Cost
Entry to the park is about $25US. If you want to visit the park on consecutive days, the entrance fee is cut in half the next day with your previous day’s ticket. Boat trips can be taken once inside the park for a fee. A tram carts passengers around to different parts of the park and is free of charge. There are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat and something to drink inside the park.
Getting there and back
Bus- If staying in the town of Puerto Iguazu, just head to the bus station in the center of town. For about $2US, you can catch a bus to the Falls. Buses leave daily starting at 6:30am and continuing every 45 minutes until 7pm. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the park from the bus station. There is a bus stop right outside the gates that takes travelers back to the bus station which also runs every 45 minutes until about 8:30pm.
Getting around in the park
As stated earlier, a free tram picks up all visitors to the park after entering, leaving every 30 minutes. From there travelers have several options for checking out the falls. If you’ve ever been to Niagara, be prepared for waterfalls much larger and more spectacular. A day or more can easily be spent visiting Iguazu, with a variety of hiking trails and a plethora of different falls to explore and photograph. I suggest getting off the tram at Estacion Cataratas first and explore some of those trails, which will give you a great panorama and give you an idea of the enormity of the falls.
There are two trails here that take about an hour and half to walk, depending on your pace and how many pictures you take.
* Circuito Superior – This path allows travelers to see the falls from above and is a good option for anyone who may have a disability or is not in great shape. Stunning views all around.
* Circuito Inferior – This is a bit longer of a walk on the bottom end of the falls. The main attraction here is seeing the Salto Bossetti falls and Dos Hermanas falls. This path also leads to the free ferry service to Isla San Martin and the tour operators if you’re interested in taking boat on the river for an up close and personal look at the falls.
We chose not to take a boat trip but instead headed over to Isla San Martin for different views of the falls, and we were quite glad we did. While I’m sure seeing them from a boat at such a close distance would be amazing, it just wasn’t in our budget, both monetarily and time-wise.
View from Isla San Martin, Iguazu Falls
One of the many stunning views from Isla San Martin
Isla San Martin – A free ferry takes visitors over to this island, which has not only several hiking trails to different vantage points but also a small beach for swimming. It’s a little less crowded over here than on the other trails, so it’s a nice little respite.
We spent most of the day exploring the above trails and the island before hopping back on the tram and heading to the main attraction, Garganta del Diablo, translated into Devil’s Throat.
Garganta del Diablo, or the Devil's Throat, Iguazu Falls, Argentina
Garganta del Diablo, or the Devil's Throat, a highlight of any trip to Iguazu
Garganta del Diablo – This is the main attraction when visiting the Argentine side. After exiting the train, catwalks take travelers closer and closer to the main fall, and the roar can be deafening. The viewpoint is perched just over Devil’s Throat. The falls are so powerful that there is a perpetual cloud of mist that shoots nearly 100 feet (30 meters) back up the falls. It’s quite a sight to see. Be sure to come back Thursday (November 4) to check out the pictures post for more pictures and a few videos. It’s not as good as being there yourself, but it gives a great impression of what to expect.
Extras in the park
Full Moon visits- Five times a year when the moon is full the park opens in the evening for a full moon showing. We just happened to be there during this time and decided to visit. I know I am in the minority, but I thought it was wholly overrated and overpriced. Price was nearly double that of regular admission, the only fall open was Garganta del Diablo, and when we were there, the moon was not high enough to see much of anything. Maybe if they started the tours later in the evening and throughouovernight, it would have been better, and the sound was certainly impressive, but the following day was much more memorable, in my opinion. This is only one man’s opinion, and as I said, mine seemed to be in the minority.
When to go
The summer months of December to February are high season, when weather is hot and humid and most Argentinians and Brazilians are on vacation. Shoulder seasons may see more rain, but the crowds are thinner and temperatures a bit cooler. Winter months (June-August) have even more rain with cooler temperatures (50-70 degrees F). If the area receives too much rain, the catwalks can get flooded, making a visit to the park worthless.
Many nationalities need to pay a hefty price for a Brazilian visa, including Americans who are charged over $100US. Since we weren’t planning on going to Brazil during our travels, we obviously didn’t bother getting a visa. Some travelers have been able to go to the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls for the day without a visa, but it’s all about luck. If the bus driver decides to check visas after crossing the border and you don’t have one, then you are sent back to Argentina. This is what happened to us. We got off the bus at the border and acted like we went through the checkpoint line. We came out of the building and boarded the bus and thought we were in the clear. Then the bus driver came back and started checking passports. We did not have visas, so we got the boot and had to head back to Argentina. In talking to others, we found out it really is just the luck of the draw. Some bus drivers don’t bother checking, and you’re good to go. Some do, and you get the old heave ho back into Argentina. It’s worth a shot if you have the extra time, just be aware you may be sent packing.
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