Posted on by raynardkjy

Iguazú Falls – One of the Most Beautiful Things I Have Seen

exceptionally BEAUTIFUL!!! 

Iguazú Falls is among the world’s visually and acoustically most stunning natural sites for its massive waterfalls.

Made up of many cascades producing vast sprays of water, I was totally stunned when I saw it with my eyes, my jaw just dropped standing in front of this spectacular waterfalls.

Iguazú Falls is one of the largest waterfalls in the world, along with Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, Niagara Falls in USA & Canada, and Angel Falls in Venezuela.  

Iguazú Falls are divided between two countries: Argentina and Brazil. Although Paraguay is nearby, it only shares the river that Iguazú Falls feeds, but it is quite far from the falls and cannot even be seen from there. Both sides of the parks offer a different experience and have different characteristics and attractions, which is why it is recommended to visit both sides.

How to Get There?

  • By Plane:

If you have the budget, taking a flight is the best & quickest option, as Iguazú Falls are shared by Argentina and Brazil, there are two airports to fly in: Puerto Iguazú (IGR) in Argentina and Foz de Iguazú (IGU) in Brazil.

Getting to one or the other airport depends on where you come from to visit the destination.

I was travelling from Buenos Aires (AEP), and the flight is just less than 2 hours to Puerto Iguazú (IGR). 

Check out Jetsmart and Aerolineas Argentinas websites for the flight details.

I always use Skyscanner to check for flights and compare the price. 

 

  • By Bus:

Another option is by bus, this is a cheaper option and only if you have the time, and a little patience. There are a few bus companies offering the service, the distance between Buenos Aires and Iguazú Falls is around 1300 km, and it takes about 16-18 hours on the road, it’s a long journey. 

Since the departures are usually in the evening, you’ll actually save one night of accommodation which is going to help you on your trip budget. 

If you choose this option, you’ll spend the day at Buenos Aires and then take the overnight bus to Iguazú Falls, arriving the following day in the afternoon. You can check-in your accommodation and enjoy your evening in the local town of Puerto Iguazú, have a good night of rest and start your day fresh on the next day, visiting Iguazú Falls. 

You can check busbud website for more details about the bus schedules.

” Find cheap bus tickets for your next trip.     – busbud “

Opening Hours & Entry Fee

Iguazú National Park on the Argentine side opens from 0800 to 1800. But you can only enter the park until 1630.

For adult, the ticket is ARS 800 (USD 15) and for children it is ARS 200 (USD 5). 

The Devil’s Throat at Iguazú Falls, impressive!

Iguazú National Park on the Brazilian side opens from 0900 to 1800. But you can only enter the park until 1630.

For adult, the ticket is BRL 72 (USD 18) and for children it is BRL 11 (USD 3). 

 

Which Side of Iguazú Falls is Better?

The Iguazú Falls are surrounded by a lush sub-tropical rainforest that is home to over 2,000 species of vascular plants, an impressive array of birds such as colourful parrots and toucans, thousands of butterflies and mammals such as tapirs and howler monkeys.

Special walkways have been built around the Iguazú Falls to allow visitors to get close up to this wonder of their natural beauty and power.

The Argentinean side of the Falls allows for an awe-inspiring and up-close encounter, whilst the Brazilian side boasts exceptional panoramic views, allowing you to appreciate it from many angles. For one to enjoy the full experience of this natural wonder, it is highly recommended that you visit both sides.

The Argentine park is a larger park, it has 3 main circuits (Superior Circuit, Lower Circuit & Devil’s Throat) and a trekking trail, Macuco Trail. The 3 main circuits let you enjoy the Iguazú Falls in different ways, they are high traffic boardwalks near the falls themselves. Macuco Trail provides the opportunity to visit the surrounding jungle in a more intimate & natural environment. For the Argentine park, you will need more time for exploration comparing to the Brazilian park, where you just need a few hours.

I was visiting the Argentine park, we spent the whole day there. The park is huge and there are so much to see and do, I enjoyed every moment in the park. Next time, I am going to see it from the Brazilian side, probably take a helicopter ride, admiring this magnificent waterfalls from above. 

Wildlife in Iguazú Falls

Iguazú Falls is the home of a great variety of animal life that cannot be found anywhere else.

Coati

On your visit to both national parks, it is very easy to find coati, a very cute small four-legged and long-tailed animal that roams the area in search of food that visitors usually give them (we are asked NOT to feed them for our safety).

Toucan

Another animal that you will easily see in some trees is the toucan. They are brightly marked and have large, often-colorful bills, very beautiful. 

Other than toucan, there are many bird species that you’ll probably see throughout your visit. 

Helicopter Ride

If you are on the Brazilian side, you can take a helicopter ride over the falls, swooping in to get a closer look at Devil’s Throat. The magnificence of Iguazú is best appreciated from a bird’s eye perspective!

Although the ride only lasts for 10 minutes, it may just be the most exciting 10 minutes of your life!

“ The Earth has music for those who listen. ”

– William Shakespeare

Boat Tour

If you are on the Argentinean side, do not miss the boat tour, it’s going to be the most fun and thrilling moment of your day. You’ll get very close to the falls and the thundering roar of the water makes your heart beat faster and faster, as you are approaching it.

There are 2 boat tours offered at the national park: the ‘Nautical Adventure’ takes you right up to the middle of the waterfalls. It’s an incredible ride where you get very, very wet! If you prefer to take it easy, sail along the river on the ‘Great Adventure’. With some luck, you’ll spot wildlife in the surrounding jungle and finally, marvel at the waterfalls from a safe distance. Your choice! 

The boat tour is exhilarating!!!

Do remember to check on the last departure of the boat tour so you don’t miss it. As this is a very popular activity, the queue is going to be long, make sure you estimate some time for queueing. 

Weather in Iguazú Falls

The Iguazú Falls are located in an area of tropical rainforest, characterised by frequent rains and high humidity of the air, the region’s climate is sub-tropical humid, and is divided into two distinct seasons, the hot and wet summer season from October to March, and the winter season relatively dry and fresh, from May to September. 

It is a destination to go with comfortable and light clothing. Don’t forget to bring sunscreen and mosquito repellent!

I visited the park in October, the weather was perfect, clear blue sky, very pleasant temperature and I could spend the whole day comfortably. It was not crowded which was great for us for taking pictures, we could really enjoy the park.

The month where the park gets very busy is the summer months of January and February, not only it will be very crowded, it’s hot and humid. 

June and July also have relatively high visitor numbers as again it’s holiday season. But if you’re looking for less tropical temperatures then this could be the time you may consider.

What to Prepare?

You’ll probably spend the whole day at the park, make sure you are well-prepared before visiting.

Clothing & Shoe
  • Walking Shoe
  • Comfortable & Light Clothing 
  • Light Waterproof Jacket 
  • Swimsuit – for the boat tour as you’ll get completely wet.
  • Small/Medium Size Towel 
  • Extra Underwear, Socks and T-shirt – for change at the end of your visit. 
Protection
  • Sunscreen
  • Mosquito Repellent
  • Cap/ Hat
Miscellaneous
  • Drinking Water – you need to stay hydrated all day.
  • Sandwiches, Energy Bars, Mixed Trail Nuts & Chocolate – you’ll probably be walking the whole day at the park,  you’ll need some energy.
  • Cellphone and Power Bank
  • Camera/ GoPro – waterproof camera is important especially when you get very close to the waterfalls.
  • Ziplock Bag – to protect your valuables like wallet and cellphone.
  • Plastic Bag – for trash.

Where to Stay?

Puerto Iguazú is the gateway to Iguazú Falls, it is a city located in just less than 20 km away from the natural wonder, it takes about 30 minutes by bus or taxi. 

There are a lot of accommodation choices in the city. I was choosing a hotel around the bus terminal because you need to take a bus to the park, it was really convenient for us to just walk to the bus terminal from our hotel. 

Rio Uruguay buses leave every 20 minutes and drop you off in front of the entrance to Iguazú National Park.

There are plenty of restaurants around the area we were staying, souvenir shops, cafes and supermarket.  

Check out booking.com and airBnB to look for something you like.  

My Video at Iguazú Falls

I had an amazing time at Iguazú Falls, check out my video to see how stunning the place is.