On the Uruguay River, which runs along the border between Argentina and Brazil, there is a very unique waterfall: the Moconá Falls (also known as the Yucumã Falls). Unlike most waterfalls, Moconá Falls runs parallel, rather than perpendicular, to its river for a three-kilometer stretch, giving the river a two-tiered appearance. Water spills over the elevated side of the riverbed into a gorge below, creating two streams that run parallel at different elevations. According to Wondermondo.com, the name Moconá means “to swallow everything” in the Guarani language, which adeptly describes how the crashing water appears to swallow itself when viewed from the riverbanks.

The falling water actually falls into a submerged canyon that runs on one side of the Uruguay River channel believed to have formed during the Ice Age, reports Amusing Planet. For most of the river’s course, this canyon, or gorge, isn’t visible, buried under the river’s flowing water, except at two places (one being the Moconá Falls).

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In fact, for 150 days a year, the Uruguay river is so full that the falls almost disappear completely, looking more like rapids than a waterfall. But, when the water level falls below the edge of the canyon, the water begins to spill into the gorge and the waterfall is formed. According to Wondermondo.com, the height of the falls varies depending on water level throughout the year.

Tourists can visit the falls throughout the year and stay at nearby lodges, including some in the nearby rainforest, according to the Argentina Tourism Board of El Soberbio.

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