Essential Guide to Iguazu Falls

South America is full of amazing places to visit and Iguazu Falls is definitely among the top ten worth including in your itinerary. Comfortably sitting on the border between Argentina & Brazil, this natural wonder is one of the most visited destinations of the southern continent. Spending a day visiting the place will give you the opportunity to see more than 300 waterfalls varying in size and height (some up to 90m high) only to peak with the breathtaking Devil’s Throat Canyon.

Whether you plan on visiting either Argentina, Brazil or Paraguay you should definitely put Iguazu Falls at the top of your bucket list. But be aware that the major part of Iguazu Falls can only be accessed either from Argentina or Brasil.

Iguazu Falls from the Brazilian Side

Best time to go

Generally, seasons at Iguazu Falls can be divided into mostly rain or sunny weather. During the months from October to March it’s usually quite rainy and wet (rainy season) whereas from April to September it’s often sunny and dry (dry season).

Arguably, both seasons have their own unique fashion. Many people prefer to visit the falls during summer to enjoy some good weather but the rainy season is also the best time to visit as the falls are at their full strength. During rainy season, due to the strong currents, the falls change colour from white to brown.

Argentinian Side

The entrance to the argentinian side of the falls can be easily accessed by taking a bus from the local bus terminal located within Puerto Iguazu. The park is pretty much open all days of the week for a total of 365 days per year (pretty crazy uh!) from 8am to 6pm, with the last tickets being sold at 4.30pm. The ticket not only include access to all paths but also a ride on the jungle train that brings you until Devil Throat’s Canyon.

Due to the current inflation on the Argentinian Peso, the entrance price for the falls tend to vary a lot but on the website of the national park you can find the most updated prices. Currently the entrance fee for a foreign adult is 700ARG and kids under 6 years only pay 180ARG. Nationals from mercosul or Argentina, both adults and kids, get a discounted entrance fee if they can provide a valid ID.

Buying tickets can be done online or in person (only Argentinian Pesos or certain credit cards are accepted at the ticket booth) for the same price. If you’re planning to buy ticket in advance, on the website you’ll have to register with an email or social network to be able to complete the buying process.

General map for the Argentinian & Brazilian side of the falls

Brazilian Side

The entrance to the brazilian side of the falls can be easily accessed by taking a bus from the local bus terminal located within Foz do Iguaçu. Likewise the park on the argentinian side, the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu is open non-stop all year-long from 9am to 5pm (last tickets being sold at 3.30pm).

NOTE: The local bus will bring you to the entrance of the park only but to get to the actual falls you’ll have to line up and jump on one of the park’s buses (included in the entrance ticket) that leave every 10min or so.

Currently, the entrance fee for the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu is 70R$ for foreign adults and 11R$ for kids under 6 years. Nationals from mercosul or Brasil, both adults and kids, get a discounted entrance fee if they can provide a valid ID. The most updated entrance fees can be found at the official website of the park.

Buying tickets in advance can be done online or in person at the ticket office with credit cards or any of the following currencies: USD, Euros, Argentinian Pesos, Brazilian Reais and Paraguayan Guaranies. Contrairly to the Argentinian side, to complete the online purchase here there’s no need for registration.

Coatis are pretty much everywhere there’s food, please don’t feed them, they are wild animals!!!

Important things to know

· Local buses only bring you to the terminal station inside the park then you need to take another bus to the actual falls

· On both sides, you’ll receive a 50% discount on your second consecutive day of visit

· Food & beverages can be purchased at small cafes/restaurants on both sides but prices are very expensive compared to what you would normally pay

· Activities inside the parks e.g. boating at the bottom of the falls, walking tours etc… are run by private companies and NOT included in the entrance ticket

· ATMs are available at the entrance of both parks but only give out local currency (either Argentinian Peso or Brazilian Reais)

· If you can bring along a rain jacket or a poncho cause in certain paths on both sides you could get pretty wet, especially on the brazilian side!

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