We would really appreciate your insights: Iguazu from Rio or from Buenos Aires

Hi, we (4 adults and 1 child) will be on Norwegian Sun from Rio to Buenos Aires next year.

We want to go to Iguazu Catarats. We are trying to figure out the smart order to do it, taking in account planes tickets, time, and anything else you might think on.

1. USA to Rio-to Iguazu (staying there the night to see both parts)-to Rio-and get aboard the Sun (ship overnight Rio)

2. USA to Rio-Sun to BA-to Iguazu (staying the night)-to BA(staying 2 nights)-to USA.

Could you please share with us your insights?

Thank you all!

Much of this depends on personal preference.

NCL likely offers a single day (no overnight) from BA to the Falls. It will be rushed and costly. If you are a novice international traveler this maybe best as it will avoid the challenges of personally dealing with the BA airport.

A DIY trip can be had from Rio. It's a relatively short flight and you can visit both the Brazil and the Argentina sides. Maybe stay at the Sheraton (the only hotel within the preserve). You may find the cost of a overnight DIY cheaper than a single day excursion from BA via NCL -you will need to be the cost analysis.

Cruise going from Rio to Buenos Aires:

I'd plan 4 days in Rio pre-cruise for adequate time to see the city, maybe minus any time the ship stops there for sightseeing once passengers board. You can easily and cheaply take taxis around town; no need for expensive excursions.

Plus TWO nights at the falls. Anything less does not give you time to see the basics (both sides of the park, Bird Park, boat ride under the falls); you lose two half days in flights.

I'm almost sure the airfare from Rio is cheaper than from Buenos Aires.

Brazilian airlines to check are GOL and LATAM (TAM).

Fares go up the closer to departure you wait.

You don't need to stay in the park (expensive, either side) to make the most of a visit. Plenty of nice lodgings in Foz do Iguacu town in all price ranges. It's a short ride to the Brazilian side of the park from town, and anout an hour to cross the border to the other side of the park in Argentina.

You can get around by local public bus (including over the border) or taxi.

Yes we prefer DIY, and will start comparing plane prices, but we like the idea of going from Rio if it will be cheaper, and perhaps stay two nights Iguazu and two nights Rio. Please any other idea you might have is really appreciated!

What time of "next year" is this trip? I ask because one of the reasons for suggesting 4 days in Rio is that during the South American summer, the weather may not be clear every day, or indeed for a string of days, so best to leave yourself some time for bad weather to clear. It can really be quite heavily overcast. The two iconic heights, Sugarloaf and the Cristo, are not worth going to if you can't see out over the city to get those spectacular views.

Look at http://www.ipanema.com for ideas about other things to do, neighborhoods to visit, museums, etc in Rio.

Be sure to understand and complete with weeks (or months) ahead the Brazilian Visa process.

The cruise start on February 12.

Yes, we need to start the visa process, I have read it could take long.

Thank you all for your responses, please keep them coming!

The cruise start on February 12.

Yes, we need to start the visa process, I have read it could take long.

Thank you all for your responses, please keep them coming!

If you live in Florida, the Brazilian Consulate with jurisdiction is located in Miami.

You first need to upload an online form and scan in the documents required. Then you go to the Consulate (or send the rep from a visa service) with hard copies of the form and documents.

Their site says:

"Visa applications will be received from Monday to Friday (except public holidays) between 2:00PM and 4:00PM. Walk-in only.

•The Consulate does not accept applications via mail. All applications must be presented at the Consulate.

•For most visa types the processing time is up to 10 business days after your application is physically presented at the Consulate.

Filling out the online application form does not mean your application has been received by the Consulate. You still have to show up for the interview.

•All applications must have all the requirements for each type of visa (photo, signature, letter of intention, affidavit of support, letter of invitation etc.) uploaded into the online application form. Applications received without the uploaded documents may not be processed. However, the documents must still be presented along with the applications."

Read carefully and thoroughly the other relevant pages about visas.

Note: The closer to Carnaval travel time you apply, the more backed up the visa process might get (than the 10 days cited). It's a 10 year visa, from date of issue, so applying a few weeks early shouldn't make a big difference in overall use time.

(Note: Carnaval in Rio is Feb 24 thru Mar 04, 2017. Lodging may be difficult to find and certainly will be extremely expensive.)

Expect February in Rio to be extremely hot and humid, and possibly very overcast.

We flew from the domestic airport not far from BA cruise port (airport code AEP) to Argentinian side of Iguazu falls (airport code IGR) several years ago. Flight was less than 2 hrs and cost was low. We flew with LAN airlines, but Aeroleneas Argentinas also do this route.

We spent a couple of nights on Argentinian side and enjoyed a fabulous walk around the falls, out on boardwalk etc. Many birds, butterflies and coatis to be seen.

We then took a taxi across border to Brazilian side and visited falls from this side. Good views and monkeys to be seen. Then we flew from airport on Brazilian side of falls to Sao Paulo with TAM airlines I think.

We loved the falls, especially Argentinian side and wished we'd stayed longer.

We went February and enjoyed clear views, hot weather and abundant falls. In fact boat trips were cancelled on falls due to high water levels.

Hope your trip is as amazing as ours was.

Great tips and advises!

This is what we are planning to do:

-Flight from FL to Iguazu (Brazil), and stay there two nights.(Any recommendations on Brazil side hotels are very welcome)

-Flight from Iguazu to Rio, stay two nights in a hotel, then get on the ship (ship overnight first day).

We are traveling with a child, please we would also appreciate any tips you might have if this have been your experience at Iguazu.

Thank you all!

How old a child?

Btw

IguaCu. Foz do Iguacu is Braxil

IguaZu. Puerto Iguazu is Argentina

The falls themselves are referred to in Portuguese as:

As cataratas

Vida, the child will be 3 1/2 year old.

He is already used to planes, cruises and travel in general.

We would love any tip you would give us about kids around the Catarats, any part we would no go with him, as well as any recommendation, thank you.

Also if you would be kind enough to recommend a hotel!

Vida, the child will be 3 1/2 year old.

He is already used to planes, cruises and travel in general.

We would love any tip you would give us about kids around the Catarats, any part we would no go with him, as well as any recommendation, thank you.

Also if you would be kind enough to recommend a hotel!

What I can say is that, in addition to a lot of potentially exhausting walking in very hot, humid weather, much of the area near the falls and walkways would be dangerous IMO for a child who was not firmly strapped in a stroller. There are areas in the park away from the falls where s/he could have a bit more freedom.

For hotel, go on booking.com or another such site. There are plenty of hotels in all price ranges in the town of Foz and on the road from there out to the park entrance. Many of the ones on the road out are "resort" hotels with pools; addresses will read Avenida das Cataratas with a km mile marker number. In town, a basic relatively inexpensive small hotel might be the Hotel Del Rey, which has a small plunge pool (good for the child and for hot, exhausted adults at the end of a sweaty day) and is near the bus depot for the park and the Argentine side. Ibis is an economy chain in Brazil that has a hotel in Foz.

Thank you!

We stayed at the Bella Italia Hotel in Foz de Iguazu for 2 nights. Hotel was economical and walking distance to town. Don't know if they have a pool. We didn't have a really good plan but there was a travel agency at the hotel and we booked a two day tour through them. Went to the Brazilian side the first day and then to the Argentina side the next day. Our final day we went to a bird park and then walked into town before flying back to Rio and then home.

We already booked our plane tickets and hotel and applied for the visas.

We will arrive into Foz at 7:30 pm and we will stay there at hotel Bella Italia for three nights. This will let us rest all night after a long flight from Florida and then we will have two full days, one to each cataracts's side.

-Can we get just one taxi from airport to hotel minding we are 4 adults and one 3yo child?

My family is nervous about no getting a tour to the Argentinian side, and instead DIY by taxi. Please let me ask some questions to help assure them on this.

-Can we get a taxi at hotel (4 adults and a 3yo child) direct to the Argentina side entrance?

-How is the process at the border?

-Can we get a taxi at Argentina side (4 adults and a 3yo child) to get us direct to the hotel at Foz?

-What side shall we visit first?

Thank you very much in advance for all your help. Please any other suggestion you may have will be very welcome!

We already booked our plane tickets and hotel and applied for the visas.

We will arrive into Foz at 7:30 pm and we will stay there at hotel Bella Italia for three nights. This will let us rest all night after a long flight from Florida and then we will have two full days, one to each cataracts's side.

-Can we get just one taxi from airport to hotel minding we are 4 adults and one 3yo child?

My family is nervous about no getting a tour to the Argentinian side, and instead DIY by taxi. Please let me ask some questions to help assure them on this.

-Can we get a taxi at hotel (4 adults and a 3yo child) direct to the Argentina side entrance?

-How is the process at the border?

-Can we get a taxi at Argentina side (4 adults and a 3yo child) to get us direct to the hotel at Foz?

-What side shall we visit first?

Thank you very much in advance for all your help. Please any other suggestion you may have will be very welcome!

Why are they nervous about not being on a tour? Getting around in the area is quite straightforward.

The hotel can call you a taxi, if you are not comfortable flagging one (or two) on the street, just like you might do in any US city. They may even be able to arrange a van sized taxi for your comfort. In that case, I would arrange for the driver to wait for you and take you back.

A taxi will fit 4 adults, with 3 tight in the back, one in the front, and the child in a lap if lap sized, but it might not be comfortable. I'd just take the local public bus; ask the hotel desk for instructions/directions. Iirc, it runs right past the hotel on Av. Republica Argentina.

There is a border post for Brazil, to stamp out, and a border post for Argentina, to stamp in. The actual process is like entering any country at, say, an airport border post. Reverse the process on the way back. If you take the bus, you may have to let the original one go on while you do the procedure, and pick up the next one. They run regularly.

Yes, there will be taxis at the Argentine park that can take you back across the border.

Your call as to which side first. The Brazilian side takes about 3 hours to walk the path and take photos. The kid will want to watch the coatis. You will want to watch the kid--carefully and probably hands on. Maybe keep him/her in a stroller. The Bird Park near the entrance takes a couple of hours. Do take into account how exhausting the extreme heat and humidity can be.

Decide if, and from which side, you want to take the boat ride under the falls. One person may have to stay with the kid, because of age/height.

On the Argentine side, there are several trails, the furthest of which you can access by taking the train, and also the opportunity to wade safely and refreshngly in one of the little rivulets, in shade, so maybe bring a bathing suit, especially for the kid. Lots of coatis there too. On the trails, carry or keep a firm hand on the kid while going on the narrow walkway over the tops of the falls, or insist on him/her staying in the stroller..

Enjoy.

Thank you Vida, you are always very helpful! Probabily will bother you again before we travel with more questions, thank you again!

Thank you Vida, you are always very helpful! Probabily will bother you again before we travel with more questions, thank you again!

No bother, twopizz. It's a great pleasure to help maximize your enjoyment of a country I'm so fond of.