Iguazu National Park: See Both Sides in 1 Day
Planning on visiting Iguazu National Park? Then, the best advice we can give you is to leave enough time to see both sides of the falls. Iguazu Falls is one of the largest waterfall systems in the world, and spans across the border of both Argentina and Brazil. This gives you the unique (well, unless if you’ve been to Niagara) experience of viewing the falls from two remarkable view points. Luckily, if you’re short on time, it is possible to see both sides in just one day!
Planning Your Trip to Iguazu National Park
If you’re looking for information on: how long to spend in the park, which side is better, where to stay, how to get there, etc, check out our blog post: Iguazu Falls: Everything You Need to See the 7 Wonder from Brazil AND Argentina. We outline everything from opening hours, tickets, to how long to spend in each section of the park and where the best views are!
What Does 1 Day in Iguazu National Park Look Like?
From experience, and with the guidance of Iguazu Falls Travel, this is what 1 day on both sides of Iguazu National Park looks like, if you want to make it to the best spots on both sides.
- 7:45 AM: Arrive at Iguazu Falls, Argentina
- 8:00 AM: Enter on your pre-purchased ticket
- 8:15 AM: Catch the train at Estacion Central to Garganta Station
- 8:35 AM: Arrive at Estacion Garganta and walk to Devil’s Throat
- 8:55 AM: Arrive at Devil’s Throat, take pictures, then walk back to the station
- 10:00 AM: Depart Garganta Station to Estacion Cataratas
- 10:15 AM: Do the Upper Circuit from Estacion Cataratas
- 11:00 AM: Do the Lower Circuit
- 12:00 PM: Lunch and walk back to park entrance
- 1:00 PM: Leave on a private shuttle (info below) to Iguazu Falls, Brazil – if you can’t do a private shuttle, cut out the Upper and Lower Circuit and ride the bus between the parks
- 2:00 PM: Arrive at Iguazu Falls, Brazil
- 2:30 PM: Enter on your timed-entry ticket
- 3:00 PM: Get off at bus stop 12, walk the waterfall trail to Porto Canoas
- 5:30 PM: Get on the bus at Porto Canoas to the park entrance
- 6:00 PM: Park closes, check out the gift shop and head out for the night
As you can see from the itinerary above, it’s a pretty packed day. So, how is this even possible?
The Secret Hack: Cross Border Transport
This content was created in partnership with Iguazu Falls Tours. All reviews and opinions expressed in this post are based on our personal view.
When we planned our trip to Iguazu National Park, due to flight itineraries, we were pretty short on time. But, after researching the falls, we decided we had to see both sides (and we didn’t regret it). We only had 1.25 days in the area, which was not enough time to split the falls into 1 day/country. Upon further research, we found that Iguazu Falls Tours has a transfer service that allows you to see both sides of the falls in 1 day.
Why Do I Need a Transfer to See Both Sides of Iguazu National Park?
While you don’t necessarily “need” a transfer to take you to both side of Iguazu National Park, it certainly takes the stress out of the trip. Looking at the itinerary above, there isn’t much time for breaks outside of lunch. You’re basically walking directly from view point to view point. But, if you’re like us (frugal and skeptical), you’re probably wondering:
What About Public Transportation or a Rental Car?
Public transportation is possible (I did mention a bus in the above itinerary). In fact, this blogger was able to do it. But, after the stress of missing plenty of buses, she doesn’t recommend it. Looking at what they were able to accomplish with public transportation, it looks like they missed multiple trails on the Argentinian side of Iguazu National Park because the schedule was so tight. So, we nixed that idea.
Renting a car is also an option, with enough notice and permits you can take rental cars across the Brazil and Argentina border. However, time is the limiting factor here. While you can get a rental car for as low as $15 USD/day, the line to cross the border is a complete gamble. Every day, there’ s a huge line of cars trying to cross the border from Brazil to Argentina, because the gas is cheaper! So whichever direction you’re going, you run the risk of waiting in a long line (over an hour long) behind cars going to or returning from their cheap gas pickup. So, nix that idea.
How Much Does it Cost?
Depending on exchange rates, number of people, and what type of service you book, we paid around $75 USD/person for a private transfer to take us to both sides of Iguazu National Park in 1 day through Iguazu Falls Tours.
But… Why Not Take a Tour of Iguazu National Park?
With a quick google search, you can find at least one tour that will take you to both sides of the falls in one day, complete with a tour guide and transport. But, it’s technically more expensive. Tickets start around $90-95 USD/person for a small group guided tour and doesn’t include gratuity, park entrance fees, etc. If you prefer a guided tour, this might be the right option for you. For us, our drivers gave us enough information to know where to go in the park, and then we were able to explore the park at our own pace. A guided tour will probably not take you to all three destinations on the Argentina side, which was not attractive for us.
Was it Worth It?
Especially considering how much a tour costs, for us, booking a private transport was 100% worth it. Our drivers offered a wealth of knowledge, which basically was enough of a “tour guide” for us. Additionally, it took the stress out of making sure we were on time, as they helped us set the schedule. Our drivers also let us know what areas were closed, booked a boat tour for us, were prompt, AND spoke amazing English compared to other services we experienced in Brazil. Our drivers picked us up from our hotels, were prompt and on-time, gave us tips and tricks for the falls and customs, and were responsive via WhatsApp. We would not have been able to comfortably and thoroughly see both sides of Iguazu National Park if not for Iguazu Falls Tours.
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