Iguazu Falls or more time in B.A.?

[dileep]

By any chance, does anyone remember what type of plug adapters are needed for the Iguazu Sheraton. Looking at the adapter charts, Argentina has 3 different kinds. I am hoping that they use the 2 round prongs like are used in most central European countries, since I have a bunch of them.

 

Well at the BA airport and in Ushuaia, the 2 pronged round ones worked. You could also use the flags pins like US but slanted at a 45 degree angle.

I have a universal plug with many different prongs. I use that with a short extension cord to plug multiple items. The Sheraton can lend you a adpater if you need one.

[MVPinBoynton]

Thanks Dileep. Since the only place we will be at other than the ship at night is the Sheraton, that is the only place I will need them.

[gordandmichele]

We did a post cruise stay at Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires in January 2009. I would second the recommendation to stay at one of the apartment hotels in Buenos Aires. We stayed at the Ayres de Recoleta for around $120. Full kitchen, dining room, separate bedroom. Breakfast included. 5 minute walk to Recoleta cemetery. The subway is close. A cab to anywhere is less than $7.

 

We took a mid-morning flight to Iguazu. We stayed at the Hotel Posada la Sorgente. It was less than $100 and a short walk from shopping and the bus station. The hotel arranged for an english-speaking guide to pick us up at the airport, drop our bags at the hotel, and take us to the Argentinian side of the falls. We got him to come back and pick us up from the falls at 6:00 P.M. Total cost $27. The next morning he picked us up at the hotel, took us across the border to the Brazilian side (we had our visas), did all the talking at the border, took us to Bird Park (don't miss it), then to a local restaurant for lunch. He dropped us off at the falls and picked us up at 6:00 P.M. Total cost $50. Fantastic. We had decided to sleep in Iguazu and take the first flight back to B.A. in the morning, but you can just as easily fly back on Day 2 in the evening.

 

Both Palermo and Recoleta are less than 15 minutes from the airport, and since it's just a local airport you get in and out really quickly.

[Gerricann]

For those of you who have taken tours of Iguazu, is it necessary to have a tour guide, if so does it matter if you do a private tour or the larger tours of about 30 people? Is a tour guide even necessary or could we do all the arrangements on our own? What we want to avoid are bathroom breaks and the difficulty of moving 30 people together as usually happens on ships' tours.

 

GordonandMichele, do you have the name of your guide or the tour company that the hotel arranged for you?

 

We are going in March and would appreciate any information those of you who have already been there could offer.

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

[dougo in oz]

The airfare from BA is about $330 pp to the Argentina side. The cheapest room in the Sheraton through AAA is $260 plus $55 tax or $315 per night. There are cheaper rooms in town.

 

There are Park entry fees too as far as I'm aware but I can't recall if I read $US20 per person.

 

Re the airports in Buenos Aires - I believe that you can get a shuttle service between the two airports. We land in EZE and will be transferring straight to AEP.

 

If you stay at the Sheraton, I think you can arrange for them to pick you up too.

 

As for tour guides, if you look on the Boards of CC for Iguazu Falls, there are lots of reviews about what you can do with and without a guide and some great hints and tips too.

[dougo in oz]

We did a post cruise stay at Iguazu Falls and Buenos Aires in January 2009. I would second the recommendation to stay at one of the apartment hotels in Buenos Aires. We stayed at the Ayres de Recoleta for around $120. Full kitchen, dining room, separate bedroom. Breakfast included. 5 minute walk to Recoleta cemetery. The subway is close. A cab to anywhere is less than $7.

 

If you don't mind sharing, what was the Ayre de Recoleta like? I've read some mixed reviews.....:confused:

[dileep]

If you don't mind sharing, what was the Ayre de Recoleta like? I've read some mixed reviews.....:confused:

 

I would love to know too! We were booked there last January, but our flight was delayed by 24 hours and we barely had enough time to just make our connection to Ushuaia amd missed our day in BA!

[trixietx]

I haven't read all the replies, but don't miss Iguazu Falls. We flew from BA to Iguazu and got there about lunch time. We walked and rode the train on the Argentina side with just the map and guide they hand out. It was easy. The next day we took a cab to the Brazil side and took the helicopter tour. If you have the time, do that, I loved it. Such beautiful scenery.

 

The next morning we flew back to BA and then on the Sao Paulo. We stayed at the Sheraton in the park. If you stay at the Sheraton the Argentina side is all within walking distance. Be sure to get a room with a view of the falls, it costs a little more, but well worth it!

[springaussie]

Does anyone know what the domestic luggage allowances are on South Americian Airlines?

[dougo in oz]

Cough up the extra $$$s to get a falls view room and get up early - watch the sun rise over the Devils Throat was wonderful - the mist cloud above the falls was pink in the golden light of early morning. See here for this pic (an others of the falls.

 

http://picasaweb.google.com.au/julieannpearson/TangoTalesSouthAmericaII#5456913236894915634

 

 

If you want a real close-up experience, you can take the jet boat through the rapids and under the falls - you can book this in the foyer of the Sheraton with little/no notice.

 

Great view and lovely photos. Do you remember the room number that you stayed in??? If so, could you share please?? Thanks

[biker1972]

Springaussie: LAN is two pieces which weigh 23K kgs. in total. I think that AA is less.

[gordandmichele]

If you don't mind sharing, what was the Ayre de Recoleta like? I've read some mixed reviews.....:confused:

 

We would definitely go back. Read the first 10 reviews on Tripadvisor. That will tell you all you need to know.

[gordandmichele]

For those of you who have taken tours of Iguazu, is it necessary to have a tour guide, if so does it matter if you do a private tour or the larger tours of about 30 people? Is a tour guide even necessary or could we do all the arrangements on our own? What we want to avoid are bathroom breaks and the difficulty of moving 30 people together as usually happens on ships' tours.

 

GordonandMichele, do you have the name of your guide or the tour company that the hotel arranged for you?

 

We are going in March and would appreciate any information those of you who have already been there could offer.

 

Thank you for sharing your experiences.

 

You absolutely DO NOT need a guide in Iguazu. In fact, on both the Argentinian and Brazilian sides, it's what I would call self-guided. There are well marked paths in English and lots of park workers to help you. You don't even need someone to drive you to the Argentinian side if you are willing to take the local bus. There are tour companies with buses that will take you to the Brazilian side, but I'd go the way we did, with a private driver. It costs a bit more but you control the day and how your time is spent. It's also much faster at the border.

 

And if you are considering not doing the Brazilian side, then don't go at all. Yes, you need a visa, and yes, it's costly for just a one day entrance, but it's much more spectacular than the Argentinian side. Both are great and give different views, but the Brazilian side is better.

 

The person that the hotel arranged for us was not part of a tour company. He's just a guy that they trust and have worked with for years. We could not have been happier with what they arranged. We told them exactly what we wanted, which was basically a driver that we wanted to hire for the day. That's exactly what we got and that's what I would recommend. Like you, we also didn't want to be tied to anyone else's schedule.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Are there taxis as you go....as I am not sure every hotel has a driver at hand:confused:

 

How much is a driver for both sides for a day?

 

Is it a problem to get the boat ride at the falls also "just in time" do they sell those also at the falls or do you need a tour company for that?

[gordandmichele]

Are there taxis as you go....as I am not sure every hotel has a driver at hand:confused:

 

How much is a driver for both sides for a day?

 

Is it a problem to get the boat ride at the falls also "just in time" do they sell those also at the falls or do you need a tour company for that?

 

There are taxis, yes, but I'm sure every hotel can get you someone to do whatever you need. They get the same request 10 times a day. I think we paid our guy $50 for the whole day to do the Brazilian side, but my wife thinks it was $100. In either case, it's worth it and it's an insignificant amount when factored into the whole trip cost.

 

We just walked up and booked the boat ride when we were in the park. I don't think there are advance reservations. You should do it as early as possible, because the line can get long and they close pretty early.

[Gerricann]

Thank you for sharing your experience. We will go with your suggestion and appreciate your input.:)

[gordandmichele]

Thank you for sharing your experience. We will go with your suggestion and appreciate your input.:)

 

Anything for a fellow Torontonian.

[skjtrav]

After skimming all this we want to try to fly on to I Falls the same day that we arrive to BA (after a grueling long flight from the west coast) rather than checking into BA hotel first. So I see from the comments that there is a shuttle between EZE and the local airport. I understand that there is some kind of luggage storage facility at the local airport (I found some older posts on trip advisor but couldn't link to any of the references).

(1) Has anyone here actually done that?

(2) How much time should be allocated to clear customs at EZE, get a shuttle, find the luggage storage area, and have enough time to make the flight to I Falls with carry-on?

(3) Dileep you mentioned a tour company that made all these arrangements for you. I got your BA city tour recommendation on the Antarct board (thanks) but can you share the other one also?

[kathy16]

Also interested in going to I- falls the day we get off cruise ship in BA, stay for 2 nights there, and fly back to BA for 3 nights, then fly back home to Hartford, CT.

[biker1972]

My plan, because of the overnight flight, is to go to the hotel, check in (may need early checkin) spend that day and the next in BA, store luggage at the hotel, go to Iguazu for 2 nights, return to the hotel for another night, then leave. Same time in BA but not having to be in transit for an extended time. There are about 7 daily flights from BA to Iguazu (AA and LAN together). You might make the 11:45 LAN flight depending on your arrival time and traffic. Better might be the 1:35 AA flight. Price for either about the same but better luggage prospects with LAN. AA does have 2 earlier flights each day as well as several later flights.

[Talisker92]

Please go to our website to see the story on our trip. Do Not miss the falls. There are more than 200 cascades and are better seen from the Brazilian side. Our website is

http://home.mindspring.com/~highlandpark/

It is the South America story.

If you have time take the Macucu safari raft trip that goes right under the falls!!!!

[boomerone]

Hi edgee---add us to those who recommend the trip to Iguazu as a MUST DO. I'd go up there on the day of arrival in BA. We went in February (when the water volume over the Falls was huge) post cruise, planned it on our own for $2500 less than what the cruise line was going to charge, stayed at Las Cataratas hotel on the Argentine side (a tad older but clean and pretty close to both the town and Falls), had dinner (spectacular) twice at Aqva Restaurant on Avenue Cordoba, and thoroughly enjoyed a day at the Falls (from the Argentine side allegedly better than the Brazilian side) walking both upper and lower walks and riding a huge Zodiac boat to a spot underneath one of the 270+ Falls. Incredible experience. Back in BA=do a half day guided tour in the morning and go back to those places you like (Recoleta, San Telmo, LaBoca districts) later that day or on day 4 and take in a Tango Show (Esquina Carlos Gardel is a good one and you can have dinner there as well). It's a great city, you'll have a great time.

[burm]

I don't think Iguassu is better than Victoria Falls, just different. Both are spectacular and should be on everyone's bucket list. When you walk the path alongside Victoria Falls, it just seems to go on forever. Iguassu consists of the largest series of waterfalls in the world, approx 300. What both have over Niagara (aside from being larger) is that they are so natural.

 

Both sides of Iguassu are spectacular, but if you can only see the Argentina side it is still worth the trip. I did not have a visa to Brazil but a taxi driver arranged through a touring company only charged me $40 for the entire day. He took me to the bird sanctuary and the falls. I walked the falls area on my own and he was waiting for me when I finished. He took me to a great restaurant for lunch (not included, but it cost $10 including a meal for the driver) and then to an amazing jewellery store (which I am still dreaming of. The semi-precious stones are arranged like a rainbow).

 

I was nervous about crossing the border without a visa but the touring company (I think it was called Sol Iguassu) assured me that they have a local arrangement. The driver took my passport in to the the customs officials and came back with a piece of paper giving my details (along with my passport, of course). No problem!

 

Transportation is not a problem in the Iguassu area. There are cheap buses from the town to the falls and taxes are plentiful and incredibly cheap.

 

I spent 5 nights at Iguassu and found plenty of interesting things to keep me busy.

 

I should add that if anyone is fortunate enough to be at Iguassu during a full moon, there are moonlight tours of the falls. It is amazing to walk through the jungle at night in perfect silence. The Devil's Throat just glows under the full moon. Magical!