Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo)

The roar reaches you long before the view does. Walking the elevated metal boardwalk across the Iguazu River, each step carries you closer to a force of nature so immense it seems to swallow the sky itself. A wall of white spray rises 30 metres above the chasm, coating everything in warm mist. Then you arrive at the railing edge, and the Devil’s Throat opens before you: a horseshoe of roaring water 150 metres wide and 82 metres tall, where the Iguazu River plunges into an abyss so deep the bottom is invisible. This is the most dramatic waterfall on Earth.

History of Devil’s Throat

The Guarani people named the falls Iguazu meaning Big Water. Their legends told of a god who sliced the river in two as divine punishment. Argentina established Iguazu National Park in 1934, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984. A 1.1-kilometre elevated walkway brings visitors to the very edge of the Devil’s Throat, the most powerful cataract in the Iguazu system.

Spanish conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca became the first European to document the falls in 1541. Today Iguazu National Park protects Atlantic Forest home to over 2,000 plant species, 400 bird species, and mammals including tapirs and jaguars.

What to See

The Garganta del Diablo is a U-shaped cataract accounting for roughly half of the entire river’s flow plunging into a single gorge. At the viewing platform, enormous flocks of great dusky swifts arc through the spray, nesting in the cliff face behind the curtain of water. Rainbows form and dissolve in the perpetual mist, and on sunny days double rainbows appear. Coatis and capuchin monkeys are common sights on the boardwalk, and toucans flit through the forest canopy overhead.

The Argentine side offers the most comprehensive experience, with over 2 kilometres of walkways at three levels: Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit, and the Garganta trail. A free Jungle Train (Tren de la Selva) connects the main entrance to the Garganta station.

The Boardwalk Experience

The 1.1-kilometre elevated boardwalk to Devil’s Throat stretches over the broad, glassy Iguazu River. The water gives no hint of its impending violence until the last hundred metres when the current accelerates noticeably, becoming shallower and faster before disappearing in one thunderous leap. The viewing platform positions you directly over the falls and the mist is so thick that waterproof bags and ponchos are strongly recommended.

In the wet season (November through March), water volume can be four times the dry season minimum. The dry season (June to September) offers calmer water, clearer sightlines, and easier wildlife viewing. High rainfall can temporarily close the Garganta boardwalk, so always check conditions.

Practical Information

• Tickets: Foreign visitors approx. ARS 45,000 (~USD 45); 50% discount on 2nd day.
• Opening hours: Daily 8:00am to 6:00pm; last entry 4:00pm; last Jungle Train 3:30pm
• Best time to visit: Arrive at 8am; Dry season (June-September) for wildlife.
• Duration: 4 to 6 hours
• Booking: Online advance booking strongly recommended

Local Insights

What locals know that guidebooks do not always tell you:

• Visit Garganta del Diablo first thing in the morning at 8:05am for small crowds.
• Bring a waterproof case for your camera; the spray soaks you within seconds.
• Guard your food tightly; coatis will snatch snacks right out of your hand.
• The Argentine side beats the Brazilian side for immersion; the Brazilian side has better panoramas.
• On full moon nights, the park offers moonlit tours to see the lunar rainbow above the falls.

Getting There

• By air: Cataratas del Iguazu Airport (IGR) is 20 minutes from the park entrance
• By bus: Bus El Practico from Puerto Iguazu every 40 minutes
• By taxi: Approximately ARS 3,000 to 5,000 one-way from Puerto Iguazu
• Inside the park: Free Jungle Train every 20 minutes to Garganta station