Iguaçu Falls (or Iguazu in Spanish), is a awe-inspiring waterfall system on the border of Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. It is considered the largest waterfall system in the world, consisting of 275 waterfalls cascading over a horseshoe-shaped cliff that stretches for nearly 2.7 kilometers. The falls vary in height, ranging from 60 to 82 meters, and the sheer volume of water plunging over the edge creates a breathtaking spectacle.
Visitors can experience the falls from both the Argentine and Brazilian sides, each offering unique perspectives. The Argentine side gives you more of an aerial view via over-the-water walkways, while the Brazilian side shows you the breath of the falls with panoramic views. The park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is considered one of the most popular tourist destinations in South America.
So how do you visit Iguaçu Falls? How many days do you need? And more importantly which side should you choose to visit?
First, how do you get to Iguaçu Falls?
Iguaçu Falls is serviced by 3 airports in 3 separate countries (!!!). Which you should fly into though will depend on the rest of your itinerary. If you're traveling in Brazil, you will fly into IGU and stay in Foz do Iguaçu. For Argentina, into IGR and stay in Puerto Iguazu. For Paraguay, into AGT and stay in Ciudad del Este. It is not possible to fly from Rio to the Argentinian side for example, but you can of course cross the border on your own and stay in whichever country you prefer.
We visited Iguaçu Falls as part of our two week vacation around Brazil and chose to base our visit there because of this. You can experience the falls from any of the three though! If you follow what I recommend below, you should stay in the country you fly into for ease.
Next, is GOL airlines legit?
If you're traveling around Brazil, you will quickly become familiar with the name GOL airlines. It seems to be their main domestic airline and likely the one you will take to Foz do Iguaçu. Coming from the USA, we were unfamiliar with GOL and read some not so pleasant stories online. It's extremely affordable though so we decided to take the risk. We did run into an issue a few weeks after booking when our 9:30pm flight was cancelled and we were rebooked to the following morning. That didn't work for us. Their website is horrible and very glitchy but their customer service via phone was great and we were rebooked on a flight that did work for us with in 10 minutes.
In person, our experience was great however, with 0 issues across the 3 times we flew with GOL. We left right on time each flight, had no issues carrying on our suitcases and overall would recommend!
One thing to note, a lot of GOL flights fly through São Paulo. Their domestic (Congonhas, CGH) and international (Guarulhos, GRU) airports are almost 2 hours apart on public transportation. If you opt for an Uber, it will still take you close to an hour - in good traffic. From the sounds of it good traffic in São Paulo is rare though. So make sure you are planning any connecting flights accordingly. If you end up with a 7 hour layover like we did, click over to this link to see how we spent a long layover in São Paulo.
Ok you've arrived in Iguaçu but which side of the falls should you visit?
In my opinion, Iguaçu Falls is so incredible you should dedicate two full days of your vacation in order to see BOTH sides of the falls. We were prepared to not be as impressed on our second day but were blown away by how different the two sides really are. Jump here to learn in depth how you can see both sides over two days.
Or if you need to pick just one, read on for some notes, pricing information and our verdict.
Iguazu Falls - Argentine side
Up close and personal, you'll be standing right on top of the action via over the water walkways
Gives you sort of a side view of the falls, with a bunch of look out points along the way
Offers two loops, the upper and lower circuit so you get two vantage points in the same day
A very easy walk, totally paved or on metal walkways the entire time. Takes approximately two hours
Entry fee 20,000 pesos ($24 USD)
Food and drink options available
Iguaçu Falls - Brazilian side
Panoramic views, you can really see the vastness of the falls from this side
Less tours/big groups of people
Prepare to get wet! You can get very close to a large fall at the end and really feel the water's power
Boat (macuco) tours for those interested in getting even closer
Walk through in 1.5 hours
Entry fee 97,000 reals ($20USD)
Possible (but not really necessary) to buy tickets in advance https://tickets.cataratasdoiguacu.com.br/
Food and drink options available
Our verdict? I really felt prior to visiting that we would like the Argentine side more. I was happily surprised to be wrong however. So if you can only afford the time to see one side, see Iguaçu Falls on the Brazilian side. You really get everything all at once on this side. Amazing views of the whole array of waterfalls and the fun of being misted as you admire tons of water falling around you.
How to see the Argentine side of Iguaçu Falls from Brazil?
Because we were based in Brazil, I would highly recommend booking a tour to take you across the Argentine border. These tour companies cross the border multiple times a day, every day, they are familiar with the process and allowed a special lane that will get you across in 20 minutes or less.
You'll need to bring your passport, but the guide will handle all logistics for you. The line of cars that was waiting to cross was long and I believe you could spend upwards of 1-2 hours during peak season.
We booked with Tangol via Get Your Guide, link here. Our tour was a shockingly low $23 USD (park entrance ticket not included). They will pick you up at the hotel in Foz do Iguaçu of your choice.
We were picked up at 7am and brought along our passports, sunscreen, bug spray (this wasn't necessary in January), water and sandwiches. Food is apparently very expensive in the park and really only available at the entrance / exit.
After passing the border crossing, you can buy your tickets at the welcome center before heading in with your guide. It is possible to walk, but most will opt to board the small train that takes you on a 10 minute ride to the start of both circuits.
FYI: As of January 2024, it is not possible to visit the Devil's Throat due to broken walk ways.
By 9:30 we were seeing falls! Make your way along both circuits, taking pictures along the way. Our guide mostly let us do our thing, moving us along as the bulk of the group was ready.
We boarded the train back to the welcome center around 11:30am. Our tour voted to skip lunch on the way out and return back to our hotels. We were back at our hotel around 1pm after another border crossing and dropping off our other tour guests.
How to see the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls from Brazil?
Although tours are available (and cheap) for the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls, we really wanted to sleep in and enjoy one slow morning on our vacation!
Because of this we opted to head to Iguaçu Falls on our own. We simply called an Uber for $8 USD when we were ready. We had purchased tickets online for $20 USD prior at https://tickets.cataratasdoiguacu.com.br/ but with machines all over the entrance this wasn't necessary.
We arrived at the welcome center around 11:45am. Unfortunately this was a very popular time to enter the park. Even with our tickets, we waited a very hot hour and 15 minutes to get in. When we left around 3:30pm there was no one in line so I would highly recommend coming on the later side to avoid the wait.
Once winding through the long and hot line, we finally boarded buses for a 20 minute drive to the start of the falls.
If you're interested in taking a Macuco boat ride, get off at the first stop. Boat rides cost $129 and need to be purchased prior.
If not, simply stay on until the second stop where you'll find the start of the walking path. Meander your way along via the paved trail stopping and taking pictures to your heart's content. Grab an ice cream or drink at the various cafes you'll pass.
The views get better and better as you go along.
At the end, you'll see a long platform you can walk on to stand directly over a huge falls. To your left an even larger one fills the air with mist. You're going to be soaked by the end, but the views are incredible here and the water refreshing. The path took us 1.5 hours to complete.
Once done you can ride up to the top via a glass elevator or simply walk up. You'll now be at the 3rd (and last) bus stop. Here you can get lunch if you like before catching the bus back to the welcome center. We did have to wait again for the bus but it was much shorter this time ~15 minutes.
Back at the welcome center, which had wifi when we first arrived, we found it now to be very spotty. We needed it to call our Uber but were happy to find taxis waiting outside anyway - problem solved. We finished around 3:30pm.
So what if you're staying in Argentina?
If you're staying in Argentina, I would recommend doing the exact reverse of what we did above. Take a tour into Brazil and simply self guide your way around the Argentine side. The tour company Tangol has a huge variety of offerings in this area, so simply find the one that works best for you and enjoy!
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