Two Days in Foz de Iguaçu // Cataratas del Iguazú
- emsgleason
- 16 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Chasing Waterfalls: A 2-Day Journey Through Iguazu Falls
Taking a trip to see the magical Iguazu Falls is definitely worth it when in Brazil or Argentina. Both sides are wonderful; they are different enough to warrant the visit to each!
The Brazilian side offers:
Panoramic views from a distance
Most accessible: a bus can drive you all the way to the 'end' (most iconic picture of Devil's throat)
More flexibility - you don't have an assigned 'return' bus time
Fewer walkways
Can be a bit crowded as there are fewer 'main' photo spots
Cheaper than the Argentinian side
The Argentinian side gets you:
Up close and personal with the Falls
Rain gear recommended at Devil's Throat
There are more trails / walk ways for a variety of views
Because of this, it is easier to get away from the crowds
Limited flexibility - the train schedule has definitive 'end' times; you must use the 'fully allotted' time on your ticket before heading back (they will not let you join an 'earlier' train time to leave).
Two days is the perfect amount of time to see both sides - one day for Brazil and one for Argentina!
Day 1: Brazil & Parque das Aves
We took an early flight to Iguazu Falls and stayed at the Sanma Hotel (about 800m outside the entrance of the park). We chose this location because we were able to walk to Foz de Iguaçu and the nearby Parque das Aves (bird park). However, it is a bit farther out from 'town' for restaurants - so keep that in mind when selecting a place to stay.
Once inside the park, we hopped on a bus that took us to the 'end' where we could easily access the Devil's Throat viewpoint. As this is considered the best panoramic view of the falls, it was quite full of tourists seeking the perfect selfie. Here, we even saw a rainbow in front of the falls!
After getting impressive views of the massive falls, we started walking back along the paved path. Here we were bombarded by coatis - very cute mammals that are friendly (read: food-seeking), curious, and resemble an anteater mixed with a raccoon (ringed tail).
Next up, we headed to the Parque das Aves (bird park) which houses a surprisingly large collection of exotic and rare birds. Of course, my favorites were the toucans and macaws, but the endangered jacutinga was also really neat to see up-close. In a lot of the spaces, birds can fly right past your nose!
Day 2: Argentina
We hired a private taxi for the day to take us to the Argentinian side (Cataratas del Igauzú), and left our hotel around 7:00 am. We did this to get an early start - but we still had to wait a bit at the border (the line of cars going into Argentina was quite long). Definitely budget extra time for the border crossing!
When we got to the park, it was pretty straightforward to find our way to the Falls. We purchased our tickets the day before online HERE, so it was easy to walk in and get in the queue for the train tickets. (You could also walk, but the train gets you to the start of the walkways a bit faster.)
We loved the walkways on the Argentinian side because you are able to get much closer to the falls, and the walking paths are very accessible - railings on both sides, some without any stairs. However, some are metal/grid-like steps which can get slippery when wet. The angles of viewing the falls is also more varied than on the Brazil side, so you can get a deeper feelings for the multiple perspectives the falls offers.
The paths were teeming with people, but a quick 'pardon' seeking permission to pass folks worked relatively well. Of course, there were crowded photo spots along the paths, but due to the number of walking paths, you didn't feel like a sardine the entire time.
Overall, I recommend both sides, but for distinct reasons! Go adventure to the 275 cascades (wider than Victoria Falls), and chase the rainbows, coatis, splashes.
Comments