National Parks in Latin America Project

1. National Parks in Latin America Project Name: Livie M. Spanish Class Due Friday, February 15

2. Iguazu Falls National Park Name: Livie M. Spanish Class Due Friday, February 15

3. Why choose Iguazu? • After researching five other parks, I chose Iguazu Falls National Park. This park is appealing because of its waterfalls. I found out there is a large population of endangered species, and I wanted to research more about this. I also like to see the broad variety of birds that live in this park. Iguazu National Park not only has a vast population of wildlife, it is full of nature. For example, this park has tropical rainforests and lots of waterfalls.

4. Where is Iguazu? • Iguazu Falls is actually located between Argentina and Brazil. The Brazilian land takes up 20% of the park, and Argentina takes up 80% of the park’s land. The closest city to this park is Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.

5. How to get there… • From San Francisco, you would fly to Miami, about 5 hours, and then from Miami to Buenos Aires, about an 11 hour flight. To get to the park, you must take an overnight bus from Buenos Aires to Iguazu Falls, which has been recommended over flying. The buses are said to be very comfortable. The buses also serve hot dinners.

6. Main Attractions • The Iguazu Falls National Park was made a National park to protect its waterfalls. The Iguazu Falls National Park was named a World Heritage site by UNESCO in 1984. • The main geophysical sites are the famous waterfalls, large river, and the tropical rainforests. • The fauna includes many endangered species such as the jaguar, anteater, ocelot, harpy eagle, and caiman. The flora includes coral trees, palmito trees, and the tall palorosa. Coral Tree Palmito Tree Palo Rosa

7. Your Stay • This trip will take place in summer. • You will stay at the Hotel das Cataratas, a luxury hotel in the heart of the Iguazu. This hotel serves a variety of Brazilian fusion food. Some of the amenities include swimming pools, tennis courts, spas, and luxury rooms to accommodate you.

8. Your Iguazu Expedition Begins Here! • Be prepared for the greatest five day experience of your life! But remember to wear the right gear! • Monday- wear waterproof clothing and bring no electronics on the jet boat ride! • Tuesday- wear hiking or walking clothes and a camera. • Wednesday- Comfortable, outdoorsy clothes for helicopter ride and Devil’s Throat visit. • Thursday- Wear walking shoes and bring some snacks. • Friday- Wear comfortable, preferably waterproof clothing and shoes

9. DAY 1-Monday Today you are going to begin your adventure by embarking on a thrilling jet-boat ride. This boat ride will take you through the stunning Rio de Iguazu river, but, you might get a little wet on the way. Not only will you visit the river, but coast through the majestic falls as well. Remember to wear the correct gear! This ride will take up your morning. When you are finished with the boat ride, go to a local restaurant for lunch. Now as you head back to the Hotel das Cataratas for a relaxing afternoon of poolside bars, smoothies, scenery, and luxury accommodations. In the late afternoon, take a double decker at the Visitors Center to the Brazilian walkway, which starts in front of Hotel das Cataratas and goes to Salto Floriano, or Floriano Fall for a scenic tour. Then, arrive home at dinnertime and enjoy your first night at your luxury hotel. IguazuFalls Jet Boat Ride

10. DAY 2- Tuesday Today you are visiting Bird Park – or Parque das Aves. The park has aviaries youcango into for a view of macaws, hummingbirds, toucans, and hundreds of other birds and lush preserved forest. This place is also known for its Butterfly House and other animals such as marmosets, anacondas and alligators. Then you will leave the Bird Park and go to Campo de Desafios, which means Field of Challenges. It has fun activities to do such as canopy walking, rappel(a cognate-meaning ‘repel’), climbing and rafting. You will continue your day after a good lunch at the Hotel das Cataratas. Then after a relaxing afternoon at the hotel, you are going to go on a moonlight tour. On clear full moon nights, a silvery rainbow forms over the water. Moonlight Tour

11. DAY 3- Wednesday You are going to begin your day by flying high above IguazuFalls on a majestic helicopter ride. You will get to see Iguazu from a birds eye view. Helicopters can fit up to three passengers, two in the back and one in the front. A short ride would be ten minutes, and a full ride 35 minutes. After the helicopter ride, you are going to go to the Devil’s Throat. This path of 1100 meters will take you to three ring-shaped balconies that permit special views of the Devil’s Throat, a giant horseshoe-shaped waterfall. Lastly, you are going to the Iguazu Mission and learn about the rich history of Iguazu. Iguazu Falls Mission

12. DAY 4- Thursday Now you are going to visit the city of Puerto Iguazu. There are many interesting things to see in the city. First you will visit the Triple Border Milestone, which adjoins three countries and two rivers, blending Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay’s culture into one place. Another very interesting landmark is the Orchid Gardens located on JangaderoStreet. The beautiful orchids are in puzzling shapes ready to amaze visitors. For an ideal afternoon, stop by the port for a quick lunch. You’ll se boats, rafts, and glimmering sand surrounded by cliffs at this Argentina pier. Puerto Iguazuis also famous for its cultural food and monuments you can visit. There are other interesting shops, restaurants, and accommodations in the city to explore. When you are ready, leave the city and return to your luxury hotel.

13. DAY 5- Friday Get ready to enjoy your last day of your trip. In the early morning, wake up and be ready to go to the rainforest. Todays excursion is going to be several activities in the rainforest. First, you are going on a horseback ride in the forest. Explore the magic of the forest while sitting on horseback. Next you will take the “green path.” During this twenty minute hike, meet birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. You will also see a rainforest marsh on the green path walk. Lastly, visit an island at the heart of Iguazu- San Martin Island. This island offers spectacular views of the falls and other attractions. Be sure to enjoy your last day of Iguazu! Iguazu Rainforest

14. Should you go to Iguazu? There are so many thrilling opportunities and new things to see in Iguazu. I would recommend this park to anyone- whether you are a adventurer, sight-seeker or someone who enjoys relaxing, Iguazu is good for you. I think that if you are an thrill seeker, there are many, many ways to have fun-for example, “rappeling” a way of repelling down large cliffs and monuments. If you are a tourist, there are many places to see in the rainforest, waterfalls, and the city. Lastly, there are many opportunities to relax in the hotel by the pool, or sleep in late. So yes, I would definitely recommend Iguazu to anyone.

15. Pictures & Videos

16. Park Page #1 Torres del Paine National Park Torres del Paine National Park is located in Chile’s Region XII. If you are planning to visit the park, the recommended time to stay would be from October to April, when there is warmer weather and less rain. The official language spoken in Chile is Spanish. The currency used in Chile is called Chilean Pesos. The weather varies between a minimum of 28ºF to a maximum of 68ºF. Some options for activities include hiking, sailing, kayaking, climbing, fishing, and horseback riding. The park has a variety of birds such as the Andean Condor. The Torres del Paine National Park has many activities and wildlife and is a great place to visit.

17. Park Page #2 The Fernando de Noronha World Heritage Site The Fernando de Noronha World Heritage Site in Brazil has a variety of culture. It includes English, Russian, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese, and French heritage. It has a tropical environment with lagoons, islands, and tidal pools. Some wildlife at this park includes turtles, dolphins, sharks, and tropical seabirds. It has high cliffs and sandy beaches. The ocean floor is 4,000 m in depth. Fernando de Noronha World Heritage park is the only known park with an Insular Atlantic Forest - a subtype of Atlantic Rainforest. This park is a unique and beautiful place to stay.

18. Park Page #3 Manu National Park Manu National Park is in southern Peru. It has many plant and animal species and a lot of vegetation. Some of the wildlife at this park includes giant armadillos, giant otters, and jaguars. It has over 850 species of local birds, and is located by the Amazon River, and the foot of the Andes mountains. There are 1,147 plant species, 13 monkey species, 100 bat species, and 77 amphibian species. Manu National Park is inhabited by four different native groups: the Machiguenga, the Mascho-Piro, the Yaminahua and the Amahuaca. Manu Wildlife Center is number one in the world for viewing of canopy wildlife because the wildlife is not hunted and our plants grow naturally. The Manu National Park is an amazing and scenic place to visit.

19. Park Page #4 • Galapagos National Park • The Galapagos National Park is located off the coast of Ecuador. When you are in this national park, you must travel with tour operators or tour boats. The island two rare species- the pink iguana and the blue-footed booby. This park also has the Galapagos   Tortoise, dolphins, and sea lions. The Galapagos National Park has an area called the “hot   spot.” The hot spot is an area where there is so much magma, it breaks the earths crust. This   park also has a lot of flora and fauna, including many species of mangrove including the black mangrove, red mangrove, and the button mangrove. This park has unique and many fascinating sites.

20. Park Page #5 • Iguazú National Park   The Iguazu National Park is located in northeastern Argentina. It is famous for its waterfalls. They are known as the Iguazu Falls. This park has many endangered species including the harpy eagle, giant anteater, ocelot, jaguar, and more. The park has 135,000 acres of tropical rainforest. It is very well-known for its bird life, including species of toucans, blue dacnis, plush-crested jays, magpie tanagers, and chopi blackbirds. This park is open from April to September and welcome to anyone.

21. Park Page #6 • Palenque National Park in Mexico. •  The Palenque National Park is in southeastern Mexico. It has over 1500 architectural structures from the ancient Maya civilization. One of the most famous monuments is the   Temple of Inscriptions. This park is located in a tropical rainforest. It has a large population   of tropical bird species. The park is mostly covered by Mayan monuments and amazing   architecture. This park expresses the Mayan culture.

22. Annotations- Six Parks http://www.torresdelpaine.com/ingles/index.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torres_del_Paine_National_Park http://www.lonelyplanet.com/chile/southern-patagonia/parque-nacional-torres-del-paine http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1000 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_de_Noronha http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-photos/brazilian-atlantic-islands-fernando-de-noronha-and-atol-das-rocas-reserves http://www.manuadventures.com/ http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/402 http://www.manu-wildlife-center.com/ http://www.galapagospark.org/ http://www.galapagos.org/travel/park-rules/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galápagos_National_Park http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/303 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazú_National_Park http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2010/03/argentinas-iguazu-national-park-waterworks-and-wildlife5597 http://www.palenquepark.com/ http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/411 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palenque

23. Annotations-Iguazu Falls • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iguazu_Falls • http://www.google.com/flights/?hl=en#search;f=SFO;t=AEP,EZE;d=2013-02-16;r=2013-02-20;sel=SFOMIA0AA2002-MIAEZE04M4521;q=flights+to+buenos+aires+argentina+from+san+francisco • http://www.hoteldascataratas.com/web/ogua/hotel_facilities.jsp • http://www.welcomeargentina.com/puertoiguazu/visit-puerto-iguazu.html