Which Side Of Iguazu Falls Is Better? The Complete Guide
Which side of Iguazu Falls is Better? Iguazu Falls (or Iguaçu Falls) on the border of Brazil and Argentina is one of the most breathtaking places I have ever visited. With 275 cascading waterfalls spanning 2.7km (1.6 mi), it’s no surprise it has been named one of the Seven Wonders of Nature.
Although the views of the falls from both countries are spectacular, the two sides offer very different experiences. In case you’re wondering which side of Iguazu Falls is better, here is everything you need to know about each, plus my take on Iguazu Falls Brazil Vs Argentina.
Where is Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu falls is the largest system of waterfalls in the world and is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil. The falls are part of the Iguazu River, dividing the river into upper and lower Iguazu. The river primarily flows through Brazil but most of the falls are actually located on the Argentina side.
About Iguazu Falls Argentina
The Argentina side of the falls is in Iguazu National Park, located in the Northeastern tip of Argentina, in the Misiones Province.
Closest Town: Puerto Iguazu
The closest town to Iguazu Falls Argentina is Puerto Iguazu. It’s located 19 km (11.8 mi) north of Iguazu National Park. The drive usually takes about 25-30 minutes, but can be up to 45 minutes depending on traffic.
Closest Airport: IGR
The closest airport on the Argentina side is Cataratas del Iguazu International Airport (IGR). The airport is only 9 km (5.6 mi) from the entrance to Iguazu National Park and 20 km (12.4 mi) from Puerto Iguazu.
About Iguaçu Falls Brazil
The Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls is located in Iguaçu National Park in Southern Brazil’s State of Parana.
Closest Town: Foz do Iguaçu
The closest town to the Brazilian side is Foz do Iguaçu. It’s only 18 km (11.1 mi) from the entrance to Brazil’s Iguaçu National Park. Just like the Argentina side, travelling from town to the park takes around 25 to 45 minutes, depending on traffic.
Once you arrive at the park, it’s another 11 km (6.8 mi) to the falls. However, the park operates a free bus service which takes you there.
Closest Airport: IGU
Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) is the closest airport to Iguaçu Falls Brazil. It’s actually located almost next door to the park entrance, just 3 km (1.8 mi) away. The distance between the airport and Foz do Iguaçu town is around 18 km (11.1 mi).
Iguazu Falls Argentina vs Iguaçu Falls Brazil – Everything You Need to Know
No matter how many photos or videos you look at from either side of the falls, they will never do it justice. You have to see Iguazu falls with your own eyes to truly appreciate how magnificent it is. And I promise you, you won’t regret it!
When planning your trip, try to allow yourself two days, so you can visit both the Argentina and Brazil sides. They are both truly spectacular and offer different experiences.
Although if you’re short on time and can only see one side, hopefully my overview of each will help you choose between the two.
READ MORE: Visiting Iguazu Falls, Where to Stay & Hotels
Iguazu Falls Argentina
On the Argentina side, the falls are located in Iguazu National Park, a 677 sq km (261 sq mi) area of subtropical rainforest.
Around 80% of the Falls is on the Argentina side. Although the park is much smaller than its Brazilian counterpart, Argentina’s Iguazu National Park has the largest area for tourists to experience. This includes 3 trails to experience numerous vantage points of the falls, as well as 3 additional trails to explore more of the park.
On the Argentina side, the vantage points are also very close to the falls. The closest and most dramatic is Devil’s throat, which gets you within just metres of the park’s largest waterfall, at over 80 meters (262 ft) high and 150 meters (492 ft) in length. Here you can truly experience the power of the falls and feel the spray as the mist rises from below.
Fun Fact – The Devil’s Throat waterfall has an average flow of 1,800 cubic meters per second, which is enough water to fill 36 olympic sized swimming pools per minute!
When I visited Iguazu Falls Argentina, the scenery reminded me of the landscapes from Avatar. As it turns out, Avatar wasn’t filmed here, but some scenes from Black Panther and Indiana Jones were!
Wildlife in the park
Both the Argentinian and Brazilian parks are home to a wide range of spectacular wildlife, including jaguars, jaguarundi and ocelot, as well as endangered species such as the giant anteater. Although, these animals are very rarely seen by visitors.
One animal you will likely see on the Argentina side is the coati. These are similar looking animals to raccoons, and just like their cousins, are very eager to steal your food. Although they are very cute, be cautious and don’t get too close, as they can bite. It’s also important to note that you are not allowed to feed any of the animals!
Other wildlife you may encounter are black capuchin monkeys (which can also be very cheeky, like the coati!), beautiful butterflies and colourful native birds. One of the most spectacular to see is the Tocu Toucan, which can very occasionally be spotted, if you’re patient and lucky.
Your chances of seeing a toucan are best early in the morning, as they are more active prior to sunrise. So if you’re staying at the hotel inside Iguazu National Park, it could be worth getting up early!
Rainforest Ecological Train
Inside Argentina’s Iguazu National Park, the park operates the Rainforest Ecological Train, which takes you to the different points of interest, where you can do the trails. The train has 3 stations: Central Station (near the entry to the park), Cataratas (where 2 of the trails start) and ‘Garganta del Diablo’, which is about 2000 meters from Devil’s Throat.
The train is slow, quiet and does not emit any smoke. It was designed this way to avoid disrupting the animals and minimize its impact on the surrounding environment.
The train runs approximately every 15-20 minutes and is included with your park entry, so you don’t need to buy a separate ticket.
Cost & Tickets (Argentina)
The general entrance fees for the Iguazu Falls Argentina side:
- Adults (17+ years) – $5,500 ARS ($25 USD)
- Children (6-16 years) – $2,000 ARS ($9 USD)
- Children under 6 years old – FREE
- National and Provincial Residents – Prices range from FREE to $1,500 ARS (click here for the full list of fees)
Note – If you want to visit the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls again the next day, tickets for a consecutive day visit are reduced by 50%. To be eligible for this discount you must validate your ticket at the end of your first day, before leaving.
Buying Tickets
You can purchase tickets for Iguazu Falls Argentina in advance or at the park entrance in cash or by card. I recommend buying them in advance, to save time on the day as queues can be long.
Additional Expenses
Eco Tourism Tax
If you’re visiting the Argentina side and returning to the Brazil side, you will be required to pay an eco-tourism tax per person. This will be collected on your way back to the Brazil side, at a toll booth at Puerto Iguazu. The fee is $250 ARS, but you can also pay in USD or BRL.
Tours & Activities
If you want to partake in additional activities while visiting the falls, prices will vary based on the activity you book and the tour provider.
Note – If you book a Tour, the price of the tour may already include your entry fee. So make sure to check this before you double pay!
Food and Drinks
There is one sit-down restaurant (Restaurant ‘El Fortin’) and various cafes and fast food vendors inside Iguazu National Park. However, the prices inside the park are very expensive for Argentina. We packed our own lunch but bought coffee inside the park which was $500 ARS per coffee ($2.30 USD).
Parking
If you are driving, the parking fee for the day is $750 ARS ($3.50 USD) for a car, $375 ARS ($1.75 USD) for a motorbike and $1125 ARS ($5.25 USD) for a van.
Opening Hours (Argentina)
The Argentina side of Iguazu Falls is open from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm every day.
Trails & Viewpoints (Argentina)
There are 3 viewpoint trails in Iguazu National Park that everyone should do: Devil’s Throat, Superior Circuit and Lower Circuit. They are all easy trails made up of mostly flat metal walkways through the jungle and over water. Although if doing all 3, the distance at the end of the day will add up to about 10 km (6 mi) of walking.
Something to note – certain sections of the trails do have stairs. If you are unable to go up and down stairs, some sections have ramps as an alternative. But you won’t be able to access the entirety of the trails.
In addition to the 3 main trails, if you want to explore more of the park on foot, there are another 3 trails you can do: The Macuco Trail, Green Trail and Rainforest Ecological Train alternative trail.
READ MORE: The Complete Guide to Hiking Trails at Iguazu Falls
Argentina Tours & Experiences
Although there are fewer activities to do on the Argentina side (other than the trails), there are still some tours you can book.
Day Tour
You can do an Iguazu Falls day tour on either side of the falls, starting from either side. Doing a tour is a particularly good idea when you’re looking to visit the falls on the other side of the border.
Most tours include transfers, so they will pick you up from your hotel and will take you across the border. This is much easier than navigating the border crossing on your own. The tours also usually include all entry fees to the park, and you can often include an optional lunch.
There are different options for tours to the Argentina side, starting from different locations:
✅ Argentinian Side of the Falls (All Tickets Included) Day Tour from Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) Or Foz do Iguacu (Brazil). Includes trilingual guide, air-conditioned hotel pick-up and drop-off, and National Park fees.
✅ Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls Argentina from Puerto Iguazu (Argentina). Does NOT include entry fees. A bilingual guide and air-conditioned hotel pick-up and drop-off is included.
✅ Private Full-Day Tour to Iguazu Falls Argentina from Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) Hotels or Airport. Includes private professional guide, air-conditioned private transfers, National Park entry fees and medical assistance.
✅ Iguazu Falls Argentina Day Tour from Buenos Aires. Includes airfares, hotel transfers, private transportation, National Park fees, and private guided tour.
My experience doing the Iguazu Falls Argentina day tour:
We did the day trip to Iguazu Falls Argentina from the Brazil side, where we were staying. The tour guides picked us up in a bus from our hotel at 7:20 am. We then proceeded to collect other guests from a few other nearby hotels before driving to the border crossing.
The tour makes getting there and the border crossing easy!
Ahead of boarding the bus, the guides took our passports and when we arrived at the border they went inside to speak to the immigration officers. They were able to get approval for everyone on the bus to enter Argentina, without any of us having to get off the bus. It was great how simple and stress free this made it!
Back on the bus we were then given information by the guides about what we will be seeing and the format of the day. We then arrived at the Iguazu National Park around 9:45 am.
We chose to explore a lot on our own but had the support of the guides as needed
Once we got to the park, my partner and I decided to head off on our own in search of coffee. Shortly after we ran into our group and re-joined them to get the Rainforest Ecological Train to the Devil’s Throat trailhead.
Although we had the option of staying with the group for a fully guided tour, we once again headed off to explore on our own and rejoined the group in time to get the train back with them to Cataratas (the middle station). From there, we left them for the rest of the afternoon to explore the upper and lower trails on our own. We preferred to do it this way since we could go at our own pace, but it was nice to have the guides and group to join back up with at the end of our hikes.
There was an optional lunch as part of our tour, which we didn’t book as we preferred to bring a packed lunch. So we ate this in-between hikes and at the meeting point at the end of the day we got an ice cream while waiting for the rest of the group. Then we got the bus back to our hotel with the group, once again with a fuss-free border crossing!
Boat Ride (Gran Aventura)
A really fun tour to do is a boat ride which actually takes you UNDER some of the falls. This is an epic tour, which I highly recommend.
The Boat Ride can actually be done from either the Brazilian or the Argentinian side. We chose to do it on the Brazil side, so I will go into more detail about the experience further down, in my overview of Iguaçu Falls Brazil.
On the Argentina side, Gran Aventura is the operator which runs the boat tours. From what I’ve heard, the experience with them is very similar to the boat ride on the Brazil side. HOWEVER, there are apparently A LOT of stairs required to get up and down to the Gran Aventura boats. So, if you prefer not to do the stairs, I recommend the boat ride on the Brazil side, since there is an elevator.
Also, it’s worth noting, if you don’t want to get wet you can ask the boat operator for a dry boat, which they will accommodate. (Although you may have a longer wait for enough people to want to join you on this).
You can book a Boat Ride at Iguazu Falls (Argentina side) here. This tour includes a bilingual guide, hotel transfers, and the boat ride. If booking this tour you won’t need to book a separate Iguazu Falls day tour. (Although, the National Park entrance fee is not included, so you will need to purchase this separately.)
Full Moon Walk
One unique tour available on the Iguazu Falls Argentina side is a Full Moon walk under the Moonlight. As per its name, this tour is only available when there is a full-moon, which is once a month.
If you get lucky with the timing, this looks like an amazing way to see the falls in a completely different light (literally)! The tour only has a maximum of 15 people and includes a local guide and hotel transfers. Although it doesn’t include park entry fees, so you will need to pay those separately.
We didn’t do this tour for two reasons. Firstly, we weren’t staying on the Argentina side overnight, and secondly, it wasn’t a full moon. However, I really hope we will be able to do it next time we visit.
Iguaçu Falls Brazil
Iguaçu National Park stretches 1,700 sq km (656 sq mi) and is home to the Brazilian side of Iguaçu Falls. This is the larger of the two national parks, although it is home to the smaller portion of the falls.
But what the Brazil side lacks in terms of falls, it makes up for with views! The advantage of visiting Iguaçu Falls Brazil is that you get a full panoramic view of the Argentinian side, which is a spectacular site to see.
On the Brazil side, there is one main viewpoint to take in the epic views of Iguaçu Falls. This is accessible by taking an elevator down to the viewing platform. For some additional smaller viewpoints, there is also the option of doing a short trail which leads to the elevator and main lookout.
Don’t worry if you skip the trail and just get the elevator straight to the lookout, as this is where you will get the best views anyway!
Our day at Iguaçu Falls Brazil was actually the highlight of our trip to the falls, made so special by all the activities we did. We did the helicopter tour, a boat ride and visited the bird park. These experiences were all amazing in their own way and we found them all to be very reasonably priced. (Read more on them below)
Wildlife In The Park
Just like on the Argentinian side of the falls, Iguaçu National Park in Brazil is home to a wide range of wildlife such as jaguars, jaguarundi, ocelot and giant anteaters. Although these are all rare animals to see in the wild.
When visiting the Brazil side of Iguaçu Falls, you are likely to see the same animals you would on the Argentina side, such as the coati, various birds, and lots of butterflies. As always, remember not to get too close or feed the animals.
To see some wildlife up close, I highly recommend visiting the bird park on the Brazil side of Iguaçu Falls (more on this below).
Park Bus
Upon entering Iguaçu National Park on the Brazil side, you will immediately be required to queue for a park-operated bus which takes visitors to the Porto Canoas Square Station, where the elevator and viewing platform is. This is about 10 km (6 mi) away and the journey takes around 15-20 minutes. At the end of the day, you will also get the bus back to the entrance of the park.
On route, there are additional stops for the boat tour (Macuco Safari) and walking trail. So you should make sure to get off at the right stop if you’re looking to partake in these activities.
Cost & Tickets (Brazil)
Park entrance fees for Iguaçu Falls Brazil tend to change a lot. So for the most up-to-date pricing, it’s always best to check the Iguacu Falls online ticketing page directly.
The most recent prices I have seen for Iguaçu National Park are $83 BRL ($17 USD) for adults and $11 BRL ($2.20 USD) for children ages 6 to 11. Entry for children under the age of 6 is free. Similar to the Argentina side, prices for local residents are also slightly cheaper.
Buying Tickets
You can buy tickets in cash at the entrance, through a tour agency, or online. You can pay for tickets at the park entrance in Brazilian Reals, USD, or Argentina Pesos. There is also an ATM there so you can get money out if you don’t have cash on you.
Although I would usually recommend buying tickets in advance online to save time, the online booking system for the Brazil side tends to be quite temperamental. A good way around this is to buy your tickets by booking a tour (there are different packages available at different price points).
Additional Expenses
Tours & Activities
Like on the Argentina side, if you book tours, they may already include the ticket prices and entry to the park.
Food and Drinks
There is one restaurant on the Brazilian side of the falls – Restaurante Porto Canoas – which is located just above the main viewing point. this is a buffet-style restaurant which will set you back $68 BRL ($14 USD) per person for lunch. It is a bit touristy but has an outdoor seating area with a nice view of the falls, which makes it worth it.
There are also some fast food outlets at the park, although these are quite pricy. Therefore, if you’re not eating in the restaurant I recommend packing your own lunch and snacks.
Parking
Parking by the visitor centre is free at Iguaçu Falls Brazil.
Opening Hours (Brazil)
The Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls is open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm every day.
Trails & Viewpoints (Brazil)
The only trail on the Iguaçu Falls Brazil side is the Waterfall Trail (or ‘path to the falls’). This is a 1.6 (1 mi) trail which leads to several lookouts, before reaching the elevator to the main viewpoint. The trail is relatively easy and largely accessible, although there are quite a few stairs. If this will be too difficult, you can skip the walk and get the elevator directly to the main viewpoint instead.
If you want to do the trail, make sure to get off the park bus at the ‘Path to the Falls’ stop, rather than the final stop.
Note – There is actually also an optional short trail you can do as part of the Macuco Safari Boat Ride experience. More on this below!
Read more about the different trails at Iguazu Falls
Brazil Tours & Experiences
There are several amazing activities to do on the Brazil side of the falls. And this is really where the Brazilian side shines, as not all of these experiences are available in Argentina.
We had the best day at Iguaçu Falls Brazil doing as many of the experiences as we could fit in. Each one was epic and unique in its own way, and I highly recommend all of them. Next time we visit the falls, I will definitely plan to do these again, and more!
👍 BEST IGUAZU FALLS TOUR
Our pick is the Iguazu Falls Brazilian Side: Macuco Safari, Helicopter Flight and Bird Park Complete Tour because it is one of the highest rated and includes everything!
Day Tour
Like on the Argentinian side, you can also do a day tour to Iguaçu Falls Brazil. This is the easiest way to visit the falls, especially if you’re coming from across the border. The tour will usually include hotel transfers and the guides will manage the border crossing process for you.
Here are some tour options to visit Iguaçu Falls Brazil, from different starting points:
✅ Full Day Tour of Iguacu Falls Brazil side, from Foz do Iguacu (Brazil). Includes air-conditioned hotel pick-up and drop-off and a local guide. Does NOT include National Park entrance fee.
✅ Iguacu Falls Brazilian Side Complete Tour, including Helicopter Flight, Macuco Safari and Bird Park (from Foz do Iguacu, Brazil). Includes tickets and equipment for all activities, roundtrip hotel transfers, and a professional guide. Does NOT include National Park entrance fee.
✅ Full Day Group Tour of Both Sides of Iguazu Falls from Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) or Foz do Iguacu (Brazil). Includes roundtrip transfers, a professional guide, and entry fees on the Argentina side. Does NOT include National Park fees for the Brazil side.
✅ Private Full Day Tour to Both Sides of Iguazu Falls (Brazil & Argentina) from Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) or Foz do Iguacu (Brazil). Includes private air-conditioned transportation, a professional guide, and assistance at the border. Note, does NOT include park entry fees.
Helicopter Flight
The most breathtaking experience you can do at Iguaçu Falls is taking a panoramic helicopter ride over the falls. This is the only way to get a truly panoramic view of the entire falls and take in the magnitude of the Iguazu river and surrounding jungle. Plus, you get to ride in a helicopter, which on its own is a thrilling experience!
The helicopter ride lasts for 10 minutes and you literally see EVERYTHING in one frame. This was an incredible and unique perspective of the falls and the surrounding environment was very humbling to see.
You can buy tickets for the helicopter ride online. There is also the option of buying a package which combines other activities (which I highly recommend). You may be able to purchase tickets through your hotel. I always prefer to buy tickets in advance, to ensure I don’t miss out and to save time queuing.
Alternatively, if you prefer to buy tickets closer to the time, you can also purchase them at the heliport on the day. Generally, all vendors are priced similarly, and you should expect to pay around $150 USD per person. Considering how epic this experience was, I think this is a very fair price.
The heliport is conveniently located just outside the entrance to Iguaçu National Park, and to the bird park. (All 3 attractions are located within just a couple of minutes walking distance of one another). Therefore you can easily go do the helicopter ride before or after visiting the park and doing other activities.
This truly is a bucket-list-worthy experience that I can’t recommend highly enough!
➡️ Read My Full Review of The Iguazu Falls Helicopter Flight
Macuco Safari Boat Ride
The Macuco Safari Boat Ride is available on the Brazilian side of the falls. (A similar boat ride is available through Gran Aventura on the Argentina side).
A lot of people will choose between doing the helicopter flight OR the boat road. But the two tours offer such different and spectacular experiences! Therefore I would actually recommend doing both if you’re able to.
On the Brazil side, the Macuco Safari starting point is the first stop on the park bus, so make sure to get off here! (Whereas on the Argentina side, the boat ride departure point is within the main area of the park).
Tip: Leave your belongings in a locker (available for rent) at the boat ride start point, and bring a towel and dry clothes to change into, as you will get very wet!
Jungle Safari
The Macuco Safari boat experience starts with a ‘jungle safari’ on big 4×4 vehicles through the jungle. There is also an option to do a short 600 meter hike at the end of the safari. This experience felt like something out of Jurassic Park! You then head down to the boat launch area (which involves some stairs and walking over rocks and sand).
Boat Ride
The boat ride is a thrilling experience! The boats are like giant speed boats, which crash over the rapids, leaning from side to side. They get you as close to the falls as possible on the water, and you get an amazing view of Devil’s Throat at the end of the river.
But the highlight is how close you get to some of the smaller falls dotted around the river. In fact, you actually go UNDER some of the falls several times. Therefore, when I say you will get wet, I actually mean completely soaked through!
The boat ride was full of excitement, screams and adrenaline. And although the views aren’t quite as good as from the helicopter, this was by far the most fun experience we had at Iguaçu Falls.
I am not entirely sure how long we were actually on the boat for, but the whole experience lasted around 2 hours. You can buy tickets directly at the starting point of the Macuco Safari tour, online in advance through a tour (including transfers), or sometimes even through your hotel. Rates will vary between around $90 USD to $130 USD, depending on the vendor and what is included in your ticket or tour.
Note – If you don’t want to get wet, ask the tour operator for the dry boat option, which they will accommodate. On the dry boat, you will still get as close to the falls as possible, and speed over the rapids, but you won’t go under any of the falls. (Although be prepared for a longer wait, as they will wait for a few people for the dry boat before departing).
➡️ Read My Full Review of The Macuco Safari boat ride at Iguazu Falls
Bird Park (Parque das Aves)
The Iguazu Falls bird park (‘Parque das Aves‘) is located a couple of minutes’ walk from the entrance to Iguaçu National Park (opposite the heliport). I didn’t even know about the bird park before I visited Iguaçu Falls so it wasn’t on my radar. But I am so glad that we chose to visit it, as it was such a wonderful wildlife experience.
I recommend allowing yourself at least 2 hours to explore the bird park. During your visit, you will get to wander through enclosures with hundreds of colourful and exotic birds and see them up close, as well as other wildlife such as tortoises, snakes and crocodiles. A lot of the birds even roam freely in the different sections of the park, so there are lots of great photo opportunities and chances to interact with the birds.
You can buy the bird park entrance tickets directly at the park or through your hotel (if they have a ticket agent). The entry fee to the park is $80 BRL ($16 USD) per person, although children under 8 are free. Alternatively, you can book a bird park tour (including entry and transfers) online in advance.
➡️ Read My Full Review of Parque Das Aves (The Iguazu Falls Bird Park)
Canoeing Expedition
Finally, if you want to do a more active activity when exploring Iguaçu Falls, there is also the option of booking a guided canoe expedition. Sadly, this is not something I got to do this time, but it is definitely something I plan to do when I come back!
This activity is operated by Aguaray Eco Sports, a local company from Foz do Iguaçu, and includes all equipment and local guides. The guides will take you on a mix of hiking trails and canoe routes down the Iguaçu River, including hiking to a waterfall to swim. You will also learn more about the Atlantic Forest, and history and culture of the local area on the tour.
This tour costs $38 USD and lasts around 3 hours. I suggest booking this for a day when you aren’t visiting the falls, to ensure you have enough time.
Which Side of Iguazu Falls is Better?
The Iguazu Falls Argentina side is usually considered to be the better side since there are more trails and a lot more viewpoints. Plus, you get much closer to the falls than the Brazil side. But, Iguaçu Falls Brazil does have the only viewpoint with a panoramic view of the falls, which is particularly spectacular.
If you aren’t planning to book any activities at the falls, then I have to agree that the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls is better. On the Argentina side you can make a whole day out of just doing the trails and enjoying the many vantage points.
BUT, if you are looking to do activities (which I highly recommend) then the Brazil side is better. There are more activities to do at Iguaçu Falls Brazil and they really are bucket-list-worthy. Not only do the activities offer a thrilling experience, but the helicopter ride also gives you the BEST views of the falls. There is honestly no comparison.
So, if I could only choose one side of the falls, which would it be?
Because the activities we did at Iguaçu Falls Brazil were so much fun and the views were the most spectacular, if I had to choose (although it might be a controversial opinion) I think the Brazil side of the falls is better.
Saying that, next time I visit, I will absolutely do both sides again, as they are both breathtaking. Plus, I think seeing both really is the only way to get a true Iguazu Falls experience.
Traveling Between Argentina and Brazil
If you’re planning to visit the falls in both Brazil and Argentina, you must be prepared to cross an international border.
Here are the key things you need to know ahead of traveling between the two countries:
- Bring your passport! This might sound obvious, but is something that can easily be forgotten, especially when crossing the border just for a day trip.
- Make sure you have a visa (if you need one). Some countries are visa exempt for Argentina and Brazil, but this is definitely something to check well in advance of your trip. If you do need a visa, you will then have plenty of time to organize it. Keep in mind, it is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct immigration documents. If you don’t, you won’t be able to cross the border and visit the falls.
- You can travel back and forth between Brazil and Argentina in one day by car, bus, taxi or transfer. From my experience, taking a transfer (which is included with most tours) is the best option. The transfer buses pick you up from your hotel and they get to skip the often long queues at the border. Plus, it definitely takes the stress out of the crossing. The guides will take your passport at the beginning of the journey and will deal with immigration officers on your behalf.
Note – Brazil’s visa requirements are changing for the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. As of January 10, 2024 visitors from these countries will be required to obtain an entry visa before traveling to Brazil.
FAQs
To help you plan your trip, here are answers to some more frequently asked questions.
Can you visit both sides of the falls in the same day?
Yes, if you aren’t able to spend a full day on each side of the falls, it is possible to visit both sides in one day! (Although this would be a long day!)
If you’re looking to do this, I highly recommend booking a tour, to maximize your time and make sure you see as much as possible. You can book a Full-Day Iguazu Falls Both Sides (Brazil and Argentina) Tour here.
However, if you do have the time to spend at least 2 days at the falls, I would highly recommend taking a full day to explore the Argentina side and a full day to explore the Brazil side. This really is the best way to get the most out of your visit!
Is Iguazu Falls accessible?
Yes! Both the Argentina and Brazil sides of Iguazu Falls are mostly accessible! There are some sections of the trails which are not fully accessible (where stairs are required). But you can still get to the most important viewpoints on both sides of the falls and even do most of the trails. Read more about the trails and which ones are accessible here.
How long do you need to visit Iguazu Falls?
To properly see Iguazu Falls Argentina, you need at least 5 hours, which will allow you enough time to do the 3 main viewpoint trails. But the more time you have the better, as there are additional trails you can do on the Argentina side.
On the Brazil side, you will need about 2 hours to visit the falls, but you should allow much more time if you plan to do activities. (See above for descriptions of each activity, including their duration).
Therefore, I would recommend spending a full day on each side of Iguazu Falls.
How long does it take to cross the border at Iguazu Falls?
This really depends on a number of things, like how busy it is that day, whether you’re travelling by car, taxi or bus, and whether you need a visa.
From my experience, crossing the border on a bus (as part of a tour) took around 30 minutes. Although the average time to cross the border is generally considered to be 1 hour.
Can you visit Iguazu Falls without a tour?
Yes, absolutely! There is no obligation to partake in a tour when visiting Iguazu Falls. The benefit of visiting the falls on a tour is that it is easier, since the transport, border crossings, tickets and itinerary is looked after for you.
However, even if you partake in a tour, you have no obligation to stick with the group. When we visited Iguazu Falls Argentina on a tour, we left the group to go and explore on our own once we were inside the park.
What is the best time to visit Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls is spectacular all year, and when is the best time to visit depends on what type of experience you’re after. Generally, March to May, and August to October are considered the best times, as this is the dry season, since the weather is more comfortable and you’re in with a better chance of the water being blue.
Whereas if you visit in the rainy season, it will be very hot and the excess rain can make the water at the falls brown. However, this is also the time when Iguazu Falls is at its most impressive, as there is more water cascading down.
Final Thoughts – Which Side of Iguazu Falls is Better
Iguazu Falls is breathtaking from both sides. Personally, I would always make the effort to see both the Argentina and Brazil sides when visiting the falls. This really is the best way to get the full experience.
But if I really had to choose which side of Iguazu Falls is better, I would choose Brazil. Although this might be an unpopular opinion, from my perspective, the wider range of activities on the Brazil side make it more exciting. Plus it’s the only side you can take the helicopter ride, which is the BEST way to see the falls!
However, without the activities, then the Argentina side is definitely the better side to visit. It has a lot more vantage points and trails, so there will be plenty of epic views and hikes to keep you entertained.
Whichever way you decide to see the falls, you will have the most amazing time. And if you can only get to one side, don’t worry, as you will definitely want to come back again in the future, so there’s your excuse to do so!
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