🇧🇷 | Iguazu Falls
Iguazu, in the local Guarani language, means “big water,” and in Spanish, it is called “cataratas del iguazú.”
Location: At the border of Brazil and Argentina
The attractions on the Brazilian side are not as many as on the Argentine side, but you can enjoy a magnificent panoramic view. On the Argentine side, you can observe the falls up close.
For intercity travel in South America, the options are bus and plane. Since the waterfall park and the airport are quite close, we ultimately chose to fly.
✈️ The flight from São Paulo to Iguazu Airport takes about an hour.
Outside the airport, there are luggage storage lockers. The lockers are quite spacious and can fit suitcases. It costs 35 BRL for 24 hours.
🚌 The distance from the airport to the waterfall park is about 3 kilometers. You can take an Uber or a bus. If taking the bus, pay attention to the direction! Also, you need to have change; it seems to be 5 BRL per person, and they do not give change.
The entrance ticket to the waterfall park is 86 BRL per person. You can book tickets online or buy them on-site. Considering the queue, it’s better to book online in advance (it’s another Portuguese website, which is a bit of a hassle).
☔️ Regarding raincoats: Many people say it’s unnecessary, but I personally think it’s necessary to prepare one in advance. It started raining as soon as we entered the park, and although there is some distance to the actual falls, you get wet along the way. The difference between getting drenched by the falls and being slowly rained on is noticeable. [Blushing] Most importantly, there are many birds in the park that freely defecate. So, I think it’s better to wear a raincoat.
Inside the park, you can take a sightseeing train. The first stop is Macuco Safari, which is a waterfall rafting project. It needs to be purchased separately, costing around 380 BRL per person. This can also be booked online in advance.
Taking a boat under the falls, I personally think it’s very worth trying.
There are crows 🐦⬛ or bats 🦇 circling overhead, and the overall atmosphere is really like Jurassic Park.
Prepare clean clothes in advance for changing after the waterfall rafting.
Store your clean clothes in a locker. The key for the locker needs to be purchased at the souvenir shop, and I remember it was about 10 BRL per locker.
The second stop is Devil’s Throat. If you don’t do the waterfall rafting, you can go directly here. Follow the Devil’s Throat walkway, and the Iguazu Falls will be right in front of you. The scene is described as “the sea pouring into the abyss.”
You will get completely wet here. Many tourists come wearing swimsuits or wetsuits, which seems like a good choice, or quick-dry clothes. Pay attention to personal safety and hold your phone tightly. You can buy a waterproof phone case in advance.
Just about 800 meters from the waterfall park’s entrance, you’ll find the entrance to the vibrant bird park. It’s a short walk, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to make it there this time around since the park closes its gates promptly at 4:30 PM.
That said, I’ve already purchased two tickets for the bird park that remain unused. If any of my fellow travelers or friends are planning a visit soon, I’d be happy to transfer these tickets to them. All it takes is an online date change, and the tickets will be good to go! (Please note that passport information is required for the transfer process.)
For those curious, the standard ticket price for the bird park appears to be 80 BRL, making these pre-purchased tickets quite a valuable find. According to the official website, changing the date is hassle-free, so feel free to give it a try if needed!
