Iguazu Falls

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Iguazu Falls are among the largest waterfalls on earth. They are located on the border of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and are surrounded by a spectacular rain forest. With no fewer than 270 waterfalls who plunge into the Paraná River and over a length of 2.7 kilometres (1.6 miles) this is the most spectacular border crossing you will ever find. They are included in the World Heritage List and have also been named one of the seven wonders of the world.

80 percent of the falls are located in Argentina, the remainder is divided between Paraguay and Brazil. Few people travel to Argentina, Paraguay or Brazil without visiting the Iguazu Falls.

Going to Iguazu waterfalls from Argentina (Puerto Iguazu)

Are you backpacking in Argentina then Puerto Iguazú is the place to be. From Puerto Iguazú you can leave for the waterfall complex. You can easily get there by train or the closest airport is the Cataratas del Iguazu airport. From here you can easily take a taxi or bus to the falls.

Iguazu waterfalls from Brazil (Foz do Iguacu)

A visit to Brazil is more popular because the water flows down towards Brazil. That means you get the best view of the falls from Brazil. Your destination and arrival point for visiting the falls is Foz do Iguacu.

Iguazu waterfalls from Paraguay (Ciudad del Este)

If you want to visit one of the most authentic countries in South America you have to be in Paraguay. Travelling in South America is super popular. Travellers find their way to Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Bolivia and Colombia is becoming increasingly popular. But you hardly ever hear anyone about Paraguay. It is one of the most unknown countries on the continent. Despite its location in the heart of the continent, it is skipped by the international travel world because of a lack of mega attractions. Officially, Paraguay takes a little ride on the glory of the Iguazu waterfalls. The waterfalls can be visited from Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) by simply crossing a bridge to Brazil. You can do this by bus or on foot. To stimulate tourism, the Paraguayan government does its best to optimize the accessibility of Ciudad del Este.

Best time to visit

The weather has a major impact on your journey. You can visit the falls all year round, but we recommend skipping the months of October to March due to the high humidity and high temperatures. Summer can get extremely hot. Especially in December and January. Click here for more climate details in Puerto Iguazú.

Where to stay

Argentina
If you are not on a budget and you want to be in the best location ever you should choose Gran Meliá Iguazu. Meliá was recently named the third most sustainable hotel company in the world, and aims to convert the hotel into a new icon for responsible travel. The location within the fantastic park is just breathtaking. You get an amazing view from all parts of the hotel and they have an excellent pool. You get free access to the park during the entire stay and within a few meters you are at the start of the walk towards the falls. On booking.com they get an average rating of 9.0.

Brazil

Again an hotel which is not for all budgets but we just had to mention the Belmond Hotel das Cataratas. The location and the possibility of visiting the park and the falls before the park opens makes this hotel unique. The unique location directly at the waterfalls is something worth adding to the bucket list. You can see and hear the waterfalls from the room. This hotel is an absolute dream and they are also strongly aware of their responsibility towards natural resources and the environment, especially at locations close to World Heritage Sites. They run initiatives to support the places and people that surround them. They do that by:

Purchasing as much food as possible from sustainable sources
Run and support educational programmes
Follow sustainable practices to reduce the impact of our operations on the environment and to ensure energy efficiency

On booking.com they get an average rating of 9.5.

Paraguay

Ciudad del Este is a city of contrasts and the Bisinii Boutique hotel is located inside a Country Club which means it is isolated from any noise and this transforms it into a suitable place for a quiet stay. The beautiful, luxurious hotel is taken care of in every detail and you won't regret that you stayed here. On booking.com they get an average rating of 9.0.