The Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side of the national park is the larger of the two sides. You can really spend a whole day walking around the park, taking photos, and doing the adventure boat ride. In November 2023, a few pieces of the park were closed due to being damaged from flooding the prior weeks. If every piece of the park is open, you can truly spend the full day exploring the jungle and waterfalls.
Getting a Bus to the Iguazu Falls
To get to the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side, you will want to go to the bus station in Puerto Iguazu to purchase a bus ticket. If you go early, you can purchase tickets for the first bus to get to the park before too many people arrive (and it definitely gets busy!). There is a bakery across the street from the bus station, so you can get some pastries for breakfast right before getting on the bus.
The bus company is Rio Uruguay and the first bus leaves at 7:30 am. It is important to carry Argentine pesos to buy the tickets! They do not take cards. You can also purchase your return ticket here. You do not need to determine a time for your return ticket. You will just need to show a purchased ticket to return on the bus. The ride from Puerto Iguazu to the park takes about 40 minutes.
Tickets to the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina Side
You can purchase your tickets to the national park in advance from this website. Information about purchasing tickets to the park has changed over the last few years so you may want to reach out to your accommodation to get the right information. The link above is the official website to purchase tickets and should have the most up-to-date information in both English and Spanish to help you determine how to visit Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side and the Brazil side.
Navigating the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina Side
There are 5 different parts to this park. We will go through each one of them, telling you what we did, what we didn’t do, and the order we did it all. When Blueprint Travelers visiting the park in November 2023, some aspects of the park were closed due to the impact of the flooding. In addition, the circuits were all “there-and-backs” instead of loops because of the damage, making the trails feel even busier.
Tickets for the boat ride are available online and we recommend purchasing the tickets in advance as they typically will sell out due to the popularity of this adventure. If there are no tickets available online, you may be able to see if there is more availability from the company office at the center of the park.
To get around the park, there is a train that can drop you off at various points of the park. You need to get your free train ticket in advance right when you enter into the park. (You will want to take the train to make your way to the Devil’s Throat walk, especially if it is particularly hot.) You can find a map of the park here.
Inferior Circuit
A ranger recommended to start with the inferior circuit when visiting the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side. It will give you an intimate introduction to the falls. The ranger also recommended walking from the park entrance to the start of the circuit rather than waiting to take the train because you will get to the trail prior to other people and have the opportunity to see the falls without the crowds.
First thing in the morning, it should be quiet and calm, allowing you to take in the start of the beauty. This path is at the same level as the bottom of some of the waterfalls. This is just one of the perspectives that you will experience of the falls. Then, you can make your way towards a more panoramic view of the falls, all with a jungle background around you.
The paths on this circuit were all metal boardwalks which could be slippery when wet. Make sure to wear walking/grippy sandals when visiting. When open, the backside of the circuit takes you through the jungle as a loop to complete the walk.
The Blueprint Travelers Iguazu Falls Staples
Superior Circuit
This superior circuit of the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side will put you above and on the edge of the waterfalls. There are outlooks where you can see views of the falls and get close to the edge. You can truly experience and feel the power and speed of the water.
Similarly to the inferior circuit, when the whole trail is open, the route of the trail is a loop, which helps with crowd movement and flow.
Devil's Throat Walk
Unfortunately, in November 2023, this walk was completely demolished by the strength of the overflowing waterfall. However, it has since been repaired and is now open to the public. To get to the walk, you will take a train to the start of the walk and go on a boardwalk to a viewpoint over the top of the Devil’s Throat (the largest of the waterfalls). You can walk instead of taking the train but the walk is not the most interesting and may not be worth the time or energy, especially in the heat. When open, this is the most popular of the walks but unlike the other circuits, this walk is not a loop, causing more congestion.
Gran Aventura with Iguazu Jungle
The Gran Aventura boat ride is is an adventure ride that takes you on the river and close to the waterfall. You will get wet! You will want to reserve your boat ride in advance online here to make sure you can do the boat ride, especially during peak season. There is a similar company on the Brazilian side that has the same experience and ride.
If you enjoy thrill rides or a little bit of adrenalin, you will have fun on this boat ride. It’s far from scary but definitely has a level of thrill. On the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina side, the experience is not only a boat cruise. You will start the experience with a jeep ride through the rainforest with a guide who told will tell you about the ecosystem here. Then, you are given life vests, a dry bag for your things, and filed onto the boat.
The guides here will boat you down the river, give you a view of the waterfalls from the river, and then moved close to the falls where you will get soaked!
The ride is quick but being able to see the falls from that vantage point and feel their power on you is a great experience.
As Blueprint Travelers were leaving the experience, they saw someone who was suffering a heat stroke. She ended up leaving in an ambulance and we really hope that she is ok. This is an important reminder to drink water. You can bring water into the park or purchase it all around to keep you hydrated and cool!
Macuco Trail
This is a 6 km walk (3 km each way) through the rainforest that ends at a waterfall. It is recommended to wear close-toed shoes because of the snakes that could be on the path. Consider bringing hiking shoes if you want to do this walk (but to be honest, the heat is truly a deterrent to putting on socks.)
Eating in the Iguazu National Park
You can bring your own food into the park but we decided to pick up some sandwiches from a grab-and-go spot in the center of the park. It completely satisfied us but there are also some bakeries in town that can provide some sandwiches as well. There were signs everywhere warning us against the thieving animals of coati and capuchin monkeys.
Leaving the Iguazu Falls from the Argentina Side
To get back to the bus stop, you can take the train to get to the entrance. You will then make your way back to where the bus initially dropped you off to get the next bus back to Puerto Iguazu. You can either purchase your return ticket from the bus office in the morning in Puerto Iguazu or pay cash directly on the bus.