Iguazu falls in 1 day from Rio

I will be going to Rio for the first time in late Aug for 5 days. Does anyone know if it is reasonable to go to see Iguazu falls in 1 day from RIO. Does anyone know of any tour companies that can provide a 1 day turnkey tour to the Falls?

Thanks, Rick

We did it in one day from Buenos Aires and it was fine. We had our guide in BA arrange for a guide to pick us up at Igusau airport, drive us to the park, guide us thru the park,, dinner and take us back to the airport and it worked out well. If you arranged private tours in RIo, ask if they have an agency or recommendation for your visit to the falls,which btw were wonderful.

I will be going to Rio for the first time in late Aug for 5 days. Does anyone know if it is reasonable to go to see Iguazu falls in 1 day from RIO. Does anyone know of any tour companies that can provide a 1 day turnkey tour to the Falls?

Thanks, Rick

IMO, you need at least a couple of days, and want to see both sides of the park (very different), and the Bird Park, and do a boat ride under the falls. There are only a few direct flights from Rio, and by the time you spend a morning getting there, and an afternoon/evening getting back from there, it doesn't leave you much time to BE there.

It can be done but you can't see both sides and the upper and lower trails in a day or if you did you would probably pass out :D

You can see the Brazilian side in a one-day visit. You don't really need a guide--it is a national park, everyone follows the same, paved path from a beginning point to the climax. So that just leaves you with getting flights that work. Assuming, perhaps in error, you are on a late night international flight from Rio back home, to minimize airport hassles, you might consider flying Rio to Iguazu late aft., spend the night, tour the next AM-early PM, catch a late afternoon flight to the international airport where you can connect with your overnight home. Or you could reverse that idea, starting your trip after an early AM arrival at GIG with a transfer to Iguaza, day at the falls, PM return to Rio (to crash!). It looks like TAM has some well-timed options. Can't recall what other airlines service the Brazilian airport (don't get confused, there is an airport on the Argentine side, too--that side does require more time and another visa, so you probably want to stay with Brazil on all counts).

There are a few planning resources in my itinerary/rio-iguazu notes here:

https://sites.google.com/site/splendourbrazil/itinerary-rio-iguazu-detail

Have fun figuring it out! One day at the falls beats no day, for sure!

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On TAM there seems to be a 10 am and a 4:20 pm flight direct from Rio to Foz. On GOL, also at 10 am direct. There seems to be one direct return on TAM at about 1 pm, one on GOL at 6pm. The flight takes about 2 hours. Otherwise, on TAM and GOL, flights go through São Paulo, Brasilia or Curitiba, and take 4 - 9 hours. It takes about 3 hours to walk the path on the Brazil side of the park, if that's all you do.

(Flights seem to be more convenient for a day trip than when I last looked into them.)

Happy travels.

We did it in one day from Buenos Aires and it was fine. We had our guide in BA arrange for a guide to pick us up at Igusau airport, drive us to the park, guide us thru the park,, dinner and take us back to the airport and it worked out well. If you arranged private tours in RIo, ask if they have an agency or recommendation for your visit to the falls,which btw were wonderful.

May I ask who your guide was in BA? How long was your day?

We used Defranco Tours out of BA who arranged the guide in Iguasu. We took a 7:50am flight arriving 9:35am. The park was close to the local airport. On the return our flight was at 5pm arriving 6:50pm. Clearly everyone has their own opinion on staying overnight or doing it in one day. I talked to friends who did the park in 1 day or overnight. We saw plenty in the park since the guide saved us wasting time,etc. There is no wrong answer. Also, I knew my DW wanted more time in BA. Enjoy!

BTW, we used RioPlus Tours in Rio and were satisfied with their services.

We took a 7:50am flight arriving 9:35am. The park was close to the local airport. On the return our flight was at 5pm arriving 6:50pm. Clearly everyone has their own opinion on staying overnight or doing it in one day. I talked to friends who did the park in 1 day or overnight.

It seems that conditions (i.e. direct flight times) are quite different when leaving from BuenosAires than from Rio. That would effect the decision.

Those direct flights Rio-Foz-Rio on GOL, particularly the 6 pm flight that makes the same day return somewhat more practical, are relatively new.

However, it still leaves the traveler from Rio with approximately from 12:30 to maybe 4 or 4:30 to sightsee, enough to do a brief walk through on the Brazilian side and take some photos, but not much more (boat under the falls, heli ride, Bird Park, dam).

It would probably not be enough time to go over the border (and do those formalities, for which most need to have paid the reciprocity fee in advance online) to the Argentine side to see the park from the perspectives there.

We did it in one day from Buenos Aires and it was fine. We had our guide in BA arrange for a guide to pick us up at Igusau airport, drive us to the park, guide us thru the park,, dinner and take us back to the airport and it worked out well. If you arranged private tours in RIo, ask if they have an agency or recommendation for your visit to the falls,which btw were wonderful.

We are going to BA in Jan. can you tell me who used for the tour! Email juneavis@shaw.ca. Thx June

We are going to BA in Jan. can you tell me who used for the tour! Email juneavis@shaw.ca. Thx June

See post # 8 above.

I am one of those people who pack a LOT into each day when we travel. Normally, I am always of a mind that it's better to see a bit of something than not see it at all. HOWEVER, in this case, I can't imagine doing this trip in one day! IMO, doing a boat trip on the river below the falls is a MUST! If you spend only one night, flying back late in the afternoon the next day, and hit the ground running you will be able to get a lot in. Visit the Brazilian side and do a boat trip as soon as you get there, then see go through the rest of the park. Have a nice dinner back in town that night. Get up the next day and head to the Argentina side and tour that side (yes, they are different enough that you should see both parks). Do yourself a favor and spend at LEAST one night in Foz do Iguazu, see both sides of the falls/parks, and do the boat trip!