Iguazu Falls Trip Brazil Side – Get in the Waterfalls!
If you are headed to the Iguacu Falls and are trying to decide which side of the falls is the best, this article is for you! We will look at how to get to the falls, best time of year to visit, and what you will see at Iguazu Falls Brazil side! We have lots of pictures and tips to help you plan you next family vacation to South America.
Iguazu Falls Brazil
There are two ways to see the Iguassu Fall – Iguazu Falls Argentina side or The Iguazu Falls Brazil Side. They are both great choices for seeing the fall, but give you two very different experiences. The Argentina side gives more opportunities to hike and explore as you take various paths along the top by the top of the waterfalls and middle of the falls. The Brazil side of the Iguacu Falls takes you more into tho the falls with an amazing wooden walkway righ into the heart of the falls. They are both so different and compliment each other really well. I highly suggest you see them both, spending 4 hours at each for an epic day exploring this natural wonder. But, if you only have time for one, this post will dive into the highlights of seeing the Iguassu Falls Brazil side.
where is iguazu falls
The mighty Iguazu Falls, the largest waterfall system in the world, impresses 1.5 million annual visitors. This extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Site straddles both Argentina and Brazil. The falls span 2.7 kilometres wide, and are made up of 275 waterfalls. The water flows from 1,500 cubic meters to 13,000 cubic meters per second during rainy season – that’s enough to fill 5 Olympic swimming pools in just one second.
On the Brazil side the waterfalls are known as the Iguaçu Falls. But using the spelling of Iguazu (Argentina) or Iguassu (old spelling) all mean the same amazing falls located between the countries in South America.
how to get to iguazu falls
Travel tip: If you’re planning a trip to see the beautiful Iguazu Falls, you wll be flying into the Cataratas del Iguazu International Airport (IGR) in Argentina or Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) in Brazil. Both these airports are small, so you may need a connecting flight if coming from abroad. Once you arrive, it’s easy to catch a taxi or book a tour to get to the falls.
best time of year to visit iguazu falls
iguazu falls hotel brazil
We flew to Argentina as it was a very inexpensive trip from Buenos Aires Argentina. We took a quick and inexpensive taxi we booked at the airport to our hotel, La Reserva Virgin Lodge. The hotel was incredible, nestled in the jungle with a tub on our porch. We wish we could have stayed longer to relax and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. The breakfast options were great, and the hotel is conveniently located near the airport and the falls. High recommend!
iguazu falls brazil tours
Looking to visit the magnificent Iguazu Falls? We highly recommend booking a tour to make the most of your experience! This Iguazu Falls Tour. was fantastic – from being picked up at our hotel, to exploring both the Argentina and Brazil sides, to getting assistance with passport control and even recommendations for additional sights to see. They made our visit seamless and hassle-free, which was a gamechanger for our large family. If you’re planning a trip to Iguazu Falls, definitely consider booking a tour for an unforgettable experience!
iguazu falls brazil tickets
Our tour included the driver, transportation, holding our luggage, a guide who took us through and explained anything all day, and delivering us to the airport at the end. The tickets were not included, but were easy to purchase at the park.
iguassu falls brazil
You will start with a drive through the subtropical rainforest. Having a private driver will save you time taking the official park bus. Your driver has to pick up a device that will monitor his speed to make sure the wildlife is safe.
The lush forests surrounding the falls are teeming with exotic animals such as jaguars, tapirs, monkeys, and colorful birds like toucans and parrots. As you explore the park, you may encounter these fascinating creatures in their natural habitat, adding an extra level of excitement to your visit.
iguazu falls brazil side
By the time we drove over the border, cleared customs, bought our ticket, and drove to the falls it was close to 1pm. The crowds had thinned out nicely.
We arrived at the park and right away were greeted with this huge platform with a great view of the falls. It isn’t as close or as WOW for a family picture as the Argenina one, but it was a nice view.
The above picture helps you see the difference of where you are related to the falls. See the arrows on the right and left are pointing to a walkway on top of the Iguazu Falls on the Artentina side. It goes all the way between them and more on the Upper Trail. The Argentina side puts you ON TOP of the falls in a very powerful way.
You will see more of the immense 2.7 kilometer Iguassu Falls on the Brazil Side beucase of the horseshoe shape. It is so hard to see it all at one time unless you take a helicopter ride (extra).
iguazu brazil
As you continue on the trail heading downward towards the waterfalls, you will come across various overlooks. This dramatic view lets you see just how massive the falls are. They go on and on and on. It’s hard to really capture in a picture!
As you can see from the pictures, the rain clouds were coming in. It did rain towards the end, it is the rainforest and it happens. You can get to some shelter at the end of the walk under some coverings by the old hotel.
brazil waterfalls
The more you walk, the more spectacular the views become; there is tons of water pressure and spray from the powerful Iguazu Falls view from the Brazil side
brazil waterfalls iguazu
Culminating in a mesmerizing sight of the iconic Devil’s Throat. At this point we were all beyond excited. We still had a ways to walk down the path to get to the bottom of the falls and the boardwalk. But the view was spectactular! The Iguacu falls looked mammoth and we were going to get to walk through the boardwalk into the center of the falls. WOW!
Devil’s Throat
First, if you go on the walkway into Devil’s Throad you will get wet. Many people put on ponchos for this part. We decided it was part of the adventure and just went for it. We didnt’ get soaked, but we did get wet. The picture above was just barely starting to go into the Devils Throat.
This is as far as you can get. Close enough to get really sprayed and feel the surge of adrenaline from the adventure! It is absolutely thrilling to stand in the midst of the waterafll going 180 degrees around you and another 180 degrees but farther down.
After coming out of the Devil’s throat, you will follow the path up to the left of the falls and head on viewing platform for a fabulous family picture in front of the falls (See below) and then go up the elevator to stand on the glass level for a panoramic view above the falls
iguazu falls brazil and argentina
The Brazil side wins in my book if you can only do one side. The thrill of being so close to the falls, being in the midst of the falls is beyond what I can put into words. It was AMAZING! Plus there as you leave and head up the stairs there is yet another great place to get pictures with the falls behind you But this time you wont get wet!
Here is the final view I’ll share – Iguacu Falls Brazil side from platform up from elevator. You can see the boardwalk into Devil’s Throat where you got wet and a view of the falls from above. Sorry for the cloudy pics, it was about to RAIN! The panoramic wasn’t great because of the incoming storm.
After this our driver picked us up. That is another advantage of a tour. We took some time to eat, there is a fast food place or buffet restaurant on the top of the falls as well as restrooms and a large gift shop. We had some extra time so we got to see a local bird park until it was time to head to the airport.
As I said above, I recommend seeing both sides as they are both very unique and allow you to fully experience these AMAZING waterfalls. But, if you only have time for one – I preferred the immersive experience of the Brazil side. Make sure to see our experience with the Iguazu Falls Argentina side to compare it for yourself.
