The Iguazu area is a protected area near the borders of Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina and is most famously known for its immense waterfall. It is one of the biggest waterfalls in the world, made up of 160 – 200 individual falls, to create an incredibly powerful landscape. The following article goes through an Iguazu Falls itinerary so you can explore the amazing landscape from both the Argentine and Brazilian national parks.
Over 1.5 million visitors come to the park every year. There are worries that the quantity of visitors will damage the ecosystem of this area. In addition, climate changes have had an adverse effect on the area.
In 2023, heavy rains in Brazil caused record levels of flooding in the Iguazu river. At its peak, the waterfall flow was 16 times more than the normal the amount of water. Two weeks after its peak, when Blueprint Travelers visited, the water levels were still incredibly high, carrying 5 times the normal amount. Because of this, some of the walkways on the Argentine side of the park were swept away and destroyed. This will take at least a year to repair and has eliminated one of the biggest attractions on this side of the park.
You will see the effects of this flooding from an aesthetic perspective in the photos throughout this article, especially if you compare them to some other blogs and websites. The water was a red-brown color because the force of the water picked up more dirt than normal. In addition, the visibility of the waterfall was hindered by the amount of splashing and mist that resulted from the increase in water flow.
The Logistics of Visiting the Iguazu Falls Itinerary
When to Visit Iguazu National Park
The best time of year to plan for your Iguazu Falls itinerary is March to May or August to October. March to May is at the tail end of the summer months. The weather starts to cool down and it is the dry season for the region. (Although, it truly rains year round here). August to October is the spring season and the weather could be really pleasant to walk around. If you consider going during some of the other times of year, you may feel the effects of global warming as locals have mentioned that the area is getting warmer sooner and staying warmer longer. Keep this in mind when reading through past blogs to determine the best time to visit. The photos here are from November 2023 and it was quite warm and humid, although it did not prevent people from enjoying the waterfalls.
What to Pack to Visit the Parks
You will get wet! There is no way around it, especially if you take the exciting boat tour at either of the parks or just walk through some of the walkways of the Brazilian side (see below). Consider wearing walking sandals or water shoes, such as Teva sandals for the grip, bathing suits, and quick-dry clothes. If you don’t like being wet, bring a change of clothes in a dry bag. However, getting sprayed down by the waterfalls will help cool you down in the heat.
The Blueprint Travelers Iguazu Falls Staples
Puerto Iguazu or Foz do Iguaçu?
Getting buses to either side of the falls is straightforward and it is pretty easy to cross between Puerto Iguazu and Foz do Iguaçu so you can look into accommodations on either side, choosing the one that works best for you.
You can also fly into either city as well. Blueprint Travelers flew into the Argentine side and stayed there for their Iguazu Falls itinerary. If you are flying into and staying on the Foz do Iguacu side of the national park, you can visit the local tourist information center to get more information about navigating everything from the Brazilian side. It’s a tourist hub so they will have answers for you!
Day 1: Arriving in Puerto Iguazu and Exploring the Town
Getting to the Iguazu Area
There are two ways to get to the Iguazu area for your Iguazu Falls itinerary: bus or flying. You can do this from both the Brazil and Argentine sides.
The bus from Buenos Aires will take about 17 hours, the bus from Sao Paulo will take about 16 hours, and the bus from Rio de Janeiro will take 25 hours. These buses are typically quite comfortable and you can upgrade your seat to make the journey easier.
Flying into Puerto Iguazu or Foz do Iguaçu airports made the journey faster. From the airport, you can get a taxi to your accommodations and there is also a private transportation company at the Puerto Iguazu airport to go to the town center. If you are flying into the Foz do Iguacu airport and staying on the Brazil side, you can take a taxi to and from the airport.
Where to Stay
A few things to consider when determining where to stay for your Puerto Iguazu itinerary:
- Look for something with air conditioning. It can get hot and humid and, because of the humidity, it does not cool down in the evening
- If you need Wi-Fi, consider a hotel over a short-term rental. In this location, Wi-Fi and service can be spotty and a hotel will have the infrastructure to provide you the Wi-Fi. Read the reviews of a location prior to booking since this is something that people will complain about if it doesn’t work
- Look at the location of the accommodation relative to the main bus stop. If it is close to the bus station, it will make mornings and afternoons easier.
What is there to do in Puerto Iguazu?
After getting settled into your accommodation on your first day of your Iguazu Falls itinerary, you can walk around the town and explore a little. This area is at an incredibly interesting intersection in South America. Three countries intersect at this point: Paraguay, Brazil, and Argentina. There is a viewpoint in Puerto Iguazu to see the two other countries across the river. You can take a 30 minute walk from the center of town to see it.
There are also boats along the river that do a one hour ride on the river. People along this path can tell you about this boat ride. It typically occurs in the late afternoon when the heat subsides.
Day 2: The Iguazu Falls on the Argentina Side
You will want to split up the park over two days for your Iguazu Falls itinerary, one for the Argentina side and one for the Brazil side. It does not matter which side you do on which day. Just consider the weather and the fact that the Argentina side is larger than the Brazil one when making your plans.
The Argentine side of the park puts you above the waterfalls. You can walk on boardwalks on the edge of the falls, looking down and seeing their power below your feet. In November 2023, two of the three circuits were open. (One was closed and damaged due to the flooding.)
You can end the day with a thrilling boat ride getting close to the waterfalls from the river. If we don’t want to do the boat ride on the Argentina side (it can also be done on the Brazil side) you can venture into the rainforest on a hike instead.
Day 3: Iguaçu National Park on the Brazilian Side
For the second day of the Iguazu Falls itinerary, spend the day at the Brazilian part of the waterfalls. Here, there is one walk to see a panorama of the falls and end close to the Devil’s Throat, the largest of all the waterfalls in Iguaçu.
The walk can take about two hours as you stop for photos along the path. Depending on how hot it is out, you may want to consider spending a substantial amount of time next to the Devil’s Throat, taking in the power of the waterfall and cooling down with all the water and mist coming off of the fall.
If you chose not to do the boat ride on the Argentina side of the park during your Iguazu Falls itinerary, consider doing it on the Brazil side. Exploring this side of the park during your Iguazu itinerary could take about half a day but if you add on the boat ride, it can definitely take a whole day. If you don’t do the boat ride in Brazil there is a bird park (Parque das Aves) nearby the entrance to the park that you can visit instead.
Crossing the Border Between Argentina and Brazil in the Iguazu Area
Read this portion of the Iguazu Falls itinerary if you are looking to change countries to leave the Iguazu Falls area. You will want a full day for the crossing.
To travel the border from Puerto Iguazu to Foz do Iguaçu, you can use the bus company, Rio Uruguay. The other bus option is Crucero del Norte. They have buses that leave every hour from the central bus station in Puerto Iguazu and you can purchase a bus ticket at the bus station. When you get on the bus, make sure to tell the bus driver that you will need to stop at the Brazilian border control. Locals do not stop at the border when they do the transportation often but you need to get a stamp and cross the border legally.
When going from Argentina to Brazil, the first stop will be at the Argentine border to leave the country. Here, everyone gets off the bus, goes through the controls, and gets back on the bus.
The next stop is the trickier one. You will get off the bus at the Brazilian border, to get the appropriate stamps to enter Brazil. The bus here will leave you at the border. You will then wait at the bus stop for the next bus to come by the same company. The wait is typically an hour but if you get impatient, keep some cash on you and purchase a ticket for the next bus going to the Foz do Iguaçu town, even though it is not the same company as before. You don’t have to buy another ticket if you use the same company. Just make sure you keep your bus ticket and receipt.
Finally, as you get into Foz do Iguaçu, track your location on a map app and indicate to your bus driver when you want to get off at the closest stop to your hotel.
