Iguazu Falls, which straddles the border between northern Argentina and southern Brazil, has a pretty impressive claim to fame—it’s the largest waterfall system in the world! But how do you get to this remote destination—and is it worth the hassle? My husband, Justin, and I just visited Iguazu Falls in Argentina and have the complete breakdown of everything you need to know about traveling to this unique destination, from which spot you should hit first to where to stay during your visit .
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What is Iguazu Falls?
I’m going to be completely honest—I had heard of Iguazu Falls before we wound up visiting Argentina, but I didn’t really know what it was, other than a really big waterfall.
But Iguazu is truly more than just a big ol’ waterfall. With up to 300 individual cascades that span a whopping 1.7 miles wide, it’s considered the largest waterfall system in the entire world. In fact, during high rainfall, as much as 3.8 MILLION gallons of water can flow down the falls per second (how crazy is that?!).
Because of its impressive size, it’s been named not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but also one of the Natural Wonders of the World.
Beyond the waterfall, though, the surrounding national park protects a beautiful slice of dense jungle, with abundant wildlife, like monkeys, coatis, and tropical birds, readily seen throughout its footprint.
Where is Iguazu Falls in Argentina?
Iguazu Falls is located here in Parque Nacional Iguazú, about half an hour east of the teeny town of Puerto Iguazu in northern Argentina, right against the Brazilian border.
How to Get to Iguazu Falls in Argentina
In order to get to Iguazu Falls, you’ll first need to get to its neighboring town of Puerto Iguazu, which serves as the gateway to the national park.
Getting to Puerto Iguazu
Puerto Iguazu is kind of located smack dab in the middle of the Argentinian jungle. Luckily, though, there’s several ways that you can get here!
By plane
Usually, the easiest way to get to Puerto Iguazu is by flying into the town’s international airport, Aeropuerto Internacional Cataratas del Iguazú.
There are three airlines that fly into Puerto Iguazu—Aerolineos Argentinas, JetSmart, and Flybondi, with non-stop flights from Buenos Aires and, depending on the season, a handful of other airports around Argentina, like Cordoba or Salta.
Justin and I stayed in Buenos Aires for a month and flew to Iguazu for a weekend trip. We flew with Flybondi, an Argentinean budget airline, and scored roundtrip tickets from Buenos Aires for about $90 USD per person. We had heard horror stories about Flybondi (there’s even a website specifically dedicated to all of its delays and cancellations), but, other than a two hour delay on our return flight, we had a pretty seamless experience!
From the airport, you can grab a shuttle (we used this option and had a great experience) to take you into the town of Puerto Iguazu, which is located about half an hour from the airport.
By bus
Alternatively, if you can’t fly for some reason and are already exploring Argentina or Brazil, you can definitely get to Puerto Iguazu by bus—it will just take quite a bit longer than flying.
For example, you can take a bus from:
- Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu, which typically takes between 17-20 hours
- Sao Paolo to Foz do Iguaçu (across the river on the Brazilian side), which typically takes 16-18 hours
- Rio de Janeiro to Foz do Iguaçu, which typically takes between 28-30 hours (yikes!)
If you take the bus to Puerto Iguazu, you’ll be dropped off at the Terminal de Buses De Puerto Iguazú. From here, you can either take a taxi or grab one of the local buses, operated by Rio Uruguay, to get around town.
Alternatively, if you take the bus to Foz de Igaçu, Brazil, you can take one of the buses operated by Rio Uruguay or Crucero del Norte across the border to Puerto Iguazu, which depart from the town’s bus station every half an hour or so. Just make sure you have your passport handy and have all of the documentation you might need to cross over into Argentina.
By tour (flying from Buenos Aires)
If you’re intimidated by traveling around Argentina by yourself or just prefer traveling with an English-speaking guide, another good option is to go on a guided tour from Buenos Aires, where your operator will handle all of the transportation and logistics for you. For example, you may want to consider:
- Private day-trip from Buenos Aires, if you’re super short on time (buckle up for a looong day!)
- Two day tour from Buenos Aires, which includes a half day on the Brazilian side of the falls and a full day on the Argentine side
- Three day tour from Buenos Aires, which includes a more leisurely visit to the Brazilian and Argentine side of the falls
This is a super popular option with a lot of travelers—we went on a cruise that departed from Buenos Aires and about a quarter of the passengers took a few days to join a guided tour to Iguazu before our cruise departed (their rave reviews about Iguazu is part of the reason we wound up visiting!).
Getting to Iguazu Falls from Puerto Iguazu
Once you’re in Puerto Iguazu, you’ll have a few options of how to actually get to the national park where the waterfalls are.
By bus
The most economical way to get to Iguazu Falls from Puerto Iguazu is by using one of the local bus companies, like Rio Uruguay, which have buses running every half an hour. When we visited, it cost 6000 Argentine pesos per person one way (about $5.50 USD; cash-only) and had comfortable seats, a friendly driver, and air conditioning working on overdrive (which you definitely want in Puerto Iguazu!).
We asked our hotel to point us to the nearest Rio Uruguay bus stop, but we also saw people in town just flagging down buses if you have a hard time figuring out where to go.
By taxi
You can arrange a taxi through your hotel or there’s several taxi stands in town (we grabbed a taxi here and had a perfectly pleasant experience). Taxis charge between 40,000-45,000 Argentine pesos roundtrip (cash only), so if you’re traveling as part of a larger group, this might make more sense than taking the bus.
Before your taxi driver drops you off, you’ll pick a time for them to drive you back to Puerto Iguazu.
I’d say that’s really the only downside of using a taxi service—you are kind of locked into whatever time you tell your taxi driver you want to leave the falls.
We had heard that people spend every second of the time from when Iguazu Falls opens at 8 AM until it closes at 6 PM, enjoying the falls and everything the park has to offer. We’re usually on the slower side—as travel content creators, we spend a TON of time taking photos and videos—so we assumed we would be at the park all day. And yet, we were personally ready to leave the falls around 2:30 PM, including a leisurely lunch and gelato break!
We were able to just get on the next bus and head back to Puerto Iguazu, but, if we had booked a taxi, we probably would’ve had to hang around for a few hours.
By tour
Alternatively, if you’d prefer to travel with a guide, tour groups that include hotel pick-up and drop off are a popular option for getting to Iguazu Falls.
In full transparency, I definitely don’t think you need a tour here—it’s pretty straightforward to get to and around Iguazu Falls yourself—but if you’re anxious about your Spanish-speaking skills or simply want to learn more about the falls themselves, going with a guide would be a great option.
It’s also a good option if you want to see both the Argentine and Brazilian side in just one day, as the timing and logistics of doing that on your own can be quite tricky.
Consider:
- Full-day tour to Iguazu Falls on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides
- Small group day tour to Iguazu Falls on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides
- Tour to Iguazu Falls with safari boat ride—I’ll talk about this a bit more below, but one of the most popular things to do in Iguazu Falls is taking a boat ride that literally goes under some of its cascades (yes, really!). These tours can sell out, so if your heart is absolutely set on doing one of these rides, you might want to consider booking this tour.
How to get tickets to Iguazu Falls
You can either buy tickets online on the official website or in person at the ticket office, which accepts cash or credit card (Visa or Mastercard only).
Like all of Argentina’s most popular parks, like the Perito Moreno glacier, there’s a pretty steep entrance fee for the park—45,000 Argentine pesos (about $42 USD) for non-Argentine travelers.
If you’re planning on visiting multiple days, there’s a handful of discount programs that you can take advantage of.
For example, you get half off your second consecutive day—if this applies to you, you need to buy your ticket at the office and tell them when you’re purchasing it that you want to take advantage of that particular discount. I’ve heard reports of people trying to purchase tickets using this discount on their second consecutive day in the park and getting denied.
Alternatively, there’s Flexipass tickets (which you can purchase online or at the ticket office), which gives you a discount if you plan on visiting the park at least three times over the course of a six month period.
When is Iguazu Falls open?
Iguazu Falls is open from 8 AM to 6 PM every day of the year, with the last entry allowed at 4 PM.
How to get around Iguazu Falls on the Argentina side
Parque Nacional Iguazú is quite massive—261 square miles to be exact!
Luckily, the part that you can actually explore is quite a bit smaller than that, with five official boardwalks or hiking trails and lots of flat and paved walkways that connect all of the major attractions.
Additionally, there’s a free train that you can ride, which departs every 15-30 minutes, to seriously cut down your walking distance.
To do this, you’ll want to follow signs to “Estacion Central” from the entrance and head to the ticket desk to pick up a timed train ticket.
From here, you can ride the train to:
- Estacion Cataratas, which you get off at to access the Lower and Upper Circuit hiking trails (alternatively, you can walk here along the park’s “Green Trail” from Estacion Central, which is 650 meters long); and
- Estacion Garganta, which you can use to access the Devil’s Throat trail (alternatively, you can walk here along the pathway that runs alongside the train, which is approximately 2 km (or 1.3 miles long) from Estacion Central)
Insider tip: If you really want photos or videos without other people in them, I’d suggest getting to Iguazu Falls as soon as it opens and following the signs to walk to one of the waterfall platforms (for example, the Devil’s Throat is a good place to start, as it gets super crowded as the day goes on), rather than waiting to take the first train.
The train doesn’t start running until around 8:30 AM, so, if you start walking to the waterfalls as soon as the park opens, you’ll beat most of the crowds to whatever spot you head first.
What to do in Iguazu Fals on the Argentina side
For being *just* a waterfall, there are TONS of things to do on the Argentine side of Iguazu Falls.
1. Devils Throat Trail
Devil’s Throat (or Garganta del Diablo) is a 2.1 km (roundtrip) metal boardwalk that leads to a balcony built directly over one of the tallest and most impressive sections of Iguazu, a semi-circular gorge where the water cascades a whopping 269 feet down into the canyon below.
This is definitely the most unique and immersive viewpoint of the falls in the park—so immersive, in fact, that you should be prepared to get absolutely soaked here! There’s always a HUGE plume of mist here, created as the river water rapidly crashes down into the Devil’s Throat.
When we visited, it was SO hot out, so getting soaked by the cool water felt pretty great—but if you happen to be visiting when it’s cooler, I’d suggest bringing a dry change of clothes with you in your backpack or packing along a raincoat (like this option for men or this option for women).
Insider tip: It’s common wisdom that you should come to the Devil’s Throat first in the park, as the platform is relatively small and this is the most popular (and, therefore, most crowded) section. But while the platform will be at its least crowded in the morning, it’s really hard to photograph the Devil’s Throat in the morning—you’re shooting directly into the sun, which is made worse by the giant plume of water that’s constantly hanging over the area.
Accordingly, if you’re into photography and can swing it, I’d suggest visiting early in the morning to enjoy the Devil’s Throat without all of the crowds, as well as again in the afternoon to get better lighting for photos.
If you only have time to stop at the Devil’s Throat once during your visit, I might actually recommend timing your visit later in the afternoon—sometimes, as the day wears on, the crowds thin, so you might luck out with a relatively uncrowded platform AND the perfect photo conditions.
2. Lower Circuit
I went into the Lower Circuit (or Circuito Inferior) with, well, low expectations, given how short it is—but it actually wound up being my favorite of the three boardwalks in the park.
This 1700 meter walkway loop is a combination of paved pathways and metal boardwalks along the riverside and through the jungle and is the furthest viewpoint away from the falls. And, while that sounds like a bad thing, I actually think the Lower Circuit provides the best views of Iguazu Falls by far—it gives you a perspective of how wide and impressive it is, instead of the Devil’s Throat and Upper Circuit, which are on top of the cascades, making it a bit challenging to comprehend just how massive the falls actually are.
In fact, I might even suggest heading to the Lower Circuit first in the park—you get the most impressive views of the waterfall from this perspective, so you’ll actually appreciate what you’re looking at once you head to the Devil’s Throat and the Upper Circuit. Plus, it offers some of the best photo opportunities in the park, which you can enjoy without the crowds that will swarm this area as the day wears on.
Another benefit of the Lower Circuit? It’s the best place in the park to see black capuchin monkeys (we saw several of them fairly close to the start of the Lower Circuit) and TONS of coatis. Coatis are essentially the Latin America version of racoons, so, unsurprisingly, you’ll find them right at the trailhead, by the Fast Food Dos Hermanas stand.
3. Upper Circuit
The Upper Circuit (or Circuito Superior) is a 1,750 meter loop of metal walkways that start in the jungle and weave directly over the brink of the falls.
There’s tons of platforms and lookouts to take in the different perspectives of the falls and, with any luck, rainbows that are frequently seen from this vantage point.
4. Safari jungle and boat ride
If you’re an adrenaline junkie, this add-on activity is definitely up your alley—it’s a boat ride literally under some of Iguazu’s cascades!
For 75000 Argentine pesos, you can join a tour group, which will ride through the jungle on an open-air Jeep-like vehicle for about half an hour, with your guide pointing out any wildlife or interesting plantlife you might pass along the way. Once you reach the river, you’ll descend to the water level, where you’ll get into boats and then zoom for about an hour around the Iguazu River, including under some of the cascades near the Devil’s Throat. It’s definitely one of the most thrilling things to do in Iguazu Falls and one of the best ways to appreciate their sheer, massive scale.
Perhaps, unsurprisingly, you’ll also get soaked to the bone on these boat rides (you are going underneath one of the world’s largest waterfalls, after all!). The operator will give you a dry bag to put your valuables and electronics that you don’t want to get wet, but, unless you’re visiting when it’s SUPER hot out, I’d suggest bringing along a dry change of clothes (and keeping those in the dry bag) so that you won’t be uncomfortably wet and cold while walking around and exploring the park after your boat ride. And don’t forget your GoPro!
This is a super popular activity and tickets frequently sell out. I’d recommend buying tickets as soon as you get to the park or, if you’re dead-set on doing it, booking a tour ahead of time that includes this activity, like this option or this option.
Insider tip: You have to climb down and back up about 300 stairs to get to the riverside and back up to where the Jeep will drop you off, so this might not be a good activity for those with mobility issues.
5. Macuco Trail
I was taken aback by how crowded Iguazu Falls was when we visited—it was like we couldn’t escape being surrounded by a crush of people, regardless of where we went in the park.
The one exception? The Macuco Trail.
The Macuco Trail is a quiet trail that leads through the jungle for 3.5 km (one-way), with plenty of wildlife, like birds, butterflies, and even monkeys, along the way.
At the trail’s endpoint, you’ll reach the base of the beautiful Arrechea Waterfall, which cascades 23 meters down a rocky cliffside into a beautiful plunge pool.
6. Green Trail
To be honest, the Green Trail is usually just used as a shortcut to walk between Estacion Central and Estacion Cataradas.
Still, this short 600 meter walkway is absolutely worth strolling down, especially if you want an excuse not to sit around and wait for the train. It cuts through the forest and is a great (and low effort!) place to spot wildlife or some of the unique plants found in the jungle.
7. Helicopter tour
If you want to go way on the other end of the adrenaline spectrum from the Green Trail, what about flying thousands of feet above the world’s largest waterfall system?
Helicopter flights over Iguazu Falls are actually not allowed on the Argentina side, but there are a handful of tours, like this option or this private group option, that will pick you up in Puerto Iguazu and take you across the border into Brazil. From here, you’ll get to soar over the falls and over three different countries (Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay!).
When to visit Iguazu Falls
Good news—you can visit Iguazu Falls year round! The weather is generally fairly pleasant and the falls flow 365 days a year.
That being said, there’s definitely better times to visit the falls than others.
Late March through May is a good time to visit—you have a pretty good chance of getting clear skies, pleasantly warm temperatures, and limited crowds, especially on weekdays. Similarly, August through early October is a quieter time, with slightly cooler temperatures that are perfect if you’re wanting to do lots of hiking or other outdoor adventures in the area.
Argentina’s summertime, December through February, typically has the highest rainfall, which both means the falls will be at their most impressive and you’ll have the best chance of getting caught in the rain. While the falls during this timeframe are nothing short of mindblowing, this is also the hottest and muggiest part of the year.
We visited Iguazu at the end of February and were not prepared for the oppressive heat and humidity. To be honest, I had planned to hike all of the trails in the park, including Macuco, during our visit, but we were feeling so uncomfortably hot, we wound up leaving before we got to hike that particular trail.
That’s not to say that it’s not worth visiting during the summertime—just be sure to bring plenty of water and take lots of breaks in the handful of air conditioned buildings in the park.
Tips for visiting Iguazu Falls on the Argentina side
Wear comfy shoes
During our visit to Igazu Falls, we walked over 20,000 steps—and we definitely didn’t even come close to doing and seeing everything in the park!
So be sure to wear comfortable footwear—Justin and I both swear by our Tevas (this is the pair that Justin has and this is my pair), which act as awesome hiking sandals and great water shoes if you happen to get soaked at the Devil’s Throat or on a boat ride.
Accept that there will be crowds
Justin and I, for the most part, have cracked the code of how to beat the crowds for the very best photos and videos—basically, by showing up as soon as an attraction opens and by visiting on weekdays.
We did just that at Iguazu—but, nevertheless, everywhere that we went in the park was pretty crowded throughout our stay.
If you can try to time your visit, the park is typically at its least busiest from late March through May and August through early October, as well as when the park first opens and right before it closes.
Otherwise, just relax and submit to the fact that you’ll be surrounded by lots and lots of crowds during your visit—almost two million people visit the falls every year, after all!
Bring sun protection
Not to totally beat a dead horse, but I was not prepared for how brutal the sun felt in Iguazu Falls, as compared to our experience in Buenos Aires.
Accordingly, be sure to bring along sun protection, like a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. I’d also recommend bringing along plenty of water (we swear by these giant Nalgene bottles)—plastic water bottles are kind of absurdly expensive in the park.
Where to stay in Puerto Iguazu, Argentina
There’s actually a ton of cool things to do in Puerto Iguazu beyond just the Argentina side of the falls, so I’d definitely recommend staying in town for at least a couple of nights. Even though Puerto Iguazu is on the smaller side, there’s TONS of accommodation options here, thanks to the high volume of visitors the town receives.
Still, we had a doozie of a time finding acceptable accommodations in Puerto Iguazu—we actually moved accommodations twice while we were there, which is something we NEVER do. So learn from our mistakes and prioritize booking a hotel with these three amenities—Wifi, air conditioning, and a pool.
For example, consider:
- Z Hotel Boutique: If you’re on a budget, consider this boutique hotel. It offers lots of perks for travelers that might be more budget-conscious, like complimentary breakfast and a kitchenette, while still providing modern amenities, including frosty air conditioning and a large pool.
- Hotel Tré Iguazu: This hotel is a little tucked away from the town’s city center, providing a jungle refuge, with an onsite restaurant that dishes up local cuisine, spacious rooms with kitchenettes and private balconies, and an incredible pool, complete with poolside bar.
- Iguazu Jungle Lodge: If you love ecolodges as much as we do, this is a great place to call home while exploring Iguazu. The property is in the perfect location, overlooking the river in a quiet jungle surrounding, but just a short ten minute walk from the downtown area. There’s every amenity you could ask for—an onsite spa, onsite bar and restaurant, newly constructed pool—plus, a clean and modern room, with spectacular views from the balconies.
There you have it—everything you need to know about visiting Iguazu Falls on the Argentina side. We really enjoyed our visit here—there’s literally no place else like it on the planet! Do you have any questions about traveling here? Let us know in the comments below!
