Two Days in Iguazu Falls - The Shadrian Chronicles

If you’re considering a trip to Rio, then we highly recommend a stop at Iguazu Falls. It is a short flight from Rio and quite inexpensive. We recommend at least a two night stay in order to see everything.

Iguazu Falls is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. Additionally, Paraguay is a very short drive from either border city to the north, but be aware a visa is required to visit Paraguay for US Citizens.

There are cities on each side of the falls, Foz do Igauçu in Brazil and Puerto Iguazú in Argentina. If you are coming from Rio, fly into Foz do Igauçu. If you are coming from Buenos Aires, fly into Puerto Iguazú. Flights will be significantly cheaper if you fly into the same country you are already visiting. It is easy to transfer from one country to another using taxis or Uber. There are private bus and car services available to take you on both sides, but you will pay a premium for these services.

Arriving in Foz de Igauçu

We flew into the Brazilian side while visiting Rio. The flight was pretty cheap round trip, about 165 USD per person round trip during the week. From Rio, you can fly LATAM, Gol, or Avianca to Foz do Igauçu. At the time of our travels, the Foz do Igauçu airport was under renovations, so we had to load and unload on the tarmac.

Once you get out of the airport, there are a handful of taxis hanging out at the exit waiting to take you to your hotel or resort. Taxi rides to the center of Foz do Igauçu ran around 30-60R (Brazilian currency is Real, R). Most of the resorts are outside of the city so they were on the cheaper side. You can also use Uber from the airport or around the city and is often the cheapest way to travel. Few locals are Uber driver so you may wait a little bit.

Tipping in Foz do Igauçu is similar to the rest of Brazil, so round up your cab fare to the nearest dollar. You do not need to tip the driver unless you feel he deserves something extra, they will be happy to accept an additional tip.

Hotel, Resort, or Airbnb?

There are a few options in the Foz do Igauçu area. There are about three or four resorts and a handful of hotels. You can also stay at an Airbnb. Airbnbs run cheap, usually you get the entire apartment, but do not expect any amenities. The resorts typically include free breakfast and will have a lot of amenity options for your down time.

We stayed at the Wish Hotel just outside of the city using Chase rewards points. You will have a lot of downtime after the falls are closed. When deciding where to stay consider what you want to do in your spare time. Resorts will usually have spa services, additional tourist experiences you can book, pools or fitness centers. If you plan to spend the rest of your time relaxing, definitely check out a resorts. If you plan to explore more of Foz do Igauçu, Airbnb or a hotel in the city are your best choice.

Brazilian Side of the Falls

Once you have checked in and dropped your bags, its time to head to the falls. Before leaving your place, make sure you have bug spray and sun screen, you will likely need both. If you arrived in the morning or early afternoon, make the Brazilian side your first visit. The falls entrance is just past the airport, so its anywhere from a 20-40R taxi ride. You can also take Uber to the falls.

Note – Your taxi cab driver will offer to wait for you at the falls to drive you back. This is usually more expensive and a waste of money. There are a lot of taxis outside the falls entrance waiting for passengers, so don’t worry about having a pre-set taxi for the return trip.

Getting to the Brazilian Falls

The price at the time of our trip was 67R per adult, and the National Park does accept credit cards or cash. Your ticket will then have a “boarding time” for your bus. Usually the buses come and go quickly so you do not have to wait very long for your bus. If you miss your time, its ok, you can just catch the next one.

The bus route into the park takes about 20-30 minutes and includes two stops for additional activities that are not included in your ticket. The two stops are for a boat tour to the falls and for a nature trail. If you have a lot of extra time and want to do these, we recommend doing them on the bus trip back to the entrance. The first trail stop for the falls is the third stop on the trip.

Viewing the Brazilian Falls

At the end of the trail is the platform that goes out over the falls. You WILL get wet on the platform. On windy days you will be hit with waves of mist each time the wind blows, so be prepared. On a non-windy day, there is usually a light mist from the falls. You can see some good views from the platform, so it is worth getting a little wet to see it all.

After enjoying the platform views, you can take the elevator back up or the side trail up to the top. You will see a lot of coati (similar to a raccoon) around the top visitors center, mainly due to the food. There are also tegus (big lizards) that roam the area. Once you are done exploring, head to the bus line next to the visitors center. The buses run back to back and will take you back to the entrance.

Coatis looking for food
Tegu sun bathing

From start to finish, we spent around 2 hours in the park. About an hour of that was on the trail and platform taking pictures, roughly 40-50 minutes on the bus transports and the rest checking out the visitors center. At the visitors center you can grab a taxi to head back to your hotel.

Argentinian Side of the Falls

The Argentinian side of the falls deserves a full day experience. There a multiple trails and view points, so prepare for a lot of activity. Start early and bring your sunscreen and bug spray with you to re-apply midday. You can get a taxi to take you to the falls from Brazil or hire a private car to take you and wait for you.

Crossing the Border

A private car runs about 250R total and the taxi runs about 100R to the falls. You do need Argentinian Pesos for taxis in Argentina. Some taxis will accept real, but double check which money they accept.

To get to the falls from Brazil you need to go through the border crossing. At the Brazil exit booth you will have to get out and provide your passport/visa. At the Argentina entry booth you stay in the car and the driver hands over your passport. Travel time from Foz do Igauçu to the entrance was about 30 minutes, including stops at both entry/exit booths.

Entering the Park

Entrance fees for Argentina change often. At the time of this writing, the fee was 600 pesos for each adult. The entrance ticket does not include the boat rides or kayak tours. The entrance ticket does include the train rides throughout the park. The park does accept credit cards and cash (Argentinian pesos only)

Once you are in the park, there are a lot of shops, food, and vendors that line the first few buildings. After walking through the first few buildings, there is an optional train ride to the middle of the park. We do not recommend taking the train here. There is a green path on the way to the train that take you to the middle of the park. It is very easy, and a lot faster than the train.

Train to the Top of the Falls

Once you get to the next area there will be some vendors and shops again. Go to the train booth (right in front of the train platform) and get a ticket for the train to the falls. The train runs every 30 minutes, so you will likely have to wait on your train. Tip – Hang out by the train platform entrance, and ask for an earlier ticket. Sometimes they have extra room and will squeeze you in. You can also walk along the rail line, but this is a lengthy walk with no shade.

At the end of the train everyone files off and heads down the trail. Right before you head down the trail there are usually a ton of butterflies hanging out by the water faucets. The train drops off people every 30 minutes, so if you wait about 10-15 minutes to start the trail, you will have less people at the platform at the end of the trail when you arrive. The platform offers beautiful views of the falls. If it is a windy day, you will get wet from the mist.

Once you are done taking selfies head back down the trail to the train. You need to get a ticket again here to ride the train back. Again, hang out by the train platform entrance and they will ask for people to fill the extra seats. You can also walk back along the rail line, but there is no shade and its a long walk.

Superior and Inferior Circuits

After arriving back at the center of the park, grab some snacks and a drink. The shops and venders do accept credit card, or cash. They do accept Brazilian Real or Argentinian Pesos, however you will get change only in Argentinian Pesos. This is also a good time to re-apply sunscreen and bug spray.

Once you have finished your snack or lunch, head out along the trails for the superior and inferior circuits. The names are misleading, the superior circuit goes along the top of the falls and the inferior circuit along the base of the falls. The trails are one way, so it is recommended to do the inferior/lower circuit first, then the superior/upper circuit second. Each circuit takes about 1.5-2 hours to hike. There are steps on some portions of the trails, but the majority are flat and well maintained. There are numerous places to stop and take photos along the trails. Also keep your eyes open for wildlife. We saw an armadillo, a lot of lizards, birds, a huge cayman, and a few fish.

Other Park Activities

If you have time after finishing the trails and want to see more, there are a few activities that you can do in the park. There are boat rides into the falls, kayak tours, and nature tours. These do cost additional money, so plan accordingly.

Once you have had enough, head back the way you came in. If you hired your taxi all day, they should be waiting for you. If not, there are taxis waiting to take you anywhere. Double check if they charge Brazilian reales or Argentinian Pesos and make sure you have the correct money. Traveling back you will have to go through the same customs process as the trip to the falls. From start to finish, we spent around 6 hours at the falls in Argentina and an hour traveling to and from our hotel.

Visiting the City of Foz do Igauçu

On one or both nights of your stay you should definitely spend some time checking out Foz do Igauçu’s nightlife. There are a handful of restaurants and bars that serve some great drinks and food. Similar to the rest of Brazil, tips are included in the ticket so you do not need to leave a tip.

There are a few attractions to check out if you have some extra time. The Parque das Aves (Park of Birds) offers a close up view of various tropical birds which is great for kids.

Leaving Foz do Igauçu

On the day you leave Foz do Igauçu, give yourself at least two hours at the airport. Check-in and security can take some time since everyone is typically leaving around the same time.

So how much does it all cost?

Now the real question, how much did it cost? All of our expenses are broken out below by type/location to help plan.

Flights to and from Rio de Janiero – $175 each person
Hotel – Wish Resort – $140 pre-paid per night, included free breakfast
Total Taxi Rides to and from Airport – 50R
Taxi rides to and from Brazilian Falls – 40R
Brazilian Falls Entrance Fee – 67R per adult
Snacks and Water in the Falls – 20R
Taxi ride to and from Argentinian Falls (pre-paid driver to drop us off and pick us up) – 250R
Argentinian Falls Entrance Fee – 600 Pesos
Lunch and snacks at the falls – 500 Pesos
Dinner in Foz do Igauçu – Averaged around 80R per person per meal