we
reach the Devil's Throat Viewpoint. Be prepared to get WET!

12 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

JUNGLE HIKE

Our 900 meter hike through the jungle will give us the chance to observe more of the animals who call the
Iguazú National Park home. If we are quiet enough and keep an eye out, some animals we might see include:

The OCELOT
 The ocelot is a medium sized spotted cat that weighs between 8-16
kilograms
 They are nocturnal cats
 They hunt 12-14 hours a day
 Ocelots are carnivores and eat small rodents, rabbits, opossums,
birds and fish
 They live between northern Argentina and southern Mexico

The COATI
 About the size of a house cat, coatis weigh between 2-8 kilos
 They use their long noses to push objects & rub parts of their body
 They are omnivores and eat small invertebrates (tarantula)& fruit
 They live in diverse conditions, ranging from the rainforest to the
Andes mountains

The GIANT OTTER

 The largest member of the weasel family

 Generally peaceful but can be territorial and aggressive
 Only found in South American jungles
 Usually grows to 1.5-1.7 meters and weighs between 26-32 kilos
 The otters feed mainly on fish.

13 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

The CAPUCHIN MONKEY

 Their name comes explorers who thought their coloring resembled

Capuchin Friar´s clothes
 Their habitat ranges from Costa Rica to Argentina
 Besides one nap a day, they spend the entire day searching for food
 They are omnivores and consume a variety of plants as well as small
vertebrates & sometimes primates

The BLACK AND WHITE TEGU

 They have high intelligence &sometimes seek human affection

 They are born green with black markings which fade in two months
 They drop their tail if attacked
 They are one of the few warm blooded lizards, but only display this
during reproductive season
 The Tegu´s diet includes insects, spiders, snails, fruit, and seeds

The BUSH DOG

 It´s closest relative is the wolf or African wild dog
 These dogs are only found in South and Central America
 Typically range from 57-75 cm and weigh 5-8kg
 Average life span is 10 years
 A carnivore, these dogs hunt during the day in packs

14 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

The GIANT ANTEATER

 In the same family as the sloth, this animal can weigh between 33 -41
kilos and grow as big as 215cm
 It is endangered due to poaching and declining habitat
 The anteater has no teeth and cannot move much of its jaw
 They are insectivores and eat mostly ants or termites

The TAPIR

 Similar looking to the pig, although their closest relatives are

horses & rhinoceroses
 They average about 2 meters long and weigh around 300 kilos
 They a lot of time underwater feeding of soft vegetation and
cooling off during hot weather
 They are prey to jaguars and anacondas, they eat fruit, berries,
and leaves

The JAGUAR
 Native to the Americas and ranges from the US to Argentina
 Like the tiger, the Jaguar enjoys swimming
 Endangered due to its habitat declining as well as from poaching
 Average life span is 23 years
 A carnivore, the jaguar eats about 87 species from small
amphibians to large mammals
 The third biggest wild cat after the tiger and lion

15 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Triple Frontier

We will visit Puerto Iguazú and see where three countries borders come together: Ciudad del
Este (Paraguay); Puerto Iguazú (Argentina) and Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil). At the convergence of the borders, all
three countries have erected an obelisk, painted in the national colors of the country in which it is located.

Fun Facts!
 While there are many triple borders in the world, this one is special because it is formed naturally by the
convergence of two rivers, the Parana River & the Iguazú River!
 From this point we can see the Tancredo Neves Bridge which connects Brazil and Argentina, but it much
better known for its nickname “Fraternity Bridge!”
 The Guarani Aquifer, permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater, is located beneath the
surface here and is arguably the biggest reservoir of fresh, potable water in the world!

16 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

San Ignacio Jesuit Ruins

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ol81ImPFKfA

 San Ignacio Mini was one of the many missions founded in 1632 by the Jesuits during the Spanish
colonial period in the Misiones Province. The Jesuits left the mission in 1768 and the natives destroyed
the mission in 1817. The San Ignacio mission is the best preserved of all the missions built. We will visit
the ruins and marvel at the buildings that used to be a church, cabildo, cemeter y, monastery, and
houses!

Some Study questions!

When were these ruins discovered? The ruins were discovered in 1897 & restored in 1940

What were the ruins made from? Many of the buildings in the San Ignacio Mini were built using local red
sandstone which gives it the red/orange color.

How did the Misiones Province get its name? From these early Jesuit Missions! Because this area was the site of
much activity from the Catholic Church, the province was named Misiones

17 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Observation activities

How to make observations like a scientist!

First! Focus on what is important and decide what things are less important. One of the best ways to do this is
through the old-fashioned practice of taking field notes: writing descriptions and drawing pictures of what you
see while you are observing. When you’re sketching something, you have to choose which marks to make on
the page.

When making observations. Remember to stop and

use all FIVE SENSES

 Sight
 Hearing
 Taste
 Smell
 Touch

When taking notes while using your senses, make

sure you are EXTREMELY detailed. Make notes on
size, color, markings, shape, texture, sounds and
smells, location or overall impression of the
situation or thing you are observing. This will help
you when reviewing your notes.

A scientific process has five steps:

 Observe something and ask questions
 Make your hypothesis(a guess)
 Make predictions your hypothesis
 Test your predictions with experiments
 Create your conclusion on the based on
your experiment

18 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Orientation

There are a few tricks to determining orientation…without using GPS!

Stick and shade method. Because the sun will always travel from east to west, shadows travel from west to
east. Put a stick in the ground and mark the end of its shadow with a stone. Then return in 20 minutes &
mark the new end of the shadow with another rock. Lay a stick between both rocks. This will be your east
and west direction. West will be the first stone you placed
Assess the remaining daylight. To judge how long it will be before dusk (sunset), raise your hand, all f ingers
touching, between the sun and the horizon. Each finger is worth about 15 minutes, and each hand equals
about one hour
Situational observation. Be aware of your surroundings. Always look for landmarks that you can remember.
If you are lost, always try and put yourself in a position with optimal vision, which means somewhere you
can see and be seen from all sides.
 If it is night time and get lost without a compass, look for the Southern Cross.

This will look like a normal cross if you connect the brightest stars with a vertical and horizontal line. The
long part of the cross will be your exact south. When it is cloudy night, you can normally assume that the
clouds will be moving from west to east.

FOUR HABITS THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR WILDERNESS SAFETY AWARENESS

1. Taking your time. Many outdoor hazards and accidents can be avoided by one simple piece of advice -SLOW
DOWN! Many accidents are caused by impatience and we lose good judgment and awareness of what we
are doing.
2. Deep breathing One way to change the negative effects of an anxious mind is to practice deep breathing.
Deep breathing releases tension associated with anxiety. It also increases mental clarity – which is crucial
for good decision-making.
3. Sufficient rest Mental clarity, positivity, enthusiasm and a capacity to work harder for longer are the
rewards of a well-rested body. Also, being well rested keeps the senses sharp – and good sensory awareness
is a key element in anticipating and perceiving many safety issues.
4. Honoring your intuition prevention. This means that if you can avoid the problem in the first place, that is
much better than having to go back and solve a problem that could have been diverted. Trust your gut! Use
your instincts

19 de 20
 FOREIGNER IN YOUR OWN LAND – iguazu

Responsible Travel Tips

While in Iguazú and other places on this trip,

During the trip, time is important! When you are moving around and you are part of a
group, your time is everyone´s time, so pay attention to instructions as to meeting
times and points

Try to be as orderly and neat as possible in your bedrooms. Be advised you

should not leave anything behind after the check- out: Look under the bed, blankets,
corners in the bedroom, the bathroom. Make sure you turn off the lights when you
leave your bedroom

Smile and get involved! Do you want to have a happy and successful trip?
Keep in mind these attributes to help you out:
 patience
 cheerfulness
 optimism
 flexibility
 friendliness

The Environment
In Iguazú and the surrounding areas, leave your wonderful presence, energy,
and only footprints…Each year, many kilograms of trash/rubbish is left by
travelers in touristic spots. Take care of the environment as you would take care
of your own home. Local guides will tell you about programs and organizations that
are working to protect the welfare, culture, and environment of where you’ve been
lucky to visit. They will talk about their own work for the environment. The more
you get involved, the more you will get out of your journey!

We challenge you! Be a real Foreigner

Ask your guides about their work for those organizations, how people help, what
has been done to protect the environment and what still needs to be done!
AND OF COURSE, HAVE FUN!
The Foreigner In Your Own Land Team

20 de 20