Planning Your Trip to Iguazu Falls

How to make the most of your visit to Iguazu Falls!

Sites on Argentina Side:

  • Hike the 3 walkways in the park to see the falls from different viewpoints.
  • Boat ride – wet
  • Bird Park

Sites on the Brazil Side:

  • 1 walkway
  • Boat ride – wet or dry
  • Helicopter ride
  • Bird Park

There are plenty of places on both sides for lunch and snacks. Do not feed animals — they look cute, but they can be aggressive.

Planning your day in Argentina:

There are 3 paths to walk in the park to the falls:

  1. Devil’s Throat
  2. Upper Trail
  3. Lower Trail

The Devil’s Throat is the most important one.  You take a train (25 minutes) and then a 1km (one-way) walk on a raised metal walkway.  You have to get tickets for the train at a specific time, and they sell out.  Best to go early to avoid crowds and heat, but later is manageable. The first train is at 8:30am. They run every 15 minutes during high season (summer) and every 30 minutes during slower periods. 

The other 2 trails are just under 2km and plan 1 hour.

Start with the Devil’s Throat.  Depending on your interest in walking, plan on doing 1-2 of the other trails.  There are lots of snack bars for lunch to rest in between.

If you want to get wet on your boat ride, and you don’t mind walking down and up some stairs, you should do the boat ride on the Argentina side. This side only allows kids 12 and older. Budget 2 hours for the boat ride.

Planning your day in Brazil:

Start with the trail to the falls.  Budget 1 hour with photos. 

If you don’t want to get wet on your boat ride, do the boat ride on this side next.  This is also good for kids under 12 and people with physical limitations (there is a tram instead of stairs). Plan on 2 hours for the boat ride.

If you still have time and the interest, add the helicopter ride and/or bird park.

HOTELS

There are 2 hotels right by the falls – one on the Argentina side and one on the Brazil side.  They are very expensive (5-star), but very worth it.  You can stay at either one regardless which country you started or ended.

  • Gran Melia (Argentina)
  • Belmond Hotel das Cataratas (Brazil)

The other hotels on the Argentina side are all down 1 road in the jungle nearby.

In Brazil, the other hotels are in the town of Foz de Iguazu.  We would only use these if you are in Brazil before and after Iguazu.

Devil’s Throat

Walkways on Argentina Side

Walkway on Brazil Side

Boat Ride

Helicopter

Bird Park

Make the most of your visit to Iguazu Falls!

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