Iguazu Falls is one of the world’s most spectacular and impressive waterfalls, straddling the border between Argentina and Brazil in South America.
With more than 275 individual cascades, Iguazu is actually the biggest waterfall system in the world! The closest comparison is probably Niagara Falls in Canada and the United States, although Iguazu Falls is bigger than Niagara by most measurements.
This spectacular waterfall has been made into a national park in Argentina and Brazil, and both sides of the falls are well worth a visit since they offer different views! You can see the best highlights of Iguazu in a couple of days, although you could easily spend longer.
This travel guide will explain how to get to Iguazu Falls Argentina or Brazil side (with or without a tour), plus a map of Iguazu Falls and more info. Lastly, I’ll share some interesting facts about the waterfall itself!
Where Is Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls is located on the border of Argentina and Brazil, in the continent of South America.
There are towns and airports on both sides of the border, with plenty of tourist friendly hotels and restaurants, and you can easily go back and forth between the two countries to see both sides of the waterfall.
The town on the Argentine side of the falls is called Puerto Iguazu, while the Brazil side is called Foz do Iguacu.
How To Get To Iguazu Falls Argentina & Brazil
The main way to get to Iguazu Falls is by flying there from one of the big cities in Argentina or Brazil.
For the Argentina side, you can fly from Buenos Aires to Puerto Iguazu (airport code: IGR), which takes less than 2 hours and it’s offered by multiple airlines, with pretty reasonable prices. There are two airports in Buenos Aires (AEP or EZE) and you can use either of them to fly here.
If you’re in Brazil, you can fly from Sao Paulo or Rio De Janeiro to Foz do Iguacu (code: IGU), which takes about 2 hours, more or less. These routes are also offered by multiple airlines with daily departures.
Once you arrive in the town of Puerto Iguazu, you can get to the Argentina waterfall by bus, taxi, or tour. The bus is cheap, safe, and easy to use, with regular departures from the bus terminal in town to the waterfall, and back.
However, if you want something more personalized and convenient, then a taxi or private tour can be a good option. You can ask the driver to wait for you while you explore the waterfall, and then take you back to town afterwards.
The Brazil side of Iguazu Falls works much the same way. You can get to the Brazil waterfall by bus, taxi, or tour, and all of these options work well depending on your needs and how much time you have in your itinerary.
It’s also easy to cross the international border between Argentina and Brazil, and go back and forth by bus, taxi, or tour, seeing both sides of the Iguazu waterfall.
For example, I based myself on the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls, but I did a day trip to the Brazil side using the bus, and I also did a separate day trip to the paraguay side with a taxi.
As a US citizen, I didn’t need any visa for Argentina, Brazil, or Paraguay, so it was very easy to do day trips between them, but remember to check the current visa requirements for your nationality in these countries to avoid any border hassles, and don’t forget to bring your passport!