As one of the world’s largest waterfalls, Iguazú Falls is nothing short of spectacular! This UNESCO World Heritage site located on the border of Argentina and Brazil spans 2.7km in length and has 275 individual waterfalls with some reaching over 80m in height! 
We visited these great falls on the Argentine side in November 2018. While it is recommended to visit the Brazilian side as well, we did not. For the purpose of our trip, it was not worth the cost of the Brazilian visa for Canadians to cross the border for a few hours! We decided to save that trip until another time when we have more time to spend in Brazil.
Here is a full account of our time at the Argentine side of the falls:
NOTE: As Argentina’s economy has been unsteady with rapid inflation, the costs listed in this post may not be accurate after November 2018.
How we got there
On the Argentine side, the closest town to Iguazú Falls is called Puerto Iguazú. Although it appears to be rather small and unremarkable, there are still plenty of things to do (see below) while you are staying there. We flew from Buenos Aires on Norwegian Air, a low cost airline.
How to get to Puerto Iguazú from the airport
There are shuttle busses from the airport to town for approximately 250 ARS (approx. $9 CAD) per person. As we were travelling in a group of four, it was more economical for us to take a flat rate taxi for 700 ARS (approx. $25 CAD). The airport service calculates the price in advance. We hired a taxi for the return trip to the airport from town and it was 500 ARS (approx. $18 CAD).
How to get to the falls from Puerto Iguazú
The easiest way is to take a bus from the town’s main bus station. The bus company is called Rio Uruguay and they run every 20 minutes and cost 260 ARS (approx. $9 CAD) round trip per person. It takes about 20-25 minutes to get there. TIP: Upon arriving to the falls, most of the passengers from our bus joined a really long line to buy an entrance ticket. We walked to the ticket windows and joined a line that was significantly shorter!
At Iguazú Falls
Entry tickets to the park cost $600 ARS (approx. $21 CAD). If you plan to visit on a second day, you can get your ticket stamped on the way out to get a 50% discount for another visit the following day.
Once inside the park, there is a lot to see, so arriving early is recommended.
Here is an overview of the various activities and areas in the park.
Iguazú Jungle Great Adventure Boat Tour
This was probably the biggest highlight of our time at Iguazú Falls. This 1.5 hour adventure cost $1500 ARS (approx. $53 CAD) and was worth every penny. It begins with a drive through the rainforest on the Yacaratiá Trail with a guide. Following the drive, we boarded a speedboat that took us to the base of the falls offering spectacular views.
The boat travelled through some rapids and even under the falls! We all got completely soaked, but it great since it was so hot! Iguazú Jungle provides waterproof bags to keep your valuables dry, which was very useful!
Tickets can be purchased in advance for this adventure through some hotels or at the park. There is a ticket booth close to the entrance. Upon arriving to the ticket booth, we were told by an employee that the tickets were sold out and the next available ride was on the following day. We lined up anyway and as it turned out, new openings became available and we got the last four tickets for the day!
Upper Circuit
Beginning near the The Rainforest Train Cataratas Station, the upper circuit is 1550m long and took us to various vantage points above the falls. The trails are very close to the waterfall edges, which offer incredible bird’s eye vertical views from the top. It takes about 2 hours to complete the circuit.
Lower Circuit
The lower circuit starts near the lighthouse in the centre of the park and is 1400m long. It follows the edge of the Iguazú river and its various lookout points provide awesome views of all the falls and San Martin Island. We found the lower circuit to have some of the best views in the whole park. It takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to complete the circuit.
There is a boat on this circuit that can take you to San Martin Island, but unfortunately, this was not running on the day we visited the park.
Devil’s Throat
Perhaps the most impressive area of the park is “The Devil’s Throat”, which is on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It is a horseshoe shaped convergence of waterfalls appearing to swallow the earth! This point can be reached by foot in 2.5-3 hours, but we chose to take the free train from Cataratas Station.
You need to pick up a ticket from the booth to reserve your spot on the train. Once we arrived to Garganta del Diablo Station, we walked on the Garganta del Diablo Trail for about 20 minutes to reach the lookout point. The 80m high falls are awe-inspiring to say the least. The mist from the falls was a welcome cool-down from the humidity and heat in the jungle!
We found that visiting the Devil’s Throat waterfall to be better in the afternoon, as there were less people and the afternoon lighting was better. We took the final train back to Central Station, which is close to the main gates of the park.
Macuco Trail
Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit the Macuco Trail, which is a scenic 3 hour hike (7000m round trip) through the rainforest with various flora and fauna visible. There are interpretive signs at various locations along the trail to assist with the understanding of the area.
Our Itinerary At Iguazú Falls:
We arrived at the falls about an hour after it opened departed shortly before it closed. Here is the order of events during our visit:
1) Bought Jungle Iguazú Boat Tickets
2) Took Jungle Iguazú Great Adventure ride under the falls
3) Relaxed in the sun to dry off and had lunch
4) Lower circuit
5) Upper circuit
6) Train to Devil’s Throat waterfall
7)Devil’s Throat
8) Train from Devil’s Throat Station to Central Station to exit the park
What To Do In Puerto Iguazú
Visit the Hito Tres Fronteras (Triple Frontier)
This is where the borders of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina meet. All three countries created an obelisk painted in their national colours which can be seen at this point.
Take a boat tour
We enjoyed a relaxing scenic boat tour, which took us to the point where the Iguazú and Paraná rivers converge.
At one point, the boat stopped at the meeting point of the borders of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina. We were in three countries at once!
Take a picture at the I Love Iguazu sign
It is located near the roundabout on the way out of town, towards the falls.
Visit GuiraOga Animal Refuge
This is an animal refuge centre that helps to rescue, rehabilitate and reintroduce animals. It is not a zoo.
The 300 ARS (approx. $10.50 CAD) price of admission includes a guided tour and helps support their efforts. They offer one English tour per day and we missed it, so we went on a Spanish tour instead.
We saw various animals ranging from parrots and toucans to crocodiles, turtles and ocelots. The gift shop had very reasonable prices for souvenirs.
Take advantage of happy hour specials
There are many restaurants that offer happy hour specials. We especially enjoyed Tacopado, which had a nice patio, delicious Mexican food and had a 2 for 1 deal on cocktails.
Check out La Casa de Botellas (Bottle House)
As a way to raise environmental awareness, a house made of over 1200 plastic bottles was constructed. You can get a tour of the house and learn about its history.
Have a cold one at the Icebar Iguazú
In a bar completely made out of ice and at a -10 degree temperature, an entrance fee of 200 ARS (approx. $9 CAD) gives a visitor 30 minutes of time inside and all they can drink. This is a unique place to cool off in Puerto Iguazú.
The beautiful Iguazú Falls are a must see for anyone visiting Argentina or Brazil. We are excited to return to the falls on the Brazil side in the future!
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