Now, please don’t take this as negative. Iguazú Falls is an absolute must. Fantastic in every respect, save one. People. Fucking thousands of them.
The falls are just shy of 3km formed in two horseshoes that fall through two layers of basalt separated by sedimentary rock.
When I came here in 1995, it was a bit niche. The visitor numbers were one to two hundred thousand a year. The guests at the hotel by the falls were largely aged American males accompanied by attractive young females or aged American females with flamboyantly gay male companions – why? I have no idea. I was with a work colleague so didn’t fit either group.
You could stroll around with little control, and we did. Now, the visitor numbers are 1.4-1.5 million per year on each side of the falls (Brazilian and Argentinian) and it’s very very organised, three circuits, toilets, fast food, and everything else you’d expect from a modern tourist attraction.
So the focus of this little blog is my strategy for dealing with the fuckers.
Go out of season. June, July and August are lowest. Avoid 7th September (Brazilian Independence Day), 9 July (the Argentine equivalent), 25 May (some other rebellion).
Wear sunscreen. It’s hot even off peak.
If you can afford it, stay in the hotel at the falls (only one on each side, grand melia on the Argentine side,
Belmond on the Brazilian side). It’s an absolute “once in a lifetime” experience (ok, so I’ve done it twice, but hey!) – the view, the noise of the falls, the wild life. But the main thing is the access. You are first there in the morning, before the throng has had time to filter their way in. And last there in the evening. Avoid the middle of the day.
The Melia hotel is the only place in the world you can have a poo whilst looking at Iguazú falls (in private)!
The other hotels are in Puerto Iguazu – 20km away from the falls, pays your money takes your choice.
They mostly arrive at the gate in bus loads of 50-70, get given a tour badge and queue for the train which takes you to the two stations – first station is upper and lower circuit. The second station is for the devils throat.
The queue for the train can easily be an hour to an hour and a half at each station.
If you do have to come from the outside, get dropped off early by taxi (gates open at 8 and walk alongside the train track. It’s less than a mile to the first station and a bit more from the first to the second. And it’s actually a nice walk and you’ll see some fauna and flora along the way.
Last entry at 4 and gates shut at 5, so you have an hour with wayyy less people late afternoon. Sunbathe between 10:30 and 4.
Off track for a min. Midges are little bastards. Make sure you cover every inch of your body with 50% DEET. I know, not very pc, but these little shits will sniff out the uncovered inch of flesh. I wouldn’t risk some new world, flower power, natural insect repellant having fallen victim to the twats.
Back in the room.
On the Brazilian side, similar setup, but not the same. No train, but a shuttle bus. It’s a long way from the gate to the falls. Not really walkable. So, if you can’t afford to stay at the Belmond, get a private guide with a Brazilian car. They’re allowed to drive right in to the drop off points. So, you can be ahead of the crowd at 9 when the gates open. Belmond guests can get in at 7 but the hotel doesn’t have a falls view!!!
Going from the Argentinian side into Brazil is fraught with bureaucracy at the border and park entrance. Allow 2 hours and don’t forget your passport.
You should do both sides. Utterly different.
Bring a power pack for your phone – it’s an absolute photo fest!
Don’t bother with the helicopter rides. They’re only allowed on the Brazil side and don’t go low, so a waste of money.
I’m not going to tell you how much it costs for a night at the falls hotels, but you just have to blot that bit out and enjoy.
Off to Rio. There’s an airport each side of the falls, only a few kilometres away, so really convenient.
