How to get there?

Due to the fact I was already travelling in Brazil, the cheapest flights were to fly from Rio de Janerio to Foz du Iguaca International airport (IGR)- the closest town on the Brazil side. As I was flexible, I used sky scanner and searched the whole month to book my flight. Searching for the cheapest date and time, I managed to book a morning flight for £80.00- it took 2 hours and 15 minutes.

It is much cheaper to fly within the same country, so depending where you are look at flying to the airport within the same country. Both airports Foz du Iguacu (IGU) Brazil) and Cataratas del Iguazu (IGR) (Argentina) are within 5 miles from the falls so you can fly to/from either.

Another way you can get to Iguazu is by taking the overnight bus from Rio de Janerio. The journey is pretty long and will take around 23-29 hours depending on traffic/route. The approximate cost is around £50+ depending on the company.  If you’re planning on taking the bus, you can look at times/companies using Bus Bud.

Where to stay?

You can choose to stay in either Foz du Iguaca on the Brazil side or Puerto Iguazu on the Argentina side.

Both are small and don’t have much going on but are ideal locations for visiting the falls.

Other recommended hostels are:

• Tetris Containter hostal (Dorms from £6.00 and privates from £18.00)
• Hostal Bambu–  (Dorms £6.00 and privates from £18.00)
• Hostel Poesia  (Dorms £6.00 per night, privates from £19.00)

Brazil or Argentina?

So… the big question- which side of the falls you should visit/ which is better?

About 80% of the falls lie on the Argentina side and around 20% on the Brazil side, however both sides are equally as impressive and give you a different perspective.

Brazil

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• Inside the park is a bus which will take you all around the park, you can hop on and off to explore each stop. You can also walk from each stop if you’re felling active.
• You can probably spend around half a day here, longer if you take your time and enjoy walking the routes. You can spend the other half of the day at the bird park (Parque das Aves).
• Offers full panoramic and close up views of the falls.
• Visit the last stop ‘Trilha das Cataratas’. From this point you can get right up close and personal to the falls by walking along the boardwalk to the heart of the Devil’s Throat. Prepare yourself- you will get wet!!
• Go up to the Escapo Naipi (Naipi space) and observe the view of all the falls. From here you can also stand right next to the waterfall. A great spot for close up pictures.

Argentina

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• You will need at least a full day to enjoy all of the trails and the falls.
• It is much bigger and offers a wide range of walking trails.
• You can take the tourist train ‘Tren de la selva’ from the entrance to the three main spots.
• The most impressive part of Iguazu Falls is located here- The Devils throat ‘Garganta del Diablo’. The bridge extends all the way to the top of the falls, allowing you to enjoy a close up view of the 80m drop, the most magnificent fall of all.
• The highlight of my day on the Argentina side- the boat ride. A Speedboat will take you up the rapids and right under the falls. A truly brilliant experience, would definitely recommend!

I personally enjoyed the Argentina side more due to the fact you can spend a whole day there and the boat ride was an awesome experience, however if you have the time, definitely visit both sides!

How many days are needed for Iguazu?

I spent one day on each side of the falls and felt that this was sufficient. I visited in August and luckily the weather was great, allowing clear views of the falls. Weather dependent, you may want to give yourself 3 days to explore both sides fully, visit the bird park and if you’re happy to splash out, take a helicopter ride over the falls.

If you only have one day to spend at Iguazu, I would personally recommend for you to visit the Argentina side.

How to get to the falls

Brazil

• (Local bus) Walk to the main bus terminal in Foz do Iguazu and take the bus to the falls. The bus will run approximately every 20-25 minutes and you can pay for your tickets at the turnstile. Prices are around £2-3 pounds and the journey will take approximately 40 minutes.
• Use a tour company and book a transfer which will pick you up/drop you off at your hotel/hostel.
• Taxis are also available, however remember to negotiate the price before you get in.

Argentina

It is a bit trickier to take the local bus from Foz do Iguacu to Puerto Iguazu due to the fact you need to cross the border and change on a few buses, however it can be done.

• (Local bus) From the long distance terminal, take the TTU bus to downtown and get off at the domestic terminal (Teriminal Transporte Urbano TTU). From here, take the bus named ‘Puerto Iguazu Argentina’. You will need to ask the driver to get off at the Brazilian border to gain your exit stamp. The bus will probably not wait for you so ask for another ticket from the driver to get on the next bus. When you reach the Argentinian border, you should get off again and go into the passport control office where you will receive an entry stamp. The bus should wait for you this time as long as the ques are not too long. When you arrive at Puerto Iguazu bus terminal, you will need to take another bus to the national park which will take around 30 minutes.

• I booked a shared transfer with a tour booking company which picked up and dropped off at the hostel. It was more expensive approximately (£15.00), however it was much less hassle with crossing and returning over the border. The driver took all the passports to be stamped upon leaving Brazil and therefore we only had to get out at the Argentina border to gain entry stamps, making the process much simpler and easier.

• Again you could take a taxi.

How much does it cost to visit the falls?

(Prices are of 2019)

Entrance fees do not include the boat rides; these are operated by private companies. 

Is it worth paying for the boat ride?

Yes yes yes if you can afford it, it was the highlight of my trip to Iguazu. You can book and pay for the boat ride at the entrance. The company for the Argentinean side is Iguazu Jungle and costs around 3680 ARS (£45.00).

• You can take the boat ride from both sides, however the Argentina side is much better as you go much further along the rapids and up close to the falls.
• You will be given a dry bag when you board the boat so put anything you do not want to get wet into the bag.
• If you want to take pictures, use a go pro, waterproof phone or purchase a waterproof case for your phone. It is not just a bit of water, you get truly soaked from head to toe! I would also recommend a poncho and bring a change of clothes. There are changing rooms for you to get changed in before/after.
• The company took pictures/video using a go pro so if you do not have a waterproof phone/camera, you can purchase these of your trip.

Helpful information