How we visited Iguazu Falls in one day - both Brazil and Argentina sides! (Travel Diaries Day 11)

Straddling the border between Argentina and Brazil, Iguazu Falls is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most awe-inspiring natural wonders I’ve ever been to! With over 275 cascading waterfalls spread across 2.7 kilometers, it’s a spectacle of sheer power and beauty. 

…And we almost didn’t make it! 😱

We had originally planned to leave Ilha Grande late in the morning and take our time heading back to Rio for what we thought was a late night flight to Foz do Iguaçu. But as we lay in bed, half-dead from food poisoning (here more about that story…), a horrifying realization struck us: our flight the next day wasn’t at night - it was in the early afternoon!

What followed was a frantic scramble to secure a transfer back to Rio the next morning. To our dismay, most options were already fully booked. Just as we were beginning to panic, our hotel host Diego, aka ultimate hero, came to the rescue. He managed to arrange a private water taxi to Angra dos Reis, where we miraculously caught a reasonably priced Uber to GIG airport (2+ hours away). Phew!

Gladly, our flight arrived in Foz do Iguaçu and we prepared for the following day - it was going to be a LONG one. For some reason we don’t really remember, when planning the first month of our trip, inexplicably we decided to allocate only one day in Iguazu Falls - we had booked our flight to Buenos Aires on the very same day, in the late evening.

Both fellow travelers and online travel gurus alike strongly recommended spending at least two days to explore both sides of the waterfalls - one day for Brazil and one day for Argentina. But with our flight to BA scheduled for that evening, we didn’t have much of a choice than doing it all in one day.

To make things even more interesting, we’d have to carry all our luggage with us, as we’d be crossing the border into Argentina and heading straight to the airport from there. it was going to be one action-packed day. Challenge accepted. 

So, here’s how we did it.

Morning magic on the Brazilian side

We woke up bright and early in Foz do Iguaçu (Brazil side), and headed to the entrance of the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu with all our luggage in tow. Thankfully, there are lockers near the entrance of the park, so we were able to store all our stuff there. 

With tickets for the first entry slot at 8:10 AM, we found ourselves among the first in line for the free shuttle bus to the falls (the bus ticket is included with the park entry). This bus took us along the 11-kilometer road to the trailhead, bringing us closer to the breathtaking waterfalls. Even though it was 08:30, our excitement was already building!

The trail offered breathtaking panoramas right from the start. The first glimpse of the falls left us speechless, but we didn’t know it was just the beginning! Each step revealed more waterfalls - bigger, louder, and more powerful. The crescendo came at the end of the trail, where the iconic Devil’s Throat appeared in all of its immensity.

Standing on the bridge overlooking this majestic cascade, we were drenched by its mist.

Soaked but happy!

We soaked in the views (as well as ourselves), and finally made our way out to retrieve our luggage at the entrance and request an Uber towards the Argentinian side.

By now, it was 10:30 AM.

Crossing the border: don’t make our mistake!

Getting to the border was straightforward enough, but our Uber dropped us at the Brazilian exit, and that’s when things got confusing. While we expected the driver to wait for us to get our passports stamped, he left, leaving us stranded. Unsure what to do next, we asked a local, who revealed to us the existence of a bus stop..! So we waited and after 5 minutes boarded a bus to an admittedly unknown destination.  Luckily, it brought us to the Argentina border, where we got off to get our passports checked and continued towards Puerto Iguazu.

On the other side, the adventure continued as we tried to figure out how to reach the falls. We stayed on the mystery bus as it went deeper into Puerto Iguazu, and by now we were the only ones on board… it became obvious to us that this bus was not going to take us to the falls!

The only ones left on mystery bus with all our luggage

The driver was kind enough to direct us to another bus stop, from which we could take the correct bus to the waterfalls. We waited for a while, as a parade of buses passed by, but none of them headed to the waterfalls. Tired of waiting in the heat (it was 37°!), we caved and took a taxi… just as the correct bus appeared 🥲

A tip for fellow travelers: arrange a reliable ride in advance or take a direct transfer service to avoid the uncertainty we faced!

Exploring Argentina’s side

By the time we reached Parque Nacional Iguazu, the watch showed 12:30 PM.

On the Argentinian side you can get really close to the falls, with three main trails offering incredible panoramic views: Superior circuit (1.5 km), Inferior circuit (1.7 km), and a train to Devil’s Throat leaving every 20-30 minutes.

We left our luggage in lockers again at the entrance, and started with the Superior Circuit, which offers sweeping views from above. It was beautiful but hot, and at this point we were definitely feeling the day’s exertions. At a leisurely pace, we completed the Superior Circuit in about 90 minutes. After a short break, we tackled the Inferior Circuit, which descended closer to the falls. This looping trail also took about 90 minutes. The thunder of the water was mesmerizing!

Our final journey was the train to Devil’s Throat. We reserved a spot on the final train of the day which left at 15:40. This train ticket is free with entry to the park. The plodding train ride took 10 minutes which was followed by a 15 minute walk toward the falls. Our feet were tired and our skin sunburnt, but off we went and made it to our last viewpoint of the day. The views here were absolutely worth the sweat and efforts of the day. Standing at the edge of the roaring abyss was both humbling and exhilarating. We were literally on top of it!

By the end of the day, we were exhausted but fulfilled. With luggage retrieved, we caught a taxi to the airport, boarded our plane, and slept throughout the whole flight!

So, was it feasible to see both sides of Iguazu Falls in one day?

To conclude, the final verdict is: Yes! You can visit both sides of Iguazu Falls in one day. You’ll have to skip some activities, like the Monkey safari boat tour, but it’s definitely doable if you’re short on time. For us, it was a bit tiring, but had we planned the border crossing better, it would have certainly been smoother and more relaxed.  With a well-organized itinerary and a bit of preparation, you’re sure to have an unforgettable experience exploring these magnificent natural wonders!