As Iguaçu (Portuguese) or Iguazú (Spanish) is a rainforest area with spectacular waterfalls around the confluence of the Río Iguazú in the Paraná in the border area between Brazil and Argentina designated. In both countries the landscape is protected by national parks.
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The Cataratas do Iguaçu are the largest waterfalls in the world. They count to the UNESCO World Heritage Site and lie in the ditch Foz do Iguaçuthat runs between Brazil and Argentina. Not far away is the border to Paraguay, there is the hydropower plant of Itaipushared by Brazil and Paraguay.
 View from the Hotel das Cataratas |
 The waterfalls ... |
 ... are fantastic |
history
landscape
The Cataratas do Iguacú consist of 150 to 270 waterfalls, which mostly tumble thundering in 2 - 3 stages from a height of 40 to over 90 m. Depending on the season, the amount of water fluctuates between 300 m³ and 7000 m³ per second. There are several ways to watch the falls.
- on the Brazilian side, the Rodovia das Cataratas leads from Foz do Iguacú to the Hotel dos Cataratas. From the panorama path you can see the imposing Garganta do Diabo Look very carefully at (devil's throat). Linguistic conversation is only possible to a limited extent. If you visit the hotel, take a look from the small observation tower, it's worth it.
- from the Argentine side you can get to the falls from Puerto Iguazú. Private vehicles are not permitted within the national park, but you can use the path system to get to various well-developed viewpoints. The devil's throat (here it is called Garganta del Diablo) can be viewed well over the park railway and then over a developed footbridge.
- From below, the falls also appear enormous: there are motorized rubber dinghies that go up the rapids to directly below the falls. Both the trip and the (quite warm) shower are a special kind of experience. A trip of 12 minutes costs 100 pesos and is offered on both sides, but the Argentine one gets closer to the falls. Tickets can be purchased both at the bus station and in the park.
Most of the falls are on Argentine territory and the road network on the Argentine side is somewhat larger. In general, you can say that you get the closest to the falls on the Argentine side, while you get a very good overall view from the Brazilian side (but here, too, you get wet if you want to).
Flora and fauna
In the national park there is still the on the Brazilian side Parque das Aves. It features South American birds, including toucans, tame parrots, rheas and hummingbirds, as well as a number of snakes, but also those who walk in the forests of the park can see toucans in the trees, or you can quickly meet coatis looking for food in trash cans.
climate
Sultry and hot in summer.
In the South American winter (note the reversed seasons in the southern hemisphere), it can sometimes get quite fresh (up to 10 ° C), especially at night, so take warm clothes with you.
getting there
There is a small airport on both the Brazilian and Argentine sides. The Brazilian is now also directly from Lima in Peru approached.
Numerous bus companies offer very comfortable bus trips from numerous cities in Brazil and Argentina. Some buses also serve hot dishes, alternatively the buses stop at rest stops with a fairly large selection of dishes. Bus journeys are usually the cheaper way of getting here, but it is worth comparing prices with the Brazilian airlines (depending on the season / occupancy, the flight ticket may also be cheaper) and taking into account the total costs (the bus journey to Rio takes about 24 hours, for example, if you have enough food) only at the comparatively expensive rest stops you can quickly get to the price of a cheap flight ticket just for the food).
The journey to the bus station in Puerto Iguacu (Argentina) is recommended, as it is much more central than the one in Foz do Iguacu (Brazil).
Fees / permits
The Brazilian side costs 64 reais entry per person. As of February 13, 2017.
The Argentine side costs 500 pesos per person. For guests of the Sheraton Hotel, admission is included in the room price. As of February 13, 2017.
The prices for Mercosur citizens, Argentinians and Brazilians are significantly lower. If you have a visa for one of the countries, you should show it, as this is often enough for a discount (pensioners with a visa only pay 18 reais). If you want to visit the Argentine side again, you should get a stamp on your ticket when you go out in order to receive a 50% discount the next day. The cash register at which this is possible is marked. It is open until the park closes. The ferry to the island of San Martín is free.
mobility
Argentina
At the bus station in Puerto Iguazu (Argentina) there are countless buses to get to the waterfalls. The journey takes about 40 minutes and costs 330 pesos per person in both directions. The buses leave about every 20 minutes. You can buy tickets at the counter at the bus station.
At the bus station there are shuttle buses to the national park. The fee of 5 pesos can either be paid at a counter in the bus station or directly on the bus. There is also a shuttle bus to the local bus station in Foz do Iguacu (Brazil, 3 reais / 6 pesos)
Brazil
There are 2 bus stations in the city of Foz do Iguacu, the long-distance bus station (for buses from other cities, e.g. Rio or São Paulo) and the local bus station (Terminal de Omnibus). All city buses stop at the Terminal de Omnibus, the terminal is also the only point where you can change free of charge (otherwise the fare has to be paid again on the bus). The long-distance bus terminal can also be reached with a city bus (approx. 25 minutes) from the local bus station.
There is a half-hourly connection from the local bus station directly via the airport (Aeroporto) to the national park entrance. Free shuttle buses run in the park itself.
The Itaipu Dam (Itaipu Binacional), which can also be reached via the local bus station.
However, the bus from Argentina stops opposite the local bus station. The bus to Puerto Iguacú (Argentina) leaves behind the local bus station. But if you react quickly enough, you can always wave the bus from the street. The shuttle bus has a sign in the window "Argentinia" or "Brasil", depending on which direction it is going.
Border crossing
Everyone has to get off at the Argentine border and after the formalities you get back on the same bus.
At the Brazilian border, travelers who do not have Argentine citizenship are asked to get off the bus in order to complete the usual entry formalities. Here, too, the bus is waiting for the travelers.
Tourist Attractions
activities
Jeep tours into the jungle and rubber dinghy rides up to the waterfalls are organized on the Argentine side.
As an environmentally conscious tourist, you should avoid the helicopter flights! This nonsense, which is only possible from Brazil, has been sharply criticized for decades because the noise scared away numerous animal species and the vibrations of the rotor blades can break bird eggs.
The 10-minute sightseeing flight costs R $ 350 (approx. € 105) as of March 19, 2015
YouTube delivers numerous films from helicopters and drones (this is now kind to the environment and your wallet).
Time schedule
it takes one to three days to explore the waterfalls.
If you only have one day available, you should definitely visit the Argentine side.
If you have 2 days you can see the Brazilian side and do a dam tour in one day. On the second one can look at the Argentine side. You should take into account that the last ferry trip to the island of San Martín leaves at 3:30 p.m. (October 2011: no boats have been operating for 4 months due to high water). The last train to the devil's throat leaves at 16:00. Last access to the Sendero Macuco at 3:00 p.m.
The national park closes at 6:00 p.m.
kitchen
There are numerous restaurants and snack bars in the towns of Foz do Iguacu and Puerto Iguacú.
In the national parks there are occasional opportunities to have snacks or meals, but at higher prices.
accommodation
Both Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and Foz in Brazil are decidedly tourist cities with a lot of hotels in all price ranges. The most luxurious of these is probably in Brazil directly opposite the waterfalls themselves in a palatial structure. However, the accommodations on the Argentine side are cheaper.
Hotels and hostels
- Belmond Hotel das Cataratas, Rodovia BR 469 Km 32 Iguassu National Park, Foz do Iguassu, Brazil 85855-750. Price: rooms from approx. 300 EUR / night.
- Sheraton Iguazú Resort & Spa, Parque Nacional Iguazú, Iguazu, 3370 Argentina. Price: rooms from approx. 180 EUR / night.
camping
security
In contrast to the big cities of South America, Iguaçu is a sleepy nest and relatively safe. Organized crime doesn't really exist. You should be careful of your bags and wallet right next to the waterfalls - always carry your backpacks in front! Who in the Ciudad del Este goes to Paraguay to go shopping (technical devices cost half as much there as in Argentina), he has to be careful not to get a fake. Those who want to return to Argentina are only allowed to import products worth US $ 300 per person. The shrewd business people in Paraguay bypass this hurdle by delivering the products directly to the hotel (of course only after payment). You should not dare to venture out without a guide or a trustworthy taxi driver!
trips
The dam Itaipú on the border between Brazil and Paraguay is the second largest dam in the world after the Three Gorges Dam. He is also one of the modern wonders of the world. It generates about 90% of Paraguay's electricity and 25% of Brazil, whereby Paraguay only needs about 7% of the electricity produced. Around every hour (sometimes more often) there is a panorama tour by bus, where you can see the dam from the outside and drive twice over the dam wall (once down at the inlets to the turbines and once up over the top of the dam back). In addition, there is a "technical tour" lasting several hours 2-3 times a day, where you can also visit the inner workings of the dam. At the reservoir there are also some beaches that promise to cool off from the humid heat.
Those who stay overnight on the Argentine side and have a little more time can take a detour to the Wanda mines, Ruta Nac. n °. 12, Tel .: (0 37 57) 47 01 81. These are about 40 km from Puerto Iguazú away. Semi-precious stones are mined here. There are guided tours through the mines in English or Spanish. Not only are mining methods explained and shown, but you can also learn how the mines were created and detailed facts about (semi) precious stones. Entry: 12 pesos.
The Paraguayan city Ciudad del Este is also often offered as a tour. However, this is only worthwhile if you are really keen on the prices of sneakers and electrical appliances in Paraguay, because the city is not interesting for tourists.
literature
Web links
- Official homepage of the Argentine side, available in German, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese
- Official homepage of the Brazilian side, available in German, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese
