I’ll start off by saying that this is not a comprehensive travel guide. No, there are loads of that out there. This is how we did the Iguazu Falls with our young coconuts, aged 5 and 2 and walked away feeling absolutely satisfied and awe-stuck.
So if you’re short on time or rather not do the research and just want some quick answers / a sample itinerary that worked without doing a full thesis on the subject then welcome, you’ve come to the right spot.
About Iguazu Falls
Breathtaking waterfalls of the Iguazu River on the border of the Argentine province of Misiones and the Brazilian state of Paraná. Together, they make up the largest waterfall in the world. Fun fact: the amazing waterfall scene from Black Panther was shot here!
What we like about Iguazu Falls?
Well run and managed park. Amazing views throughout the park, both the Brazilian and Argentine sides. Wildlife! Turtles, fish, coatis, butterflies! There’s a playground on the Argentine side for the kids! The train ride up on the Argentine side was great fun!
What we didn’t like about Iguazu Falls?
Not very much really. It gets crowded but understandable! Some spots are blocked off only for official photography on the Argentine side. The lack of affordable and tasty food within the park.
How do you get there?
We got in on the Argentine side so the closest town is Puerto Iguazu. From there you can take a car to both the Brazillian and Argentine sides right up to the main entrance. From there, you can take the bus (Brazillian side) or the train (Argentine side) or you can choose to trek.
What did this trip cost?
Argentine side: SGD18 (800 Argentine Pesos) per adult and free for kids below 6
Brazil side: SGD23 (70 Brazillian Reals) per adult and SGD3.60 ($11 Brazillian Reals) per child up to 11
Was it worth it?
Absolutely!
What to Bring
Sounds basic but sometimes you do forget somethings. We did our first day without rain jackets when it was forecasted to rain, oh what were we thinking? Wait, were we even thinking? So in order of importance, here’s your checklist:
- Rain jackets – even with no rain forecasted, this will protect you / the kids from the waterfall spray if you / the kids don’t fancy getting wet.
- Change of clothes – if you do fancy getting wet!
- Bug spray
- Sunblock
- Sunglasses
- Hats
- A sense of wonder
- Snacks – the trails are long and kids tolerate it better with a continuous supply of food
- Water bottles – save the environment, don’t buy single use plastic bottles!
- Lunch if you don’t fancy an expensive meal in the park. Although we ate burgers bought in the park (Argentine side) both days we were there and it wasn’t too expensive and it was actually quite decent.
- A stroller, if your child refuses to walk, like ours. Unless you enjoy carrying the child the entire day.
- Keys to your helicopter, I hear the view is amazing.
Top Tips
- Do the Brazillian side of the falls first @ Foz do Iguaçu
You will get an amazing panoramic view of the falls. It’s a short drive away if you have a car, and if you don’t then you can get a taxi driver to take you across. Here’s the contact detail of Sergio (+54 9 375 741-6557) whom we used throughout. Friendly, punctual and reasonably priced. We liked him plenty!
Your entry ticket includes the bus ride (sit on the top deck!) all the way to Porto Canoas Square Station but get off at The Path of the Falls stop. Then you have a 45 minute walk up with the kids but rewarded with amazing sights of the waterfall along the way. The kids will also like spotting the boat that takes passengers very close to the water fall.
The Brazillian side is very well run and has all our respect. Especially since we lost our backpack with our passports and money there and managed to get it back with nothing lost. Not that we recommend doing that at all.
- After the Foz do Iguaçu which should take no more than 3 hours, get some Brazillian meat. They know their meat! we had an amazing lunch at Churrascaria Iguassu. Such great meat. Kids below 6 don’t pay because they don’t eat much. Not our kids, they ate so much so we’re feeling like we scored big time!
- Spend 2 days at the Argentine side of the falls. The Argentine side is a whole experience with pretty good trails to walk. The entire park is massive so it’s great that your entry ticket can be used to obtain entry at 50% off the next day if you want, and we recommend that!
- Your entrance ticket includes the train ride. Take it. You can choose to walk all the way however with kids, it sounds like the perfect way to torture yourself and the kids. The train ride is quite fun and the kids save their energy for the parts that actually need walking!
- Hedge your bets and get to the Devil’s Throat on the first day. If the weather is out to get you then at least you’ll have Day 2 to head up again.
- It’s more than just the waterfalls. Keep a look out for turtles and alligators on the walk to the Devil’s Throat. We saw giant catfishes, turtles but it was a negative on the alligators. You definitely won’t miss the coatis, they’ll seek you out looking to make your load lighter by taking your food. Oh and rainbows galore. Perfect for some teachable moments actually!
- If you’re seated under a tree and suddenly think it’s raining, it’s probably cicadas peeing on you. Our highly scientific research can attest to the fact that there is no benefit to the skin from cicada pee.
- Under no circumstances, touch the fountain water. We’ve seen people wash their hands and even their hair it in. We had to do a nappy change for Coco#2 and were struggling to find a nearby bathroom. We did, eventually, but it was a bit of a walk. Am sure there will be others in that situation who have washed their hands in the fountain.
Food Recommendation
- The river fish. We had ours at Tatu Carreta at Puerto Iguazu, Argentina and oh it was glorious.
- El Rey Panificados – this place is amazing. So cheap and so good! We were there every single day (we lived nearby!) and bought all our snacks for the days at the waterfall and Ms.K’s midnight cravings there.
Related post: Best Travel Food We’ve Had in 2019
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