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How much time to allow for Iguazu falls ?


The Other Tom
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We're flying in to EZE a few days prior to our cruise. We will arrive about 9:30AM. My current plan is to go to a hotel and get settled, maybe tour some of BA. The next day, fly from AEP to IGR (on the Argentine side) arriving at 1:00pm and go to the falls. There is an earlier flight that arrives at 7:40am but it leaves around 6:30am. Then fly back to BA that same day, leaving IGR at 9:25pm and arriving at AEP at 11:20 pm. Doing it this way, we don't have to check out of our hotel in BA and can hopefully see the falls in one day. Is this a reasonable plan, or do I need to plan for more time at the falls, spending the night there.

I suppose plan B would be to arrive at EZE at 9:25, then transfer to AEP and take a 1:10pm flight to the falls, arriving at 3:00pm. Spend the night there, see the falls the next day, and fly back that same day or the next (thus spending 2 nights at the falls). Is this a better plan ?

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We were flying in from Rio and staying on the Brazilian side. We arrived around 1:30 pm, checked into our hotel, and then went to visit the Bird Park on the Brazilian side. The next day was spent on the Argentine side arriving right after it opened and leaving just as it was closing. Our last day we went to the Brazilian Falls where the views are even more stupendous (in my opinion) but the hiking trail is much shorter. We easily made our afternoon flight to Rio.

 

Specifically to your question, I think there is so much to see and so many trails to hike that I think it would be a disservice to yourself to cut your visit to the Argentine side short. But if you don't like the option of spending a night (or two), go for the longest time you can manage (and don't forget that flight delays can happen anywhere).

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IMHO you need to overnight at least one night. We arrived on a Wednesday at noon and spent the entire next day at the falls. We took a late flight back to BA on Thursday night. Your hotel should be able to store your luggage for one night. At the falls be sure to take the boat ride that actually takes you into the falls. You will get soaked. If you spend the night and tour the falls and fly home the next day pay for a late check out. You will need a place to clean up after a day at the falls.

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Stay at least one night. Minimum.

 

If you absolutely cannot, then take the earliest flight from AEP. IIRC the park closes around 5:00p. So an afternoon arrival leaves a scant few hours.

 

There is also the very real possibility flights might be delayed due to weather. My agent said it happens frequently in the afternoon. When I went I paid an extra $100 to get a 9:30a ticket instead of a noon flight. Glad I did as the tower on IGR was hit by lightning and the noon flight arrived around 9:30p in torrential rain.

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I don't know what time the park closes, but assuming it's open late, your plan might be doable. We took our time walking the trails and taking pictures, and still were in and out in about 6 hours. We did skip the boat ride. While we were hot and sweaty, we weren't so miserably nasty that we couldn't have flown out afterwards if we'd had to. The airport is only about 20 minutes from the falls, so if everything works right, you could be at the falls around 1:30 - 2:00 and leave around 7:30 or so.

 

But, here's the caveat. Flights to Iguazu are apparently notorious for leaving late from BA. Ours was delayed over 2 hours. If that happens to you, your plan is out the window. I personally like your plan B. The flight timing should work well. You can take a public bus from EZE to AEP for around $10 pp instead of paying through the nose for a taxi to get from EZE to your hotel. Same number of hotel nights as plan A, except the first night is in Iguazu. You'll be able to have dinner in downtown Iguazu where there are lots of good restaurants at reasonable prices. Tour the falls the next day and then catch a late flight back to BA.

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I don't know what time the park closes, but assuming it's open late, your plan might be doable. We took our time walking the trails and taking pictures, and still were in and out in about 6 hours. We did skip the boat ride. While we were hot and sweaty, we weren't so miserably nasty that we couldn't have flown out afterwards if we'd had to. The airport is only about 20 minutes from the falls, so if everything works right, you could be at the falls around 1:30 - 2:00 and leave around 7:30 or so.

 

But, here's the caveat. Flights to Iguazu are apparently notorious for leaving late from BA. Ours was delayed over 2 hours. If that happens to you, your plan is out the window. I personally like your plan B. The flight timing should work well. You can take a public bus from EZE to AEP for around $10 pp instead of paying through the nose for a taxi to get from EZE to your hotel. Same number of hotel nights as plan A, except the first night is in Iguazu. You'll be able to have dinner in downtown Iguazu where there are lots of good restaurants at reasonable prices. Tour the falls the next day and then catch a late flight back to BA.

 

On the park's website the hours are listed as 8 am to 6 pm daily.

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  • 2 weeks later...

We were on a land trip. We stayed two nights. Went up one afternoon. Stayed a day and a half, returned to BA in the AM.

 

We checked out of our BA hotel. We only took one bag. Left the other in storage at our hotel in BA. We were travelling for several months so we do not tend to rush these side trips.

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We're flying in to EZE a few days prior to our cruise. We will arrive about 9:30AM. My current plan is to go to a hotel and get settled, maybe tour some of BA. The next day, fly from AEP to IGR (on the Argentine side) arriving at 1:00pm and go to the falls. There is an earlier flight that arrives at 7:40am but it leaves around 6:30am. Then fly back to BA that same day, leaving IGR at 9:25pm and arriving at AEP at 11:20 pm. Doing it this way, we don't have to check out of our hotel in BA and can hopefully see the falls in one day. Is this a reasonable plan, or do I need to plan for more time at the falls, spending the night there.

I suppose plan B would be to arrive at EZE at 9:25, then transfer to AEP and take a 1:10pm flight to the falls, arriving at 3:00pm. Spend the night there, see the falls the next day, and fly back that same day or the next (thus spending 2 nights at the falls). Is this a better plan ?

 

We just did the one day trip in January, 2018. We arrived at IGR around 11:20am, departed from AEP at 9:25 onboard Aerolineas Argentina. We got to the falls area around 1pm because the pre-arranged driver forgot to pick us up. There are private guides that will take you around the falls. They are in the ticketing area and you can just walk up and hire them. Our guide, Marcos was great! We hiked around 10K (three main trails) in 3 hours. We did NOT do the boat under the falls. We then walked through the hotel and then our driver took us into town and we grabbed a bite to eat (empanadas) and walked around and then headed to the airport for our flight back at 9:25. We were back at the airport by 6:30pm. We could have easily booked an early flight back to BA.

 

So it is doable! But it is a lot of walking and some of it uphill! It was hot and tiring and the highlight of our 20 day trip!! We did not feel like we missed out on anything, but we do want to return(with the rest of the family) and spend a night or two.

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Iguazu Falls are truly wonderful. We were there in early

March. In an ideal world I would recommend two days on

the Argentine side and one on the Brazilian. However, if you can manage just two days I would recommend

Argentina for both. Brazil gives you a wide panorama of the Falls which is, of course, beautiful but it is a bit of a

one trick pony. There are a greater number of vistas from

Argentina and you get closer to the water on more occasions. The boat trip is fun. It would be a shame if you could only be there for one day. I imagine it could be done but I think you would get more out of your visit if you were there for two days. I hope these comments are of assistance.

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Tricky question to answer. Iguazu Falls is a very special

place so if you are reasonably sure that you are unlikely

to be in that part of South America again I would say go

even if it is only for one day. Obviously, you will have to decide whether the cost of getting there justifies a

relatively brief visit. Coud you spend one day less in

Buenos Aires or Rio, or wherever else you might be visiting, and make it two days at Iguazu? I hope this

reply helps and doesn’t just add confusion.

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  • 3 weeks later...

We just did one day on each side and wished I had spent more time in total. I would say at least three days since we had the commute between the two that broke up the day. We could have done more if we had more time on both sides.

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When we went we stayed in the Sheraton, which is now the Melia, for two nights. It's not cheap, but it's the only hotel actually inside the Argentine side of the park. (You can actually see the top of the Falls from the dining room.) We were able to get into the park early, before everyone else arrived, explore all the trails, and stay a little past closing time, when we strolled back to the hotel. I understand that the hotel has been getting renovated, though, so there may still be some construction going on.

 

If you're on the Argentine side and plan on going over to Brazil to catch the view, be forewarned that you will need a Brazilian visa, even if you intend to take a taxi over, take a few snaps, and head back over the border an hour later. Fortunately, though, Brazilian visas are now cheaper than they were then. I would never trust cab drivers who claim they can get around the visa requirement.

 

The Falls are one of the true wonders of the world and there are a lot of trails on the Argentine side. Five or six hours seems like shortchanging it.

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When I left the Melia on March 2, this year, they had started demo on many of the rooms. The Front Desk said they were closing one entire wing and remodeling, then would switch to do the same on the other side. They thought it would be complete around February 2019.

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  • 2 months later...

For those of you who stayed overnight in Puerto Iguazu, I'm wondering where you stayed and what you did with your luggage on the day you visited the falls but also flew out of Iguazu to BA. All suggestions are appreciated!

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Stayed at the hotel within the park. Checked out at noon, they kept our luggage, spent the early afternoon back at the falls, returned to hotel and used hotel spa shower room (free) before returning to airport. Due to temp and humidity a shower before flying was a good idea.

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I spent several days there with my family in 1969. Went back in 2015; infrastructure and facilities much improved! In 2015, we arrived late on day 1, overnight in a hotel on Argentine side. Day 2 was about 6-7 hours on Argentine side. Day 3 was a back-up day, just in case the weather was terrible on day2. We didn’t go back to the falls, explored the town instead. Day 4 we went early to Brazilian side, a couple of hours there, then back to our hotel for a leisurely lunch, then a mid-afternoon flight to AEP. Could have left out Day 3 and have had a good experience in three days total.

 

I’ll follow up below with our 2019 plans which are a bit different. Sooner or later with enough tries I’ll get it right...

 

Stan

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In 2019 we'll return to Iguazu and this time it will be different, but the same.

- Day 1 we will take bus and then taxi or local guide from Asuncion Paraguay to Ciudad del Este and then onward to Puerto Iguazu. Overnight in a hotel there.

- Day 2 will be spent on the Argentine side. Back to the same hotel.

- Day 3 we'll check out and leave our luggage. Spend a half-day or so on the Brazilian side. Retrieve our luggage and move to the Melia inside the park on the Argentine side.

- Day 4 we will have a leisurely morning at the Falls, then to the AP and on the 5:45pm flight to AEP.

 

You may be able to tell - I enjoy the falls!

I could not track your Plan A, Plan B so cannot specifically comment on those. But I do strongly recommend that you spend at least a significant part of one day if not all day on the Argentine side, another half-day (including round-trip) on the Brazilian side.

 

Stan

 

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If it is a once in a lifetime experience you MUST do both sides. While some may say don't worry about the Brazil side, in my opinion, the Brazil side is not to be missed.Every bit as spectacular - just different. I cannot see you spending less than two full days at the Falls. One for Argentina and one for Brazil. You won't be sorry. We stayed 3 nights and 2 full days. Don't leave yourself short of time. We were held up at the border crossing for quite a while. As said if you are not likely to do it again don't miss out on doing it all.

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I was on a week long trip from Uruguay to Iguazu and skipped the day to Ciudad del Este due to the visa requirement for Paraguay. The rest of the folk on the trip were Uruguayan citizens so did not need one. Our group were told most things there were fakes and to be careful while shopping there.

This is from a post about Ciudad del Este.

 

"Careful as to electronics. Many show you a display and it works and then go get a new box and the item is not real. There is NO Apple store. Many shops carry Apple products but most not real. Even the accessories you buy and then use, you get an error that the device is not compatible.

 

CdE is very, let's say" different". Recommend not going at night. PY to AR and BR has the highest drug traffic in BR. There are many eyes in the sky along the borders. Customs are cracking down on Foz locals going to CdE shopping and returning with more than the amount allowed and confiscate goods or fine people."

 

The Uruguayans on my trip did quite a bit of shopping - mostly Chinese knock offs but were visibly shocked by the poverty and poor conditions of the residents when they returned.

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For those of you who stayed overnight in Puerto Iguazu, I'm wondering where you stayed and what you did with your luggage on the day you visited the falls but also flew out of Iguazu to BA. All suggestions are appreciated!

 

I stayed here ... Loved it.

 

https://www.jardindeiguazu.com.ar/en-gb

 

I scheduled a morning flight after the second night stay, so no luggage issue.

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I stayed here ... Loved it.

 

https://www.jardindeiguazu.com.ar/en-gb

 

I scheduled a morning flight after the second night stay, so no luggage issue.

 

 

I appreciate this info! I read the reviews and think this may work for us. Did you take the bus, cab or a private transport to get to the falls? Do you recall how long it took you to get to the falls and the cost for transport?

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I appreciate this info! I read the reviews and think this may work for us. Did you take the bus, cab or a private transport to get to the falls? Do you recall how long it took you to get to the falls and the cost for transport?

If you stay here, you are two blocks from the main bus terminal on Av. Cordoba. Catch the local bus for a dollar or two each way to/from the falls. The bus will drop you off and pick you up right at the entrance to the Falls.

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