Things to do in Iguazu Falls
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Iguazu Falls
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Maximum flow and drama, with heat, humidity, storms, biggest crowds and highest closure risk.
High flow still powerful with rains easing and heat breaking, late March is the connoisseur bet.
Best overall balance, comfortable walking, lush forest and moderate to good flow, May most recommended.
Coolest and driest walking, lowest flow by August, clearer separate falls and peak birding, July busy.
Spring shoulder, warming with flow rebuilding, September quiet and good value, October more volatile.
Hot and humid with flow building fast, summer power possible at shoulder prices or first closures.
What's on
- Carnaval Feb/early March
Brazilian style celebrations in Foz and a packed long weekend in Puerto, come for it or avoid it.
- FARTAL Feira de Artesanato e Alimentos early/mid-June
Foz civic fair with food stalls from immigrant communities, crafts, live music and charity drives.
- Fenartec and Festival de Turismo Cataratas late May-June
Nations and crafts fair plus the tourism trade festival, town is full and festive.
- Festa Junina June
School and parish June festivals with bonfires, folk dress and winter foods on both sides.
- Iguazú Canta Early October; check dates
New choral festival with choirs on the falls balconies and at Hito Tres Fronteras.
- Christmas and New Year late Dec
Both towns party and in park hotels run gala dinners at full summer prices and volume.
Best things to do in Iguazu Falls
Garganta del Diablo
The U shaped chasm carrying more water than all other falls combined, reached by catwalk over the calm upper river.
Circuito Superior
Flat catwalks along the top lip looking down into each separate fall, best in morning light for rainbows.
Circuito Inferior
Descending jungle circuit to the base of the falls where spray, wildlife and noise put you inside the system.
Trilha das Cataratas
Single rim trail with the whole falls system in front of you, ending on a platform in the spray.
Parque das Aves
Atlantic Forest sanctuary with huge walk through aviaries of rescued macaws, toucans and scarlet ibis.
Marco das Três Fronteiras
Sunset point where the Iguazu and Parana meet, with the Brazilian ticketed plaza and cultural show.
Hito Tres Fronteras
Free simple viewpoint in Puerto Iguazu where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet at the two rivers.
Itaipu Dam
One of the largest power plants on earth, with a panoramic bus tour and an inside Special Circuit tour.
Where to stay in Iguazu Falls
Inside the parks
splurge night and falls outside park hours
Dawn on an empty trail and the roar through the night, a privilege no town hotel replicates.
Selva Iryapú
couples and resort stays in the jungle
Protected forest reserve near Puerto with quiet pool centred hotels, but taxis needed for dinner.
Puerto Iguazú town
first trip, food and value
Walk to restaurants, the bus terminal, the Feirinha market and the Hito viewpoint, cheaper than Foz.
Foz do Iguaçu Centro
budget, dinner and group logistics
Walkable grid with Lebanese and Brazilian restaurants, budget and mid hotels and the bus terminal.
Avenida das Cataratas corridor, Foz do Iguaçu
families, resorts and golf
Resort hotels with big pools along the road to the park, plus the golf resort and Rafain show.
Think twice about
- Vila Portes and the Friendship Bridge zone, Foz do Iguaçu
Ciudad del Este shopping crossing district, chaotic by day and shuttered and poorly lit at night.
- Isolated RN12 and RN101 highway motels outside Puerto Iguazú
No walkable dinner and taxi dependence on dark road shoulders, saving little over town or Iryapu.
- Ciudad del Este, Paraguay
Duty free trading hub, not a falls base, with two border crossings to reach either park.
- Far north and east periphery of Foz do Iguaçu
Residential sprawl with no visitor infrastructure and long rides to everything.
Best restaurants in Iguazu Falls
Aqva Restaurante
Fine dining room for river fish, Patagonian lamb and yerba mate creme brulee, the date night pick in Puerto.
El Quincho del Tío Querido
Great Argentine parrilla with an open grill, exact steaks and live folk music most nights.
La Rueda 1975
Town classic since 1975 for parrilla and river fish, with more locals and less show than El Quincho.
La Toscana Trattoria
Florentine run trattoria famous for spaghetti finished in a Parmesan wheel with flaming cognac.
De la Fonte
Named in Puertos cheap tier grouping for good value dining away from the two famous rooms.
La Mamma Pastas
Fresh pasta counter to eat in or take away, part of Puertos genuinely cheap dinner options.
Feirinha Puerto Iguazú
Artisan market stalls where Puerto families graze on choripan, chipa, provoleta, cheese and wine.
Ipê Grill
Poolside grill at the Belmond hotel, the in park splurge where the falls are the other guest.
Outdoor things to do in Iguazu Falls
Gran Aventura
Full Argentine boat with jungle truck and rapids run that goes directly under San Martin and Tres Mosqueteros falls.
Macuco Safari
Brazilian boat to the base of the falls with a funicular to the dock, so no stair climb is needed.
Náutica Iguazú
Shorter Argentine boat navigation to the base of the falls without the full truck and rapids package.
Sendero Macuco & Salto Arrechea
Ten minute helicopter flight over the falls, the only way to grasp the full horseshoe shape.
Sendero Macuco
Quiet forest hike to Salto Arrechea waterfall and natural pool, with the best birding in the park.
Poço Preto Trail
Guided forest trail and boat on the Upper Iguacu to a lagoon rich in caiman and birds, almost empty.
Bananeiras Trail
Shorter Brazilian park trail with a boat crossing, a deeper Atlantic Forest alternative to the main trail.
Iguazú Jungle Fly
Ziplines, hanging bridges and a rappel in the forest canopy, the best active add on for teenagers.
Best hotels in Iguazu Falls
Hotel das Cataratas, A Belmond Hotel
Pink hacienda inside the Brazilian park, a five minute walk from the trail with access before and after hours.
Gran Meliá Iguazú
Only hotel inside the Argentine park, with an infinity pool aimed at the falls spray plume.
Awasi Iguazú
Fourteen forest villas with plunge pools and all inclusive rates covering a private guide and 4x4 per villa.
Loi Suites Iguazú
Jungle resort famous for pools linked by suspension bridges through the trees, with a spa and large rooms.
Mercure Iguazú Hotel Irú
Reliable chain hotel in the jungle with big rooms and a big pool, often the best value per star.
Iguazú Jungle Lodge
Smaller lodge with balconies over the forest and an excellent small restaurant, the couples pick here.
La Aldea de la Selva
Lodge rooms and a pool in the forest that suit families wanting lodge style without resort pricing.
Iguazú Grand Resort Spa & Casino
Puertos grand resort with two pools, spa, casino and big suites, a short walk to the restaurant streets.
Is Iguazu Falls expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | ARS 57,000 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | ARS 145,000 a person |
| Splurge | ARS 500,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Garganta del Diablo: a few days ahead
- Circuito Superior: a few days ahead
- Circuito Inferior: a few days ahead
- Trilha das Cataratas: a few days ahead
- Parque das Aves: a few days ahead
- Marco das Três Fronteiras: a few days ahead
- Itaipu Dam: a few days ahead
- Paseo de Luna Llena: weeks ahead
- Full Moon Walk sells out first, only five nights per lunar cycle.
- In park hotels and Awasi book weeks to months ahead for December to March, Easter and July.
- Gran Aventura and Macuco Safari book 2 to 5 days ahead in high season.
- Buy park tickets online the night before for timed entry and to skip the gate queue.
Is Iguazu Falls safe?
- Avoid the Friendship Bridge, Vila Portes and riverbanks outside the parks after dark.
- Do not walk the border bridges at night or accept shortcut offers at immigration posts.
- Carry water in the parks, use sun protection in spray and repellent at dawn and dusk in the forest.
- Swim only where the park allows it, the Iguazu River above and below the falls is dangerous.
Iguazu Falls travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Both sides in one day tours give two border crossings and both parks worst crowd hours.
- Doing both Gran Aventura and Macuco is the same drenching twice for about 200 dollars.
- Ciudad del Este shopping tours carry counterfeit, touting and customs risks.
- Never feed or pose with coatis and monkeys, the parks top injury and wildlife harm issue.
Getting around Iguazu Falls: public transport and more
- Carry your physical passport every park day for both immigration stamps on the bridge crossing.
- Public buses link both towns to their parks and cross the border, cheapest but slowest.
- Brazilian Uber and 99 work within Foz but generally cannot cross into Argentina.
- Argentine entry includes the Ecological Train, Brazilian entry includes double decker park buses.
Who Iguazu Falls suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Great |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Iguazu Falls your trip
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