How to budget limited days in BA & Iguazu?

[cpgrneyes]

We are flying into Buenos Aires, and arrive about 3pm on Sunday. We are currently booked into a nice hotel for four nights, we board our ship on Thursday, and don't sail on to Rio until Friday at 5pm.

 

Our friends are flying in separately, and staying at Hotel Cataratas in Iguazu for three nights.

 

My thought is to shorten our first stay in BA to three nights, fly to Iguazu Wednesday morning arriving about 8:30 am, taxi to the Argentinian side of the falls the rest of that day, taxi over to Brazil and the hotel, view the Brazil side Thursday morning, then take the 2pm flight from the Argentine airport back to BA and board the ship.

 

Essentially, we'd still have most of four days in BA and 1.5 in Iguazu.

 

Does that seem reasonable? I know it would be better if we had more time in both places, but such is life. I just want to make sure we make the most of the time (and lots of $$$) in Iguazo.

 

Help!

[Artemis]

Your proposal sounds fine (and dedicating 1 day to the Argentine side and 1/2 day to the Brazil side is just right) as long as the cruise line confirms a flexible embarkation time in case you run into a problem with the Thursday afternoon flight. In other words, if you had a flight delay and arrived at the port at, e.g., 9p, would that be okay with the cruise line? The cruise port terminal at BA should be open 24 hours while the ship is docked, so the only issue is the cruise line's capability to support late check-in.

 

Happy research and planning!

[biker1972]

There are 3 main trails on the Argentine side of the falls. The park closes at 6:00. If you are on an early flight from BA this might well work. But it is hot, and steamy and there is a good bit of walking. If you drop one of the trails you will miss some really nice views because all 3 trails are worth the effort. Personally, I would return to Iguazu before I would return to BA; so I would be the first to suggest more time at the falls and less in the city.

[Artemis]

I think with an 8:30 AM flight arrival, you will be able to do everything you want on the Argentine side that day. In March, we started at 8:30 AM, did all three circuits, plus lunch and the boat ride under the falls, and we were done by 3 or 4.

 

To make the most of your day, you will want to figure out a primo luggage scenario to avoid delay waiting on baggage claim and also having to take your luggage to your Brazilian hotel before you start your day in the Argentine park. (Dropping your bags at your Brazilian hotel would kill 1+ hours. Even though you can see the other country side while you are at the falls, it is a long drive time between the two sides + border immigration.) I'd recommend leaving the bulk of your cruise luggage at your BA hotel (which does mean you'd have to swing by there to retrieve it on your way to the ship). If you can travel with just backpacks or small bags to Iguazu (you don't need much in the way of clothes, just a casual park outfit that can get wet + a hotel evening outfit), that will free you from having to check luggage and then you can go directly from the airport to the Argentine park on arrival and store your things in a locker. (See the Luggage Lockers paragraph here: http://www.iguassufallstour.com/main.php?run=tips.html#argentinean_side We did check our luggage into lockers on the Brazilian side--relatively inexpensive, and the lockers were big enough to accommodate rollaboard suitcases!)

 

If you follow this plan, I guesstimate you will be at the park by 9 AM. It is not a long taxi ride from the airport. Ask the park people about the anticipated crowd, whether they recommend to line up first thing and take the train out to the Devil's Throat or whether to come back in the afternoon and do that last. That is the most time-consuming activity of the day (and the most thrilling!). We did it first thing to beat the rush, but I have read others have waited until afternoon to "save the best for last."

[cpgrneyes]

Artemis, that's exactly our plan. We'll leave our luggage in BA and travel very light to Iguazu, check our bag into a locker, explore the Argentina side, retrieve our bag and head to the hotel in Brazil. The next morning, we'll see the Brazilian side, head back to the hotel, grab a cab to the airport, then once back in BA, retrieve the rest of our luggage and head to the ship.

 

I'm looking forward to spending some time in BA and seeing the falls.

 

I did check with Azamara, and we just have to be on the ship an hour before sail away, giving us 24+ hours cushion.

 

Thanks all for the comments.

[Artemis]

cpgrneyes, you've obviously done your homework--a fellow researcher! The falls are just amazing. You will be so glad you made that trip. And BA is incredible, too. You've planned well for both. Enjoy, enjoy! :)

[cpgrneyes]

Thanks, Artemis - the planning is a huge part of the fun for me, something my DH cannot understand!

[dr__dawggy]

Your plan sounds doable. Glad to see you have a time cushion. Airlines in South America are famous for changing, delaying or canceling flights. Aerolineas is the worst offender, but LAN frequently changes their schedule as well.

 

Do you have a plan for your time in BA? With only three days, sketching out how you ill allocate your time is important as is staying in a central location.....

 

Have a great time in Argentina..my favorite country on earth.

[cpgrneyes]

Don't yet have a schedule for BA, but hope to get a taste of the city in our 3-1/2 days there. We'll be staying in Recoleta at the Algodon Mansion which I hope is central. Plan to take in a tango show, have lots of steak, stroll some gardens, and soak it all in!

[cpgrneyes]

Turns out LAN totally changed our flights into BA, so we've totally changed our plans. We now fly directly to Iguazu on the Brazilian side arriving in the evening. We have all day to explore the Argentinian side, and don't leave (from the Argentine airport) to BA until 2pm the following day, giving us our half day in Brazil to see that side. We'll still have 3 days in BA and lots of cushion with flights.

 

One twist with the new flight schedule - we arrive in Lima on the way down at 5:30 am and don't leave until 1:30 pm for Iguazu. I have a guide picking us up for a few hours in Lima - an unexpected bonus visit!

[Fattony]

You can just take a taxi across the border to the Brazilian side of the falls? We went to both sides but were on a tour. You can see the attractions of the falls in a couple of days easy. But could find even more to do with more time. I assume you will have your Brazilian visas well in advance.

[Artemis]

^ Yes, taxis, or "remises" as the local car services are called, will take you wherever you want to go!

 

cpgrneyes, wow, you sure know how to rock and roll with the unexpected! Your new plan sounds great, and I love how you managed to squeeze in that bonus tour of Lima. :D

[no fuss travel]

Give yourself enough time to cross the border back into Argentina. It depends on how many people are trying to cross the border for how long it will take to get across. We had to wait 30 minutes going from Brazil to Argentina and coming back to Brazil it took us 25 minutes. We had a private tour guide that did all the passport work for us. Where we got delayed was at the airport flying back as a torrential rain storm arrived and planes simply were not moving. All the electricity at the airport was cut off due to the storm as well.:eek: