Iguazu Falls, the largest network of waterfalls in the world, is a bucket list item for a lot of travellers venturing to South America. However, since the UNESCO World Heritage Site is in both Brazil and Argentina, and both countries have separate entrance fees, a lot of people only choose to visit the falls from one country.
Each country offer an entirely different experience, with the Brazilian side offering a panoramic view of the individual waterfalls, and the Argentina side bringing you up close and personal.
We landed in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil in the early afternoon, and headed straight to the park. The park closes at 5, but from what we read the Brazilian side was fairly small. We figured we could easily walk it in a couple of hours.
We grabbed the public bus from the airport to the park entrance, and from here it’s another scenic ride into the heart of the park on a double decker viewing bus.
The Brazilian side consists of one main pathway, with viewpoints scattered along the path. After an easy thirty minutes, the path ends at a large observation point and a catwalk that brings you out into the middle of the falls. Walking out the catwalk brings you out into the Devil’s Throat.
The park is meticulously well-maintained, including the catwalk and viewing point built just a few metres above the rushing Rio Iguazu. However, watching the sheer amount of water racing below, it’s hard to comprehend how they ever managed to build it.
Walking out to the centre of the river, thousands of cubic metres of water crashed behind me, and a few seconds later, below. I was soaked to the skin in about twenty seconds from the spray, and screaming at the top of my lungs for Tom to hear me over the pounding water.
Early the next day we headed to the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls. Much larger than the Brazilian side, we ended up spending the entire day there. The Argentinian side is made up of a network of pathways and catwalks that bring you up close to the falls. Since the area to cover is huge, there’s a passenger train that runs throughout the park. It’s definitely walkable as well, if you’re looking to get your cardio in.
The Argentina side is broken up into three separate circuits, the Superior, Inferior, and the Garganta del Diablo. The Inferior runs up close to some of the smaller falls near the bottom, while the Superior Circuit leads to the viewpoints along the top of Iguazu Falls, and gives panoramic views of the entire area. Garganta del Diablo goes up above it’s namesake, the largest waterfall in the network.
A lot of the walkways have absolutely no shade, and it can get extremely hot. Make sure to bring enough water and sunscreen. There are food kiosks scattered throughout the park, and one large food court. The food is predictably expensive however, so we brought our own snacks.
The public bus from Foz do Iguaçu runs to the entrance of the falls, making stops along the way, including at the airport. It’s actually really easy to fly in and visit the Brazilian park in the same afternoon. If you’re short on time and want to see both, you can easily do it in a day and a half.
The park has extremely large lockers available, big enough for my 65 litre bag and my daypack, with room to spare.
You can grab the public bus back to town from the same spot it dropped you off. If you’re planning on heading to Argentina right away, it makes more sense to get off at one of the stops on the way back in to town. Just ask the bus driver to let you off at the Argentina stop when you get on the bus, and they’ll let you know. From here the public bus will bring you to the Argentina border.
If you’re in Foz Do Iguaçu and want to get the bus to Argentina, the stop isn’t at the bus station, it’s the street next to it. After walking out front turn left, and then take the first left. Further up the road there will be a bus shelter. This bus goes directly to the Argentina town of Puerto Iguazú. Get two tickets from the bus driver when getting on, and make sure to keep both.
Once you’re on the bus make sure to tell the bus driver you need to get off for a passport stamp. Otherwise, they might just keep going. When you get to the border, the driver will let you off but there’s no guarantee that they will wait for you. Make sure you take your things with you!
At this point, when you come out there may or may not be a bus waiting. If there isn’t, you need to wait for a bus belonging to the same company as your ticket.
We were there on a Sunday, when the last bus supposedly leaves at 6:30 PM. We waited around from 5:30-7:30, and nothing showed up. Luckily, two other people at the bus stop were staying at the same hostel as us in Argentina. So, we ended up getting a cab to our hostel together. Hopefully this doesn’t happen for anyone else, but if it does, the cab drivers were hanging out down by the entrance to the bus station.
From the central bus terminal in town, the company Rio Uruguay does the route to the park. The ticket was 150 pesos, and it includes the return ride. Make sure to keep the ticket.
In the Argentina town of Puerto Iguazú, Poramba is perfect for a couple days of exploring Iguazu Falls. A few blocks from the bus station, the hostel has a nice, clean pool for cooling down after a hot day at the falls, and a large kitchen.
Panaderia Y Confiteria El Arbol Real – This gigantic bakery/restaurant/cafe on Av. Córdoba has good grab and go sandwiches and other deli items when in a pinch before heading to the falls. They also have everything there to make a fantastic lunch or charcuterie board!
Cremolatti – If this is your introduction to Argentina, then welcome to the country of amazing gelato. Argentinians take their gelato seriously, with scoops being available from cone size to a full kilogram. Do yourself a favour and get the 1/4 kilo with the three different flavours.
If you’re heading to Argentina next, read my guide on Buenos Aires here!
I'm sure if I told you that Tom and I had discussed buying a van…
One thing we didn't fully understand when we were figuring out how to get to…
Tucked away in the north west corner of the Sacred Valley, surrounded by tall…
The vibrant capital of Oaxaca state, Oaxaca City is the perfect place to take a…
Visiting Oaxaca and trying to narrow down where to eat? You've come to the right…
Nestled breathlessly high in the Andes, the town of Huaraz is the home base for…