A Family Trip to the Magnificent Iguaçu Falls

Iguaçu Falls is a giant waterfall system that straddles the border between Brazil and Argentina. When traveling to Iguaçu Falls, you can either fly into the Foz do Iguaçu airport on the Brazil side, or the Puerto Iguazu airport on the Argentina side. Both sides have their own national park; admission fees to each are separate. You could just visit one side, but I strongly recommend visiting both, as each side is its own experience.

We went to the Brazil side first, straight from the airport. This side offers sort of an "overview" of the entire staggering landscape of the falls, while the Argentina side enables you to get closer to the waterfalls.

We had lunch at the Restaurante Porto Canoas, a buffet-style restaurant within the park which had plenty of vegetarian options for us, plus great caipirinhas. After, we walked the one-mile circuit that gives you an overview of the waterfall system and culminates in a walkway that will take you out to get soaked by some of the strongest falls.

The next day, with the help of a local guide, we crossed the border to the Argentina side of the park. You can also do the crossing on your own in public transportation or a rental car, but I recommend hiring a guide; ours was fantastic and helped us navigate the border crossing and park admissions in a totally effortless way. We started the day on the Gran Aventura boat ride, which took us on a Jeep ride through the jungle then a speedboat ride upriver. We passed through rapids and went directly under giant waterfalls. It was unforgettable! If you go to Iguacu, don't skip the boat ride! The Brazil side also has a boat ride, run by Macuco Safari.

After the boat ride, we walked some of the many miles of trails that take you both above and below the waterfalls on the Argentina side, getting up close to the action. In addition to the waterfalls, we saw lots of interesting plants, pretty flowers, and cool birds and animals. Paradise!

There are lots of other family-friendly activities to do on both sides of the fall, as well, and tons of restaurant options no matter what your tastes. The Hotel das Cataratas is a luxury hotel located inside the Brazilian side of the park, so if you stay there, you'll get an after-hours view of the waterfalls all to yourself.

Brazil can be a complicated place to travel if you don't speak Portuguese, as English is not widely-spoken--but even a little bit of Portuguese can go a long way in helping you make friends who will give you great recommendations of beautiful places to go and delicious things to eat. Reach out to me for help planning your perfect Brazilian vacation (plus pointers on language learning, a musical playlist, and a reading list if you like that kind of thing).

This trip report is part of our ongoing series on travel to Brazil. In need of further inspiration? Check out Isabella Darden’s guide, Site Inspection at Hotel das Cataratas in Iguazu Falls, Brazil.