30. Juli 2023
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Welcome to the breathtaking Perito Moreno Glacier, one of Argentina’s most famous tourist attractions! The glacier is located in the Los Glaciares National Park and
Exploring the Iguazu Falls: The Best Waterfalls in the World?
Welcome to one of the world’s most awe-inspiring natural wonders, the Iguazu Falls! Nestled on the border between Argentina and Brazil, this stunning waterfall system is a bucket-list destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
In this guide, we will take you on a journey to explore the Argentinian and Brazilian sides of the Iguazu Falls. From adrenaline-pumping boat rides to peaceful nature walks, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So, pack your bags, grab your camera, and let’s discover the magic of Iguazu Falls together.
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1. Getting to Iguazu Falls
Before we dive into exploring the falls, let’s talk about how to get there. The Iguazu Falls are located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, with direct flights to the nearby airports. The airport in Brazil is in Foz do Iguaçu. There are direct flights from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
In Argentina, the airport is in Puerto Iguacu. We flew from there directly to Buenos Aires. Once at the airport, you can take a bus, taxi, or rental car to your hotel in the city center or directly to the national park on either side of the Iguazu falls.
2. Where to Stay and Eat
In Foz do Iguaçu, we stayed at the Selina Hostel. It has a huge garden with a big pool. The rooms are comfy and clean and there’s a bus station right in front of the Hostel which takes you directly to the entrance of the falls! We only paid 11€ per person and night as it was an opening offer. But we think it’s also worth a few $$ more as it was the nicest room we had on our whole Brazil trip. Alternatively, Hotel Rouver, Aguas do Iguaçu Hotel Centro, or Bogari Hotel should be good options as well.
When you want to have a real Brazilian BBQ, head to Bufalo Branco. It’s not the cheapest option but you get as much meat as you want. And if you book your table with the hotel you will get a 15% discount on the bill.
Also, we can recommend Burgerz for delicious burgers, Dog King for a quick hotdog, or Luigia Pizzeria for a real Neapolitan pizza. Right next to Selina is also a huge supermarket (Super Muffato) where you can get everything for your daily needs. The hotel also offers a big community kitchen so you can cook yourself or just enjoy your own breakfast there.
In Puerto Iguazu, we had an Airbnb which was located 10 minutes on foot from the city center and the bus station. We paid 12€/13,50$ per night and per person. The rooms were simple but clean and it was quiet. Other good options are Casa 24 Puerto Iguazu, Los Cerezos de Ema, Complejo Solar Del Iguazu (2 bedrooms), or Palma Real Posada (more upscale). Only 5 minutes away was the fantastic Ristorante La Toscana where you get amazing Parmesan cheese pasta. We can also recommend Bambu Resto Bar for a quick sandwich or Tacopado Comida Mexicana for Mexican food.
3. The Iguazu Falls: A Natural Wonder Like No Other
The Iguazu Falls count as the biggest three waterfalls in the world. They are wider than Victoria Falls and higher than Niagara Falls. With its magnificent cascades, thundering sound, and misty rainbows, the Iguazu Falls is a spectacular display of nature’s power and beauty. No wonder it is actually one of the new seven natural world wonders that has to be seen to be believed.
The Iguaz waterfalls are one of the highlights in South America and are located in the 3-countries-corner of Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. 20% are in Brazil, and 80% are in Argentina. The river Iguazu is the border. There are 29 big and 295 smaller waterfalls and we can promise you this raw power and beauty will leave you speechless. On the total width of the falls of about 2,700 m, an average of 1,700 m3/s falls, after prolonged rainfalls up to 7,000 m3/s, in two stages down to 75 m.
The big highlight is the Devil’s Throat: It consists of 14 waterfalls in an u-shaped 150m wide and 700m deep canyon. That is, where all the famous pictures have been taken.
4. Discovering the Brazilian Side of the Iguazu Falls
The Brazilian side offers a panoramic view of the Iguazu falls and is known for its picturesque scenery. Admission for the Brazilian side costs 17€/19$. From Foz, you can take a bus directly to the entrance. That’s only 0,70€ oneway per person.
The opening hours are from 9 am until 4 pm. Once at the entrance, there is a visitors‘ bus that takes you to one of three different stops, where you will start your walk around. In the beginning, you might think it’s not enough water, but as you continue along the path you will be blown away by all these massive waterfalls.
Here are some of the highlights:
- The Trail of the Falls: Take a leisurely walk along a scenic, 1,2km long path that offers a breathtaking view of the falls from a distance.
- The Devil’s Throat Lookout: This platform offers a fantastic view of Devil’s Throat from the Brazilian side. This was our favorite view of the Iguazu Falls. We couldn’t get enough to enjoy the scenic waterfalls.
- Macuco Safari: For a thrilling experience, take a boat tour that will take you up close to the base of the falls. We didn’t do his adventure but we heard it’s definitely worth it – but you will get soaked!
5. Exploring the Argentinian Side of the Iguazu Falls
If you really wanna get up close to the falls, you need to visit the Argentinian side of the Iguazu Falls. The Argentinian side has way more trails to offer and you get closer to the waterfalls.
The bus leaves at the central bus station of Puerto Iguazu but not inside the bus station because from there, only long-distance buses are leaving. The bus station to get to the Falls is located just outside the building. A return ticket will cost you 3,50€/4$ each.
At the entrance, you have to pay around 23€/25$. Like on the Brazilian side, there is a train that takes the visitors to different stops around the park. The park is open from 8 am until 6 pm.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Devil’s Throat: The largest waterfall in the Iguazu Falls system, Devil’s Throat offers a front-row view of the water crashing down over 260 feet. We got soaked as the water was flying through the air over the visitors‘ platform.
- Lower Circuit: Take a scenic stroll along the riverbank and witness the falls up close. Unfortunately, we only had a few hours in the park as it was raining the whole morning, so we had to skip this part. We really regret it, so we have to come back one day!
- Upper Circuit: Get a bird’s eye view of the falls from a series of elevated walkways.
6. Which Side Should You Visit
The answer is short and simple: BOTH!
It’s easy to cross the border, even without a rental car. There’s a bus running all day that connects Foz (Brazil) and Puerto do Iguazu (Argentina). The border guards know how it’s going, so crossing borders is easy! The bus even waits for the passengers until everybody has their immigration stamps! We only paid 2,40€/3$ per person to get from Brazil to Argentina.
Both sides of the falls offer unique experiences, so it can be hard to decide which one to visit. Here are a few things to consider:
- The Argentinian side offers more up-close experiences and activities, while the Brazilian side offers panoramic views.
- The Argentinian side has more walking trails and takes longer to explore, while the Brazilian side can be visited in a few hours.
- The Argentinian side is more nature-focused, while the Brazilian side has more developed tourist facilities.
If you have enough time, visiting both sides of the Iguazu Falls is highly recommended. You can easily cross the border by bus or taxi and spend a day on each side. This way, you’ll get to experience the best of both worlds and see the falls from different perspectives.
7. What else to do?
Although we both aren’t into birds, we can recommend Bird’s Park (Parque das Aves) on the Brazilian side of the Iguazu Falls. It’s close to the entrance of the Iguazu Falls, so you can take the same bus to get there. Admission is 11€/12$ and you will see a lot for that. The opening hours are from 8.30 am until 4.30 pm.
The bird park is committed to nature and species conservation e.g. the last 5 individuals on the planet of the Alagoas Currrassow were rescued and propagated. There are living more than 1.300 birds of 130 species in the 16-acre big park. Most of them were abused or confiscated or are from an endangered species. You mostly walk through the big caves of the birds which seem to have enough space and you will get really close to them. Our highlight was definitely the beautiful Tucans.
If you want to treat yourself, ride a helicopter over these stunning waterfalls. It was our first helicopter ride ever and we definitely will never forget it. The flight is not even 10 minutes but you will never forget that experience. Helisul is located right next to the entrance of the falls and on the opposite side of the bird park. Of course, it’s not a budget activity but we simply had to do that! It costs 68€ per person and you will get a view you’d never get from the bottom.
8. Conclusion
In conclusion, visiting Iguazu Falls is an unforgettable experience that should be on every traveler’s bucket list. Whether you choose to explore the Argentinian or Brazilian side or both, you’re guaranteed to be blown away by the natural beauty and power of the falls. You have to decide by yourself if they’re the best waterfalls in the world. For us they definitely were!
As you can see: Brazil and Argentina are stunning and have so much to offer! A contrast to tropical Iguacu Falls, is the rough landscape of Patagonia or the buzzing metropolis of Buenos Aires. Check out our Argentina adventures here! Or are you traveling through Brazil? Then have a look at our Rio de Janeiro Guide!
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