Iguazo Falls

Has anyone had any experience with private tour operators for a trip from Buenos Aires to Iguazo Falls, returning to B.A. ? thanks.

Has anyone had any experience with private tour operators for a trip from Buenos Aires to Iguazo Falls, returning to B.A. ? thanks.

It is very easy to do on your own. We are going in March. We booked our flights with American Airlines on LAN and booked the Sheraton Iguazu Falls online and will get a driver while we are there to take us to the Brazil side.

Terri

It is very easy to do on your own. We are going in March. We booked our flights with American Airlines on LAN and booked the Sheraton Iguazu Falls online and will get a driver while we are there to take us to the Brazil side.

Terri

That is exactly what we did. Make sure to get a falls view room. Also, we ate at the buffet dinner at there hotel each night and enjoyed it. Make sure to point to the piece of meat that you want. They seem to cook the entire cow.

Iguazu is easy on your own. Two airline choices from BA, both good and prices and times about the same. Sheraton in the Park good choice but comes at a premium price. Smaller hotels and B&B's in Iguazu less expensive. Bus or taxi available to park. Multi-day ticket available if you are staying outside, otherwise just need a one day ticket. Ticket must be paid for in pesos (no cc or US$). Think twice about Brazil side if you do not have the visa. No matter what someone says, by not having the visa you would be in the country illegally. Park is easy to navigate and you do not need a guide. There is a lot of walking and if you do the lower circuit, a good number of steps. Plan on two full days to really enjoy the park.

Has anyone had any experience with private tour operators for a trip from Buenos Aires to Iguazo Falls, returning to B.A. ? thanks.

We used Defranteur in 2006 and Ricardo got better airfare and a room at the Sheraton at a reasonable price for us. You may find details in my cuise notes.r

Think twice about Brazil side if you do not have the visa. No matter what someone says, by not having the visa you would be in the country illegally.

That doesn't, of course, apply to all nationalities...

Does one need to buy a ticket to the Falls beforehand? Or can the tickets be bought at the time of arrival?

Terri

On Christmas Day we fly up from BA for a 2 day one night trip staying at the Sheraton. We have arranged it ourselves and I will try and post a quick update on how it went when we get on board the ship on the 27th

Does one need to buy a ticket to the Falls beforehand? Or can the tickets be bought at the time of arrival?

Terri

The ticket is the admision to the park. You pay for it when you drive through the gate. If you stay at the Sheraton, you still have to pay for the admission at the gate.

You can buy tickets for all the excursions in the park at the visitor's center. If you stay at the Sheraton, you can buy the tickets at a ticket booth near the hotel. There is one company that has the excursion concession. All the info is on their site http://www.iguazujungle.com/index_ing.html. I would advice getting the Green Passport and don't miss going to San Martin island for the best views of the Falls. If you buy tickets from a tour company or online you are only buying from them.

The ticket is the admision to the park. You pay for it when you drive through the gate. If you stay at the Sheraton, you still have to pay for the admission at the gate.

 

You can buy tickets for all the excursions in the park at the visitor's center. If you stay at the Sheraton, you can buy the tickets at a ticket booth near the hotel. There is one company that has the excursion concession. All the info is on their site http://www.iguazujungle.com/index_ing.html. I would advice getting the Green Passport and don't miss going to San Martin island for the best views of the Falls. If you buy tickets from a tour company or online you are only buying from them.

Thanks for the information. We are staying at the Sheraton. So I guess we are all set and will get the tickets when we arrive.

Terri

Thanks for all the very helpful info...uktog, look forward to hearing your report. Happy Holidays to all!

That is exactly what we did. Make sure to get a falls view room. Also, we ate at the buffet dinner at there hotel each night and enjoyed it. Make sure to point to the piece of meat that you want. They seem to cook the entire cow.

I'm going to express a contrarian view here. Do not spend the extra money for a falls view room.

The reason is that you are not in your room long enough to benefit from the view. The downstairs restaurant where you will eat breakfast has large picture windows for your viewing pleasure. Most people spend all day in the park, not in their room.

Think about how much time you think you will spend in your room.

It is certainly worth the trip. It was extremely hot and humid when we were there last Feb. When going on the trail I suggest taking a facecloth from your hotel to use as a sweat catcher. Take your time and enjoy. It often rains later in the day so plan your activities earlier in the day.

Book your flights with Lan Argentina from Jorge Newberry Airport in Buenos Aires. Unlike the international airport, this secondary airport is a short and cheap taxi ride from any city hotel

Stay at the Sheraton - do not consider anywhere else. I think a Falls View room is well worth the extra $$$s. We had amazing sights in the morning as the sun rose, turning the mist that rises high above the falls to pink in an early morning golden light. We also enjoyed sitting out there watching birds such as toucans fly about.

You can walk out the back of the Sheraton to the trails on the Argentina side which are very well constructed, signposted and maintained.

You MUST get a visa for Brazil before you leave home if your nationality/passport type demands it. However it is SO worth it!!! The views from the Brazilian side are a-w-e-s-o-m-e and you'll also see wildlife such as capuchin monkeys and like the Argentinian side, coatie, really colourful butterflies and birds. We walked in the afternoon and around every corner was a rainbow! My lasting memories of Iguassu, apart from their awesome nature is butterflies and rainbows. Just magical!

Some photos are in this album online:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/105872136088609863894/albums/5439880494657691233

The Sheraton will organise a car to take you through the border to to the Tourist Information Centre in Brazil. From there, you can board the national park bus that does a circuit of the park. We got off the bus at the second last stop and walked the trail to the end, re-boarding the bus back to the Information Centre. Your car driver will wait 2 - 2.5 hours for you and take you back to the hotel which is plenty. It's very, very easy.

You can also organise other tours at the Sheraton such as the jet boating to the Devil's Throat which was huge fun but you need to be fit as you have to walk up around 200 + steps back up the cliff after the boat ride.

As for them serving up the whole cow at meal times, this is common in Argentina, but if you watch the locals, they SHARE! So order a steak for two and ask them to cut it in half. (In one restaurant we went to in BA, the meat was sooooooo tender, the waiter halved our steak using two spoons!)

Would you recommend one or two nights at the Sheraton?

Thanks

Book your flights with Lan Argentina from Jorge Newberry Airport in Buenos Aires. Unlike the international airport, this secondary airport is a short and cheap taxi ride from any city hotel

 

Stay at the Sheraton - do not consider anywhere else. I think a Falls View room is well worth the extra $$$s. We had amazing sights in the morning as the sun rose, turning the mist that rises high above the falls to pink in an early morning golden light. We also enjoyed sitting out there watching birds such as toucans fly about.

 

You can walk out the back of the Sheraton to the trails on the Argentina side which are very well constructed, signposted and maintained.

 

You MUST get a visa for Brazil before you leave home if your nationality/passport type demands it. However it is SO worth it!!! The views from the Brazilian side are a-w-e-s-o-m-e and you'll also see wildlife such as capuchin monkeys and like the Argentinian side, coatie, really colourful butterflies and birds. We walked in the afternoon and around every corner was a rainbow! My lasting memories of Iguassu, apart from their awesome nature is butterflies and rainbows. Just magical!

 

Some photos are in this album online:

https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/105872136088609863894/albums/5439880494657691233

 

 

The Sheraton will organise a car to take you through the border to to the Tourist Information Centre in Brazil. From there, you can board the national park bus that does a circuit of the park. We got off the bus at the second last stop and walked the trail to the end, re-boarding the bus back to the Information Centre. Your car driver will wait 2 - 2.5 hours for you and take you back to the hotel which is plenty. It's very, very easy.

 

You can also organise other tours at the Sheraton such as the jet boating to the Devil's Throat which was huge fun but you need to be fit as you have to walk up around 200 + steps back up the cliff after the boat ride.

 

As for them serving up the whole cow at meal times, this is common in Argentina, but if you watch the locals, they SHARE! So order a steak for two and ask them to cut it in half. (In one restaurant we went to in BA, the meat was sooooooo tender, the waiter halved our steak using two spoons!)

Two nights is best. There really is a lot to see and you won't want to shortchange yourself. It is such a spectacular place to visit.

Would you recommend one or two nights at the Sheraton?

Thanks

Two nights is a must if you also want to go to the Brazilian side. If you are not, one night is ok but get late checkout (4 pm) at the Sheraton so you can have a long half day at the park. If you book directly with sheraton.com, they frequently have options that include late checkout. Still, two nights is best and two nights with late checkout is ideal.

So much good info here. In reading about hotels, the hotel on the Brazil side (I think it's called Hotel das Cataratas) has much better reviews than the Sheraton on the Argentina side. Anyone have any experience there? How difficult would it be to fly from Buenos Aires to the airport in Brazil near the Falls? (we're going to have visas since we start our cruise in Rio)

may be easier to fly to the Brazilian side from Rio before your cruise.

Thank you so much for your input, Everyone! This is the best thread!

I need advice on how to divide our days pre-cruise between Buenos Aires and Iguazu. As of now, we are planning to spend 4 full sightseeing days in Buenos Aires + two days (one night) at the Iguazu Falls. I see the recommendation that we spend 2 days at Iguazu. I should mention that we are not likely to take a boat ride (although I could be convinced otherwise). We love nature, and the Falls look amazing, but we are people who definitely enjoy city life and tasting all that the city of Buenos Aires has to offer. If I spend 3 days (two nights) at Iguazu, then it means that I spend only 3 full days experiencing Buenos Aires. What do you recommend? I certainly don't want to miss anything in Buenos Aires, but I don't want to shortchange our experience at the Falls either. Also, Brazilian Visas are not an issue. We already hold the Visas from a previous cruise to the Amazon, and we will be ending our cruise in Rio de Janeiro.

Thanks for the help.

Shelley:confused:

Does anyone know how I can arrange for a private driver/guide, who can show us the Falls and surrounding area on the Argentina side, and then, take us to the Brazilian side?

Thanks,

Shelley

Does anyone know how I can arrange for a private driver/guide, who can show us the Falls and surrounding area on the Argentina side, and then, take us to the Brazilian side?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

Are using a travel agent? Our TA arranged a private guide, including airport transfers, a full day on the Argentina side and a half day on the Brazilian side. She used a US-based tour company that has arrangements with operators in Argentina.

BTW, if you are US citizen be aware of the Brazilian visa requirements.

Does anyone know how I can arrange for a private driver/guide, who can show us the Falls and surrounding area on the Argentina side, and then, take us to the Brazilian side?

 

Thanks,

Shelley

If you are staying at the Sheraton, they can arrange a driver for you, or so I am told. I contacted them about having someone pick us up at the airport and they have arranged it. I have heard they can arrange drivers to take you to the Brazil side of the falls.

Terri

Thanks, I will check with them when I make my reservation.