The Iguazu Falls, or las Cataratas del Iguazu in Spanish or as Cataratas do Iguaçu in Portuguese, make up the world’s biggest waterfall system. Iguazu Falls consist of many individual waterfalls, which together form the widest waterfall system in the world, with a length of nearly 3 km. It’s an amazing sight that absolutely HAS to be on your bucket list. It’s like a fairytale land. With this How-To guide to visiting Iguazu, you’ll know everything there is to know and you’ll be fully prepared when you go on your adventure!
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Where is Iguazu Falls located on the map?
Iguazu Falls National Park lies on the border between Argentina and Brazil, right next to Paraguay. Both gateways to the National Park (Puerto Iguazu in Argentina and Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil) have a viewpoint from where you can see the rivers that form the borders between these countries.
As Iguazu Falls lie on the border between Argentina and Brazil, part of the National Park is in Brazilian territory, and part in Argentina. So in order to visit the whole national park, you need to cross the border. It’s an official border crossing, but a really easy and straightforward one.
Crossing the border and visas – General rules: Brazil will generally give you 90 days per year, which can be extended with another 90 days. Do take this into consideration. If you have used your days for the year, you won’t be able to cross the Brazilian border here to visit the Brazilian side. Argentina is a lot easier and they generally give you another 90 days every time you cross the border and come back. Once again, these are general rules, you’ll need to check what the rules are for your specific situation/passport.
How to get to Iguazu?
The Brazilian gateway is Foz do Iguaçu, often simply called Foz. The Argentinian gateway is Puerto Iguazu. Both have regular transport that goes to and from the park. Inquire at the bus station for current schedules and prices.
Getting to Foz do Iguaçu
Foz can be reached by bus and plane. Note that distances are big, so if you’re not opposed to flying and you plan ahead, Skyscanner might have a good deal for you. If you prefer to go overland, here are some distances and time estimates:
- Floripa to Foz: Nearly 1000 km by car, 14-15 hours by bus
- São Paulo to Foz: A little more than 1000 km by car, 16-19 hours by bus
- Rio to Foz: Nearly 1500 km, 25-26 hours by bus.
- Campo Grande (south Pantanal) to Foz: About 700 km by car, 17-18 hours by bus.
Getting to Puerto Iguazu
Puerto Iguazu can also be reached by bus and plane. Distances from touristic cities in Argentina are even bigger, so check flights as well as busses. Here are some distances and time estimates from Argentinian cities to Puerto Iguazu:
- Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazú: Nearly 1300 km by car, 17-21 hour by bus.
- Cordoba to Puerto Iguazú: About 1500 km by car, 21-22 hours by bus.
- Salta to Puerto Iguazú: About 1450 km by car, time on the bus depends on the connection.
- San Ignacio (Jesuit Missions) to Puerto Iguazú: About 250 km by car, 3.5-4.5 hours by bus.
Comparing prices in Argentina – When you compare prices between flights and busses for example, do take the difference between the blue and the official rate into consideration. Put the pages on ARS when searching and calculate the price in your home currency based on whether you will be paying by card (official rate) or in cash (blue if you use services like Western Union or Azimo to withdraw cash).
What is the best time to visit the Iguazu Falls?
March to May, is the best time of year to visit the Falls, which is after the rainy season. This is when they have the most water and so are the most impressive. Avoid holiday months (Dec-Feb) and Easter if possible, as it will be extremely busy then. If can avoid weekends as well, do it!
We visited on what was the last holiday weekend in January in Brazil (just worked out that way with work schedules), and visiting the Brazilian side was nearly impossible. They had slowed the busses within the national park, that get you from the entrance to the boardwalk. There were just too many people on the boardwalk, already. This meant we had to either wait in line for hours or get an expensive taxi to the boardwalk which was so crowded it was nearly impossible to walk. Not recommended. The Argentinian side wasn’t as bad, as they have more trails so people divide more.
Draughts – You can visit Iguazu all year long of course, and there will generally always be water. In recent years, severe draughts have been experienced however, meaning there was not a lot of water going down Iguazu. Climate change and deforestation are the most obvious reasons, although people have been blaming the dike on the Brazilian side as well.
How much does it cost to visit Iguazu
Well, that kind of depends on how you want to do it. The entry to the Brazilian side is 107 RLS (21 USD) for adults not from the Mercosur countries. The entry to the Argentinian side is 2800 ARS (14 USD with blue rate/26 USD with the official rate) for 1 day. If you visit 2 days in a row, you get a 50% discount on your second day. A bed in a dorm in Puerto Iguazu starts at about 1100 ARS (5,50 USD with Blue rate/10 USD with the official rate), in Foz at 45 RLS (9 USD). If you’re two, a private room can work out cheaper per person.
Other than that, it depends on whether you’re flying or taking the bus to Puerto Iguazu/Foz, and if you’re taking the public bus or a taxi to the falls. Or maybe you even want to try to hitchhike. You can take a packed lunch to save some money or eat at the park. If you want to do additional excursions while in the park, these will add on as well.
Prices are current at the time of writing.
The Brazilian side vs the Argentinian side
Many travelers wonder which is better: The Brazilian side or the Argentinian one. And which one should they visit? I’d say, they are very different, and both are worth a visit! I mean, you might as well while you’re here right?
The Brazilian side
The Brazilian side of the national park only offers one boardwalk, from where you’ll get more of an overview of the whole thing. Note that the entry of the national park is relatively far away from the actual falls and the boardwalk. There are shuttle busses going from the entrance to the boardwalk, the price of which is already included in your ticket. Click here for a handy map of the Brazilian side.
The Argentinian side
From the Argentinian side, you don’t really get to appreciate the whole complex as such, but you get the close-up experience. The Argentinian side offers 4 walks, instead of just one, so you want to make sure you’re making the most out of your day here and arrive early so you know you have enough time for everything. One day not enough? If you visit 2 days in a row, you get a 50% discount on your second day.
- Circuito Inferior: 1400 m – Takes you to the lower viewpoints along the falls.
- Paseo Superior: 1550 m – Takes you to the upper viewpoints above the falls.
- Paseo Garganta del diablo: 1100 m – Takes you to the devil’s throat (Garganta del Diabalo in Spanish). This is the most impressive part of the falls. Be prepared for a lot of noise and even more water coming your way! The walk itself is 1100 m but starts at the other side of the park. You can take the free train there, or walk along the train tracks if there is a queue and you don’t feel like waiting. We enjoyed the walk there but took the train back.
- Sendero Macuco: 3.5 km – Takes you through the jungle, to a separate, smaller waterfall and a waterhole where you can swim. We skipped it, as it was too much to do for one day. If you’ve fallen in love with this national park however, or prefer to take things at a slower pace and want to spread your visit to the Argentinian side over 2 days, this could be a nice way to spend some more time here and to get away from the crowds.
You can do a boat excursion with Iguazu Jungle here as well. Just make sure to plan this trip and the end or beginning of you’re day, so you don’t have to rush back forward between the trails and the meeting point. As these times will sell out the quickest, it’s recommended to book a day before. You can book it at your hostel/hotel and pay in cash so you can take advantage of the blue rate.
For a handy map of the Argentinian side, click here.
How long do I need to visit Iguazu national Park?
I recommend 3-4 days, including your arrival and leaving day. This will allow you enough time to visit both sides of the park and make the most out of your visit. How you want to spread those days, depends on where you’re coming from (Argentina or Brazil) and where you’re heading after.
Itinerary 1 - Brazil to Argentina
Day 1 – Arrive in Foz do Iguaçu and explore town if you arrive early. Stay here for the night. If you’re short on time/arriving early with plenty of energy, you could start your itinerary with day 2 and already head to the Brazilian side today.
Day 2 – Make your way to the Brazilian side of the national park. You can take your stuff with you and leave them in a locker for 20 RLS (4 USD). After you visit the Brazilian side, pick up your stuff and take the bus to Puerto Iguazu and stay here for the night.
Day 3 – Today you want to get up early to make the most out of your day on the Argentine side. You’ll want to have enough time to explore at least the 3 paths of Iguazu and maybe even the boat ride, for the real up-close experience. If you’re short on time, you could take a bus/plane in the evening today, but if not I would go the next day.
Day 4 – Take a bus or plane to your next destination. If your transport is not until later today and you’re looking for something to do, you could visit Hito Tres Fronteras, from where you can see Paraguay and Brazil.
Itinerary 2 - Brazil to Brazil
I actually recommend following the above itinerary, just so you have enough time for the Argentinian side. If you don’t want to go through to hassle of changing accommodation and stay in Argentina, I recommend the below:
Day 1: Arrive in Foz. If you arrive early, visit the Brazilian side in the afternoon.
Day 2: Get up early and visit the Argentinian side. You’ll want to have enough time to explore at least the 3 paths of Iguazu and maybe even the boat ride, for the real up-close experience. Head back to Foz and stay the night. If you’ve already visited the Brazilian side on Day 1, you could technically take a bus tonight already. You’ll be pretty exhausted though, so if you’re not in a rush, I would just stay the night.
Day 3: If you didn’t visit the Brazilian side on day 1, visit in the morning. Continue your trip.
Itinerary 3 - Argentina to Brazil
Day 1: Arrive in Puerto Iguazu. If you arrive early and are looking for something to do, you can visit Hito Tres Fronteras, from where you can see Paraguay and Brazil. If you arrive super early and can’t wait to see the Falls, you can even visit the Brazilian side this afternoon.
Day 2: Vist the Argentinian side. Get up early to make the most out of your day. You’ll want to have enough time to explore at least the 3 paths of Iguazu and maybe even the boat ride, for the real up-close experience.
Day 3: Take your stuff and go to the Brazilian side. There is no need to head to Foz first, the bus takes you to the park entrance. Leave your stuff in the locker for 20 RLS (4 USD) while you visit the park. Pick up your stuff once done and head to Foz. From here you can find transport to your next destination.
Itinerary 4 - Argentina to Argentina
Day 1: Arrive in Puerto Iguazu. If you arrive early and are looking for something to do, you can visit Hito Tres Fronteras, from where you can see Paraguay and Brazil.
Day 2: Vist the Argentinian side. Get up early to make the most out of your day. You’ll want to have enough time to explore at least the 3 paths of Iguazu and maybe even the boat ride, for the real up-close experience.
Day 3: If you haven’t visited the Brazilian side on day 1, visit it today in the morning, leave your stuff in the hostel. Once back in Argentina, pick up your stuff and head on to your next destination. If you’d already visited on our first day and your transport is later today, you can check out Hito Tres Fronteras today.
What should I bring to Iguazu national Park
– Plenty of water, it gets hot in this part of the world
– A snack and/or packed lunch if you’re not planning on eating at the restaurants in the park
– Camera. Take a waterproof action came if you have it. If you’re camera is not waterproof, take a drybag as you will get soaked.
– Drybag to keep your things dry
– Poncho/raincoat if you want at least some protection of the spray
– Sunscreen as you’ll spend a lot of time outside and the sun is strong
– Hat, which will protect your face even better from the sun. Especially since sunscreen will mostly wash off once you get to the devil’s throat.
– Comfortable shoes. The paths are easy, so no need for hiking boots. You’ll be walking a lot on the Argentine side, though so make sure you take comfortable footwear with you.
This was: How to visit Iguazu: Everything you need to know
So there you go, you now know everything you need to make the most out of your visit to Iguazu Falls. Have a great time exploring this amazing place! ❤️