The Iguazu Falls are located on the boarder between Argentina and Brazil in the far north of Argentina and are the largest waterfalls in the world. Although the river is mostly on Brazilian territory, the falls are mainly on the Argentinian side. They have been chosen as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The name Iguazu originates from the Guarani or Tupi words “y” for water and “uasu” for big (yep, these folks were straight to the point 😉 ).
I decided to spend a weekend there and had booked a flight leaving Bs As on Friday afternoon and returning Sunday afternoon. In addition I had booked a trip with a travel agency for Saturday, exploring the Argentinian side. When I arrived at the gate at the airport on Friday they first announced a delay of an hour and later on they canceled the flight, the reason being a “mini strike” of the pilots. Apparently, this is quite common in Argentina. 🙁 This meant I had to wait in a huge line with no air condition in the departures hall to learn if there was a seat for me in the next departing flight or not. Luckily, there was a seat left for me, however this flight was only leaving the next morning at 7am. As a consequence, I had to call the hotel and the travel agency hi travel to inform them (everything in Spanish). As the travel agency wouldn’t pick up the phone, I drove to their office downtown. I was then advised that I couldn’t participate in the original trip as it would start at 8am, but I could participate in the half-day tour to the Brazilian side in the afternoon. I agreed to this alternate plan and decided to explore the Argentinian side on my own on Sunday. The travel agency however mentioned that I wouldn’t have enough time to do that, as my plane was leaving on 2pm. (As it later would turn out they were dead wrong and it showed me that none of them had ever been to the falls.)
Accommodation
I chose a hotel in the center of Puerto Iguazu and would do so again the next time. There are hotels closer to the National Park, but there is nothing close to them, which means that other than for trips to the waterfalls, you’ll be stuck in the hotel. This wasn’t appealing to me, but I guess if your goal is only to see the falls, this is fine. Being in the center allows you to walk around, choose different restaurants for dinner, stuck up on water and food in the supermarkets and have a nice walk around. My hotel was the Arami Hotel and Lodge; nothing impressive, but comfy beds, clean, air conditioned and safe. And it had two pools. My advice would be to look for a hotel close to the street Cordoba as all the restaurants are lined up there and the bus station is at the intersection of Cordoba and Misiones. Most of the hotels have a pool which is a nice treat and most welcome as humidity and temperatures are ALWAYS HIGH.
Sights / Activities
Duh, the waterfalls! Kidding aside, when planning this trip everybody has the same question: Should I visit the Argentinian side, the Brazilian side or both? A first decision-making aid is that for people with certain nationalities, a visa is required to enter Brazil (e.g. USA, Australia, Canada, China, etc.) and I’d say it’s not worth the hazzle. While most of the falls are located on the Argentinian side, you’ll have a better view for pictures on the Brazilian side. But that’s about it. The Brazilian side doesn’t offer any other activities. It is just a 1km (=0.6miles) long trail with great views and the opportunity for a shower from the falls at the end with a close-up of the Devil’s Throat. The trip offered by travel agencies is usually scheduled for a half-day. The walking itself takes about an hour / an hour and a half. Time consuming and making this a half-day trip is the part of crossing the boarder. The views are great though and make for great pictures. Thus, I’d say if you have enough time to spare, book that trip with a travel agency and make sure it includes the transfer airport-hotel. These packages in my experience offer good value.
And better admire these creatures from a distance; coati (belonging to the family of the raccoons).
Now about the Argentinian side. It offers a great view of the Devil’s Throat from above and more activities; two trails to see all falls and in addition a boat tour (which includes a shower for free 🙂 ). I’d say you’ll need a day to explore everything and if you are an independent traveler, you won’t need to book a trip with a travel agency. There is a bus operating between Puerto Iguazu and the National Park, leaving every 20 minutes. Travel time is 30 minutes. The price for a return ticket is currently at ARS 130 (though that might change soon, as of April 2016, Argentinia stated an inflation rate of 40%) and you can buy the tickets at the station. The first bus leaves at 7am. I’d take this bus or the bus thereafter, to get to the Park before it opens at 8am and buy a ticket. Entrance fee is ARS 330 for foreigners and ARS 200 for Argentinian residents. Please find below a detailed price list:
The park closes at 5pm. When you get there before 8am, chances are high that you get to the antique train with the first group. If possible, try to sit at the end of the train. When arriving at the final stop, the start of the trail to the Devil’s Throat is closest from the end of the train. Be prepared to march fast, delay taking pictures of the scenery when returning to the train station. You’ll have plenty of time then, the real attraction is the Devil’s Throat. If you are lucky, you’ll manage to be amongst the first visitors on the platform, enjoying the falls without the crowds and being able to take nice pictures, like I did:
Then take your time and enjoy the trails and optionally take the boat tour. I can’t comment on it as I didn’t take it, but heard from other people that it is quite cool.
There are complimentary maps of the park at the entrance and signage within the park is excellent. In any case, do not buy anything in the park, may it be souvenirs or food and beverages, unless you enjoy being ripped off. Bring your own food. Prices are as twice as high compared to downtown Puerto Iguazu and you’ll find plenty of stores there to buy souvenirs as well as food and beverages.
Cuisine
In Puerto Iguazu you’ll mainly find classic Argentinian cuisine, i.e. steakhouses as well as pizza and pasta places. The majority of the restaurants are aligned at the Cordoba street. Opposite to the bus station there is a self-service / take-away restaurant that sells sandwiches, fruits, food by weight, cookies and other sweets. It comes in handy to stock up your reserves before heading to the National Park where everything is crazy expensive. My preferred restaurant in Puerto Iguazu is clearly La Vaca Enamorada. For details, look here.
Conclusion
Iguazu Falls are a must see. The atmosphere is magic, calming and exciting at the same time – hard to put into words. It is a once in a lifetime experience and I highly recommend that if you are in Buenos Aires, you spend those two or three days and visit them. They do not only live up to your expectations – but they also exceed them by far.
Travel Tips
- Traveling to the falls from Bs As is easiest by plane. Aerolineas Argentinas and LATAM (formerly known as LAN) offer direct connections daily (flight time is 2 hours). If you can choose, go for LATAM (better planes, friendlier flight attendants, nicer food). If you are on a tight budget, there is also a bus connection. However, it takes 18 hours! I personally swore a long time ago, that I wouldn’t get into a bus for longer than 4 hours ever again…
- Obviously, you’ll get better rates when traveling during the week and if your dates are flexible.
- Bring lots of cash and I mean Argentinian pesos. The entrance at the Argentinian National Park can only be paid in Argentinian pesos and also at many other places, only cash is accepted. If you forgot to change money beforehand, there is a good money exchange downtown with fair rates, called Cambios Link at Avenida Victoria Aguirre 302-400. Don’t forget to bring your passport and to my European friends: Best rates can be expected when changing US Dollars. Rates for Swiss francs suck! (It’s all about supply and demand. 😉 )
- Remember that you are in a subtropical area and ZIKA is just around the corner, i.e. bring and use some repellents against mosquitos.
- Bring trekking shoes or at least sneakers with a robust profile. It is slippery around the falls and although it is hot and humid, flip flops are a bad idea.
- In my view and as elaborated above, you can easily explore the Argentinian side on your own. If you want to see the Brazilian side as well, I would advise to book with a travel agency as the whole immigration process etc. is just that much easier when they’re doing it for you.
- Bring your own food and beverages to the National Parks and refrain from buying anything there (see my comment above).
- Although they might not know the waterfalls, the prices of hi travel are very competitive. When in Buenos Aires, their office is very centrally located, otherwise contact them via their website.
- If you decide to spend two days at the Argentinian National Park, keep your admission ticket from the first day. When presenting it the next day at the cashier, you’ll get a 50% discount!
Info
Iguazu National Park, Argentinian Side
Opening Hours: Daily 8am-5pm, last admission at 4.30pm
Admission Fee: ARS 330 for foreigners, ARS 200 for Argentinian Residents, ARS 250 for Residents of “Mercosur” countries (=Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay).
Iguazu National Park, Brazilian Side
Opening Hours: 9am-5pm
Admission Fee: BRL 63.30 for foreigners, BRL 37.30 for Brazilians, BRL 50.30 for Residents of Mercosur countries. Payable in BRL, USD, EUR or with all common credit cards. (a Hallelujah for that!)
