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Tips for Visiting Iguazu Falls

a woman standing in front of a waterfall

Iguazu Falls on the border of Brazil and Argentina is one of the most amazing things I’ve seen and well worth the trip. Here are things I learned from my experience to make the most of your time on the Argentina side, whether it’s several days or several hours.

Taking a taxi to/from Brazil

I took a taxi straight from the IGU airport to the Sheraton in the park. Trip Advisor said it should be 100 BR, driver quoted me 200, I protested and we settled on 150 (~$50USD). I thought I was getting ripped off, but it’s $56 from the Sheraton back to the IGU, so paying 150 BR wasn’t actually that bad.

Note: drivers tend to speak very little English, so use any Spanish or Portuguese that you know.

Eating at the Park

You can bring your own picnic and there’s actually a surprising number of food options available in the park. None of them are cheap, but not as expensive as they could be.

Near the Sheraton/ Cataratas Train Station there’s a food court with options like fish & chips for $10, a self service soda and sandwich area a little less expensive and an all you can eat buffet, Fortin’s, with wine options which gets great reviews on TripAdvisor. Be aware it opens around 11:30AM and closes before 2:30PM.


a glass door with a brick wall and a brick walkway

The Sheraton offers dining with a view. The main restaurant has lunch and dinner with average food quality and not terrible prices given its in a park. If you’re in between meal times you can light eats and drinks in the lobby bar.

a glass of wine and food on a table
I also have it on good authority that the Freddo gelato place near the park entrance makes amazing treats!

What to See & Do in Iguazu Park

There are amazing rainbows everywhere! Definitely do all the loops — upper, lower, and Devil’s Throat — if you’re up for walking. Fast walkers can cover all the trails, with plenty of time for pictures,  in 3 hours or less.

 Riding the Rainforest Train is free, but catching it means you’re dependent on finding a free seat! Try to get to the park as soon as it opens to catch one of the first couple of trains and take it directly to the top of the falls, Devil’s Throat. Keep in mind if the wait is too long or the train to crowded you can always walk 1.5 miles to/from the Cataracas station.
a wooden structure with a clock
If you’re staying at the Sheraton, definitely catch the 8:10 train up to the top of the Falls, Devil’s Throat, otherwise you risk not getting seats as they all fill up at the first station.
The Devil’s Throat viewing platform puts you directly over the falls which is exhilarating and terrifying and it gets really crowded so the earlier you get there the better the views (and selfies).
a woman standing in front of a waterfall
a rock in grass under a bridge
a large waterfall with white water
The Upper Circuit trail takes you across the top of most of the waterfalls and by top I mean a couple of yards from the waist high guard rails is the edge of the falls. It ends with a pretty dramatic viewing platform over one of the largest falls south of Devil’s Throat.
a sign with text on it
a rainbow over a waterfall
 a river with white water and trees
The Lower Circuit trail feels more tropical and has alot more ups and downs. It offers glimpses of the Devil’s Throat Falls and fantastic views of the other falls.
a walkway in the woods
a large waterfall with trees and blue sky
Iguazu Falls with trees and blue sky
Definitely do the speedboat under the falls which runs about $27. Totally worth it! They take you pretty close to Devil’s Throat and then directly under a waterfall on the other side.
a waterfall in a body of water
They provide you with a dry bag to protect your belongings, but you will get soaked so plan to bring along a change of clothes or go back to the Sheraton to change if you’re staying in the park. Also consider sitting in the back of the boat if you actually want to see anything when you get close to going under the waterfall. I sat in the front and was blinded by water long before we actually went under. 🙂
Tickets can be purchased from various Iguazu Jungle locations around the park. They also offer other tours like an Ecological Tour via a raft on calm water (didn’t look super interesting I’d admit) and a Jeep ride through the forest.
 a waterfall in the water
The ferry to the San Martin Island was only open one of the days and I didn’t have time to go but looks like it offers spectacular views and crazy steep trails!

Full Disclosure: I may receive affiliate credit from links in this post or on this site which will help fund my travels. Thank you for your support!

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One Comment

  1. The USD has actually been quite strong against the BRL as of late. Just 2-3 weeks ago 1USD was roughly 4BRL! Not sure when you visited but if it were 2-3 weeks ago, that 200BRL taxi ride would have only been around 50USD!
    Anyway, did you see the Brazilian side of the falls as well? I’ve been to Iguacu back 4 years ago and at first was shocked to hear the taxicab cost 200BRL but then I remembered the Sheraton was on the Argentina side (but you arrived at the airport on the Brazilian side, not Argentina side.)

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