How awesome! We hope you have an incredible time! Our travel guide might help, so I'll include a link. Let us know what you think. Are you seeing both sides? Someone reminded me that if you are considering doing the boat, only the Argentina side goes under the San Martin Falls, if that's a must-do for you. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
We are going to do the boat ride on Brazil side someone said that is best so can have more time on the Argentine side for the trails since only one trail on Brazil side anyway. And they said better views from Brazil side.
@@emcoss Yes, we said that you'll have more time and not have to compromise your time on the Argentina side. We'd love to hear what you think about the boat from the Brazil side since we skipped both of them. -Judy
Oh, thank you so much! I can't believe you just reminded me of our exact steps(2017), I traveled all the way from the UK and my uncle took me specifically from the Argentine side to see Iguazu from the Brazilian side! I'll never forget!❤
Hi @Lio192, How lucky you are to have visited this magical place. We were in awe of the natural beauty here. We're so glad we could help you relive some of your own memories from here. -Judy
We hope you have a terrific time. Iguazu Falls is a natural wonder. We had some hiccups, but it was so worthwhile. We have an episode from Argentina you might want to check out before you head there if you're considering spending any time in the rest of Argentina. -Judy 🎥 First time in Argentina: Things to know before you go: th-cam.com/video/GpK48Y43unA/w-d-xo.html
This was a trip down memory lane for me. It brought tears to my eyes, in the best way. I totally agree that it’s a must to experience both sides of the falls and seeing Argentina side first is the best way to do it. Brazil side gives the overall picture of the actual scope of the various falls and you remember where you had been the day before. I’m glad you had the chance to have Argentine beef. When you come back to San Francisco, we have an authentic Argentine steakhouse I would love to take you to. It’s called Lolinda and will bring back the same flavors. I will say that when I was at Iguazu it was supposedly a requirement for all Americans to have a tourist visa for Brazil. We hired an Argentine driver for our whole time there and he was great. He joked about the visa and said he would “sneak” us across the border- don’t worry about the visa. He said it was something of a joke to the locals. When we arrived at the border, he said “duck, get down.” We sailed through and not a soul was at the Brazilian border booth. He laughed hysterically. It was an unforgettable moment. Oddly, it was only the Argentina side coming back which had guards at their posts. This has changed, I noticed. Also, there was no public bus option that I recall. I’m glad they’re getting their act together! iguazu is without doubt one of the most amazing natural wonders I’ve seen in my lifetime. As you said, the scale of it makes Niagara seem like a leaky faucet. 😂😂😂 Thanks for sharing this so we actually could feel we were there. ❤❤
Hi Daniel, We would love to meet you for steak in San Francisco if it could work out! We are so happy that our video could bring back some happy memories for you. And we hadn't originally planned to see the Argentina side first, so our canceled flight did create a happy accident for us. And oh boy regarding the border slide under 😉 That had to have been a trip! -Judy
My favourite natural wonder. We stayed in Cuidad del Este in Paraguay and walked across the bridge to Brazil to get the bus to the falls. You can get to both Brazil & Argentina sides. Paraguay doesnt get enough love
We actually thought about visiting Paraguay when we were on the Brazil side for a day trip, but we were ready to be done. I don't think the internet helps though because when I do a search on google for how safe is Paraguay (something we used all the time when checking out certain parts of the world), it comes back with not great information, which could turn off someone not curious enough to dig deeper. For us, one of the main items that was being promoted as a reason to visit was shopping and we don't really shop. I'm sure there was more to do, but our day in Brazil was hot and we were sweaty and uncomfortable. Thanks for the suggestion though. In the past people stayed in Argentina because it was less expensive than Brazil, but that's less true now I think. How was Paraguay in comparison if you remember? Thanks so much for watching! -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie we were there 10 years ago. We stayed in Paraguay because we had been staying in Salta Argentina and took a bus to Asuncion and stayed there a few days then headed east. Cuidad is a big shopping destination for Brazilians & Argentinians. We found Asuncion and Cuidad to be very safe but not a lot to do. For us they were transit cities. Paraguay back then was quite a lot cheaper than Brazil & Argentina also. ...Argentina used to be cheap when you exchanged USD on the street. Not sure how it is now but I'll be there next month to find out 😃
Argentina is not cheap anymore, unfortunately. We were looking for a waterproof camera and it cost $450 in the US but $1200 in Argentina, so we gave up on it. Our Airbnbs and hotel weren't terribly priced, but airfare, tours, and food all were expensive. We'll be back again in South America and will need to give it its own window of time. Thanks for the additional insights. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie we have in in BA for a week now. Also finding accommodations affordable but everything else seems expensive! Groceries and restaurants are same price as the USA. I was here 8 years ago and I remember it being so inexpensive back then.
@@emcoss Yes, we have a video coming from there tomorrow. It was not easy for us to say that now might not be the time to visit if you're looking for a budget Argentina. It's not that way right now. -Judy
We put together a travel guide article as a companion to our video with a few more details and photos that hopefully will be helpful. Thank you so much for watching! -Judy
Hi Matt & Taysia, To be honest, we never heard of them either before we became full-time travelers! That has been one of the things we love about what we're doing. We are learning so much about the world around us, that it makes every day interesting and exciting. Learning about more of the economics of Argentina and its political history would not have been at the top of my list to research until we decided to visit. Thanks so much for watching. -Judy
Loved this. I have been twice. First time was in 2008 and we stayed at the Melia (then a Sheraton) on the Argentina side. Cost was $125/night. I was there again in 2023 and did the full day trip from BA. It was an early morning, but well worth it to take my mom! Enjoy you time in SA!💗🙏🏽🇵🇷
How cool, Iramis and Gerry! It's an incredible place, but how special to be able to take your mother. That's awesome. Thanks so much for your kind words. We just arrived in Santiago! -Judy
Excellent video once again @judy and @kevin! Yes this is on our bucket list, both sides are gorgeous! I couldn’t pick just one, so I would probably have to do both. THANK YOU!
Hi @AriesQban, We don't think you would go wrong doing it that way! We were happy to discover that the Brazil side was such an easier lift that I thought it would be. We have an article with more photos and details that we think also will be helpful to you. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
We were there from December 3-6, 2024. We have a video that we just released from Buenos Aires as well that might be helpful for you. -Judy 🎥 First time in Argentina-Mistakes to avoid: th-cam.com/video/GpK48Y43unA/w-d-xo.html
Thank you so much for watching, Deb! It took a little longer to put this one together, but we're hoping that it will be a good primer for anyone else interested in visiting. There were a lot of logistics for this trip! -Judy
Great video, super informative! I'll have to plan a trip there/haven't been yet. Just got back to BA, catching up with your videos. Thanks for the great content you create!
Hi Marisa! It's wonderful to hear from you! Keep us posted on your upcoming travels because we'd love to meet up and have more time. And thank you so much for your kind words! -Judy
Wow, nice place. It’s amazing how westernised we are in Australia, we’ve never heard of this place before, but we know all about Niagara Falls! I love those little possum like animals, they’re cool. This was one of your most interesting videos, thanks👍
Hi Dan, I didn't know anything about Iguazú Falls until we were traveling full time and people were mentioning it when we were talking about visiting South America. I was clueless about it as well! It was a tough one to balance sharing all the information about it as well as trying to keep it moving and not bogging it down. Personally planning the logistics for this trip was a little overwhelming for me, so we tried to document it to be easier for our viewers. Here's a link to our article with more cool pictures. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
In April 2025, I plan to visit the Iguazu Falls from Paraguay. Learned that I could take the bus from Asuncion, its capital to Ciudad del Este where I could take local buses to the Falls. Due to Brazil’s visa requirements and what you showed in this video, I intend to visit the Argentina’s side only. Thx for your very informative and interesting video!
Hi Eva, Thank you so much for sharing this additional information. When we originally put together our companion blog article, we left out some of the information about Paraguay due to time constraints, but I'll be slowly adding that in because it sounds like there are a lot of people like you choosing to originate in Paraguay versus Argentina or Brazil. -Judy
Thank you so much for watching. We tried to do justice to this incredible natural wonder, but it is absolutely breathtaking in person. We have more photos and details on our website. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Love your videos and the information you give us! Thank you!! Not sure if you missed out the cost of the visas to enter Brazil in the final cost breakdown!?🤪
Oh Rebecca, I would love that! Zimbabwe isn't the first African city on my bucket list, but we'd love to get there. We may need to spend three months in Africa. I'm game to do it though! -Judy
I am glad you guys had a good time, and that steak dinner looks delicious. I was there many years ago, and I recall enjoying both sides for different reasons. The overall landscape full view was nicer on the Brazil side, but the Argentina side showed you a more impressive close up of the force of the water, especially the garganta del diablo!
Dinner at Aqua was amazing. It was by far our best meal in Argentina over the 38 days we were there! It really is hard to choose which side is "best," but we think that if you can afford the extra cost of the new visa, they both are absolutely worth viewing. We're so glad to hear that you got the opportunity to see the falls in person! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I will definitely be back to Argentina, as I was a vegetarian when I was there last time and I definitely want to go back for the steak! 🥩
@@TheWalkingThomasGuide Steak is quite expensive these days in Argentina, but we do recommend Aqua Restaurant in Puerto Iguazú Falls. We were vegetarians many, many years ago, and I don't know how we did it. I love bacon too much! -Judy
Thank you for this tour! We visited years ago…back when the Malia was a Marriott and we were able to stay on points! (Yes, we are old people…). Our favorites were along the lines of what you described where every turn showed a new “falls,’ and there were butterflies everywhere…so many that I have pictures of butterflies that landed on my wife’s shirt and stayed there for 20 min or so. And yes, there were crowds, but not so many that you couldn’t get away from the bulk of them for mostly quiet moments with the falls. Thank you again for the tour and happy memories!
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words, Nick. Impressive that you could be at Maliã on points. The rooms with a view of the falls are now running around $1200 per night! We saw a lot of butterflies, too. We only have a few photos of them, but they kept flying past our camera lens, and we loved it! We have a full guide on our website for anyone looking for all our details and more pictures! -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Such a great video and so well put together. Looks and sounds amazing! We were going to go end if this year but have put it back a year so now plenty of time to prepare for a wonderful trip.
Oh Annette, I know you've had your share of rejiggering lately. It really was a bucket list destination and we were glad we could visit. It was the highlight of our time in Argentina. We put together a detailed guide on our website when you're ready to start planning for it. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Hi Erin, was it completely closed or just Devil's Throat? We were at the airport waiting to head there when Flybondi canceled our flight and didn't even bother to reschedule it. We were lucky that we had just arrived in Buenos Aires and hadn't booked our next destination (rare!), so we were glad to be able to tack it onto the end of our trip to find a time when flights weren't outrageously expensive. And having Devil's Throat be open was such a highlight! We prepared a detailed guide if you ever decide to go back. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Loved this! Great footage and comments. Based on this video, I think I’d skip the Brazil side - my husband and I like walk/hiking, so the longer Argentinian walk and scenery appeal to us more than the quick/one trail Brazil side. Also I don’t think the shorter visit on the Brazil side is worth the $80 evisa for doing just that for an afternoon. I forgot, when were you there? Seems like the crowds were manageable 😊
Hi Norma, Yes, we liked the Argentina side as well. There are trails you can take in Brazil (that aren't alongside the falls), but we skipped them. It was a very hot day and we were sweaty. The Brazil side right now I think is somewhat of a no-brainer because it can be done pretty quickly. But you are right about the e-visa maybe making Brazil cost-prohibitive. We were lucky because we were there on Dec. 5, 2024, and that requirement hadn't kicked in yet. And although it was high season, we do think the crowds were very manageable. I think it might be worse in the spring or September/October, but it was fine for us. It did drizzle a bit when we were on the Argentina side and December is considered rainy season. You can tell from our video that it was a much more cloudy day. Our companion article is linked below with more pictures and details if you're interested. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
@ Thanks Judy. One last question, do you think there is enough to do for 4 nights (3 days) in that area of Puerto Iguazu? Is the city interesting?, walkable ? So, enough to do without going to the Brazil side?
Hi Norma, I think that there is not really that much to do in town for that span of time. I think you could spend four days on the Brazil side more easily than in Puerto Iguazú. You could take a side trip to Paraguay, which is easily accessible and has no visa required for entry for several countries (sites to see in addition to some famous shopping include Jesuit Ruins of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Itaipu hydroelectric dam, which is one of the "modern wonders of the world"), Brazil has a bird park, more trails to explore, a bike ride near the falls where you can learn about the flora and fauna in the park, and there's a Buddhist temple to check out. The city is very walkable though! -Judy
@ thanks Judy! Will plan on a couple nights then to allow for arrival, park the next day and out the third day 👍 Unless we plan to include the Brazil side and what it offers (thanks for the info on that side ).
@normamanty7069 We hope you have a terrific time! Also, someone mentioned that they thought the boat ride from the Argentina side was better than from the Brazil side (of course opinions are very subjective) because it goes under the San Martin cascade, which is the second largest of the falls. But you do have to give up something on the Argentina unless you plan to go back a second day). -Judy
Dear Gina, great video, thanks for sharing. I am planning to travel back to Argentina the day I do the brazilian side. Do you recommend it? If yes, what time is the best to book the plane as i know i will be on the brazilian side & need to go do the boarders again check. Thanks.
Hi Johnny, Thanks so much for watching! Yes, you are fine to return to Argentina on the same day as visiting the Brazilian side of the falls. You can put your luggage in a locker at the falls if you need to. You'll need to do some price checks because while the easiest option would be to catch a flight from Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) to Buenos Aires, I don't believe there are direct flights. It might be less time consuming to take a bus from the falls to IGR (Iguazu Falls Airport in Argentina) or else use the transfer service we used (iguazufalls.com/tours-and-activities/transfers-from-iguazu-airports-to-your-hotel/)-we aren't affiliated with them. I'd probably plan to get to the falls as early in the morning as possible (they open at 9am). You'll be done by 11am, give yourself 1.5 hours to get to the airport (because you have to go through immigration when you leave Brazil), and then another 2 or 3 hours before your flight departure. You might have way more time than you need, but the transfer service should be able to help you as well if you need better clarity on how much time they'd want you to have. I would just give yourself buffers so you don't feel rushed in the process. Hope this helps. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Thank you so much for watching, Juli! We were so thrilled to have been able to visit, despite a canceled flight and a month delay. It was worth it! -Judy
Hi @@julilopez, We'll admit to you that the other parts of our time in Argentina weren't ideal. The cost of things right now is hugely expensive there, and we ended up not being able to do some of the things we wanted to do because of it. But if you do nothing but visit Iguazu Falls while you wait for prices to go down in other parts of Argentina, it will be time well spent! And psssst, we really enjoyed our time in Rio de Janeiro! -Judy
@ that’s good to know. Honestly, this year 2025, we have 7 countries in line, 2 in Asia and 5 in EU. And hopefully 🤞we bumped with your itinerary🥰. Watching your channel is inspirational and somewhat stress relieving specially now that my beloved City of Los Angeles is in fire. We are safe, God’s grace🙏🏼
We'd like to be back in Asia for at least a little while in 2026 if we can. And yes, what's happening in LA right now is so unbelievably tragic. I can't fully grasp how devastating this has been. We have friends who fortunately have been lucky and at least one who has lost everything. It's terrible. -Judy
I'm going here end of February then to Rio for carnaval. Wish our timelines matched up but hope you make it to Peru and Costa Rica. I went to Peru last year and studied abroad in CR 13 years ago
Hi Tyler, We had a great experience in Rio and we hope you love it. We're currently in Santiago, but we'll be visiting Cusco and Macchu Picchu and then heading to Costa Rica. Our full plans for 2025 are listed below. How amazing for you (both visiting Peru and 13 years in Costa Rica!!!). We wish our plans to meet up could have worked, but if there is something that does line up, please let us know! -Judy 🎥 What’s New for 2025: Our Complete Travel and Budget Planning Breakdown ❤️ th-cam.com/video/IkA76TWLvMM/w-d-xo.html
@FindingGinaMarie I'm guessing you have everything booked already but I really enjoyed the ruins in Ollantaytambo. We also did a day trip to maras salt mine, moray, urubamba valley, chinchero and Pisac! That day was almost as good as hiking the 4 day Inca Trail! Also if you can do Humantay Lake, that is absolutely incredible!
We don't have everything booked yet since I'm waiting to confirm tickets for MP, which should be available tomorrow! We do have plans to be in Ollantaytambo as well. Did you hire a guide for any of those trips? One question I have is that we arrive in Cusco and my plan was to go straight to Ollantaytambo, but people said I should first acclimate in Cusco. Is that necessary? Couldn't I just lay low in Ollantaytambo and then start exploring there? -Judy
Hi @pwong3544: We mention in this video that we needed to withdraw money multiple times in order to pay for our accommodations (and our bus tickets and tips). Argentina throttles the amount of money you can withdraw from an ATM at any one time to no more than $70 US worth of pesos (at whatever the currency exchange is at that time). We got our accommodations from booking.com and it said that we'd pay in person using the local currency, which we assumed would be the peso equivalent, but purchase through our credit card. We got a WhatsApp notification in Spanish that said that we needed to pay in cash, but it was buried with all the check-in information and details about Puerto Iguazú, so somehow we missed it. It was not an ideal situation! -Judy
Hi Jeanette and Roger, Thanks for the compliment about our music. We use Epidemic Sound and have been really happy with their offerings. Unfortunately, drone usage is not allowed at either side of the falls because national parks have very strict guidelines. You can apply for a permit, but it sounds like those have a very high threshold you have to meet. And while residents of Argentina can fly drones as hobbyists, they have to be registered in advance. -Judy drone-laws.com/drone-laws-in-argentina/#:~:text=Hobbyist%20drone%20flights%20are%20allowed,hobbyists'%20drone%20operations%20in%20Argentina
Perfect timing, thanks for this video! I’ll be there later this week but am traveling from Asunción, Paraguay with one overnight on the Brazilian side so think I’ll just do that side the next morning before heading back by bus to Asunción. I may also do the short helo flight just so I can get some different video angles since I’m sure drones are not allowed.
Hi dotted8-, We hope you have an amazing time! We have more pictures on our website, but we do not break down the process of traveling from Paraguay or from the Brazil side. The only thing I'd caution about the helicopter rides is that Argentina doesn't offer them because the noise and operation hurts and disrupts the wildlife, so they've prioritized that over earning money. The problems are the same on the Brazil side, but the government there is allowing it for the sake of profit. But we all have our own tolerances for what we will support. Our article about Iguazu Falls is below. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Terrific video with lots of good info. Based on your video, I would say I would prefer the Argentinian side but I would feel that I missed something if I didn’t visit and experience the Brazilian side.
Hi Ted, thanks so much for watching. We agree. As I was putting together a companion article to complement this guide and I was looking at all our images from Brazil, I enjoyed it even more than experiencing it the first time around! You are spot on that since the Brazil side is fairly easy to visit (once you know how, which we tried to explain), you'd be doing yourself a disservice to skip it. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Hi @Enz0oYa, Yes, thank you! I knew that açai was a fruit, but at the time I didn't realize that it was indigenous to Brazil. And I had no idea about the cupuaçu, BUT we were in Brazil for three weeks after Iguazu Falls, where I learned more about it. I kept expecting to get something chocolate when it said cacao, but I finally understood what it was! Thanks so much for watching! -Judy
Hi @jonashermelindooliveira2823, Yes, we enjoyed them both. We probably enjoyed seeing them more from the Argentina side because it was a longer experience and had so many unexpected moments, but we would have been very disappointed to not have seen the Brazil side as well. Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your perspective. -Judy
Oh I so wish I could travel reasonably like you guys do! $206 a night is wonderful! I wish I could have been enjoying that steak dinner with you! Keep enjoying life!
Wait, Robin, just to be clear, Iguazu Falls was a bucket list destination and it was the only thing we ended up doing in Argentina of any significance. We can't afford to spend any significant time anyplace with that big of a budget! We knew we'd be spending much less for the next few months, and three days at that rate was still a stretch. But that steak was absolutely amazing and well worth the price; we'd have loved to have your company! -Judy
brazilian side is a short path with panoramics views of the Argentine waterfalls (most of them) and a single viewpoint over the Floriano waterfall, the Devil's Throat can be seen very far away
Hi @diegolargo8131, The Brazil side takes as long as one circuit of the Argentine side. But for many people, they preferred that side, so shorter doesn't necessarily mean worse. We preferred the Argentina side, but we had a sunnier, prettier day in Brazil and our photos from that side are beautiful. -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie argentine SIDE is more complete, overviews in lower circuit, closer views in Upper circuit, beautifull and closer views of Devil Throath, and the brazilians overwiews in his short circuit are argentine waterfalls, they cannot be compares. The argentine SIDE is much more complete and the brazilians SIDE " borrows" a landscape that does not belong to it, except to the waterfalls next to elevator
Twenty percent of the falls belong to Brazil. Many people actually prefer to view the falls from the Brazil side. We're grateful that the falls are so panoramic and that we can see them from different sides. I'm not sure I completely follow your point, but it sounds like you resent that the Brazil side is beautiful. Beauty is beauty from wherever you're able to view it. -Judy
@@diegolargo8131 Do you realize you can't see the Argentine side fully if you don't go across the river to see it in Brazil? Also, so what if what is seen from Brazil is mostly Argentine landscape? As far as only lazy people who don't like walking enjoy the Brazil side more is absolutely not true, and I don't think it's fair to lump everyone into one opinion. -Judy
Hi @RoamSweetRoam, Yes, they do! You can see when we were on the Argentina side headed to the Devil's Throat that it was getting gloomy. It drizzled a bit before and after and we did see a few people with them. Although we already were wet from the falls, so there didn't seem to be much point by then! The challenge is that especially on the Brazil side, you'll be ruining everyone's view if it's crowded. There's a little more room to negotiate on the Argentina side because some parts are very spread out. We have a travel guide with more information and pictures if you're interested in checking it out. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Yes, that's how I've had it as well. But I was completely unfamiliar with the other ingredient it was mixed with, which is a form of cacao fruit. And the açai was especially delicious here! -Judy
@@EvolveMoore It's a fruit with a reasonably neutral taste, and I had ordered it on another occasion as well, but I was surprised that it wasn't chocolate. Totally blame my translator app and that I didn't look it up to understand exactly what it was! It was fun when I finally realized that it is a tropical rainforest tree common in the Amazon! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_grandiflorum -Judy
@ yeah! It’s common in BR! I’ve seen it, just never had it! It never looked appealing to me! I would totally try it now cause I love new experiences! I was young and dumb when I was still living there 🤣
Boy would I make a lot of different decisions if I could correct the errors of my youth. Although I might not have landed where I am if things had been different, so be grateful for the younger you who made you who you are today! -Judy
Excellent video with lots of images. I was just disappointed that almost nothing of the Brazilian side was shown, so it's unfair for me to pick which side is better.
Hi Fatima, The truth is that the Argentina side of the falls has three different elements (Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit, and Devil's Throat). The Brazil side is outstanding, but it's only the distance of one circuit and we were finished in 90 minutes. The Brazil side has other trails to explore, but they aren't along the falls and it's an entirely separate area of the park. We actually felt a little let down ourselves when we were finished with the Brazil side because it ended so abruptly. But we think this video showcased both sides of the falls equally. In fact, our thumbnail image is of the Brazil side. And whereas the Argentina side had an entire path that led to Devil's Throat, you can see that it's just a small extension from the main route and is more of a lookout versus a long path. We have more pictures in our companion article linked below. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Thank you, Judy, for the thorough answer. My husband doesn't want to visit the Brazilian side because he thinks it only offers one viewpoint. However, I’d like to visit the Argentinian due to your beautiful video.
The views in Brazil are incredible and some people prefer them to the Argentina side. It's not expensive to add Brazil to your visit and it can be done in just a few hours. We should have gone on the platform to Devil's Throat on the Brazil side, but we were worried about our equipment. However, I think we might actually have been okay (or at least no worse than on the Argentina side). -Judy
Argentina has been the more popular side to visit because in the past accommodations and food are cheaper there than Brazil. Brazil also has tariffs and high import fees, so buying things there also isn't ideal. It was much more convenient in that during our three weeks there, we didn't need to use cash (we didn't visit an ATM once!), so that was a huge convenience. We also liked Aqua Restaurant in Puerto Iguazú, which wasn't cheap, but which was delicious. I think knowing how easy it is to get across the border, it might be a viable option if you can get a good deal on accommodations in Foz do Iguaçu, especially if you are going imminently while Argentina's economy is so volatile. We didn't need to deal with getting a visa, but that will be an extra $80 to factor in beginning in April. It sounds like you'll still need to get bus tickets using cash, though. There is a lot you can do from the Brazil side, including the Itaipu Dam, the bird park, a bike ride I mentioned, but we ended up skipping, a Buddhist temple, and various other things. I didn't think there was much to do at all in Puerto Iguazú. -Judy
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We are going there in February. Did you have a apply for an e-visa to enter Brazil?
No, and you won't, either if you are a US, Canada, EU, or Australian citizen. The visa rules go into effect April 10, 2025, so if you're there beforehand and your trip ends before that date, you should be fine. Here's the official website to verify that you won't need one if you want to double check: brazil.vfsevisa.com. Have a fun and safe trip. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Hi Lonnie, Yes, they took credit cards on both sides. We did not bring any Brazilian Real and did just fine. I put together an article on our website with a few more details and photos if you're interested in taking a look. Have an amazing time and let us know which side you prefer! -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
The ATM fees are outrageous. I wonder if Charles Schwab would still give that feedback to you? Do you have any tips or suggestions of maybe withdrawing money somewhere else or how we can withdraw money cheaper to get all the cash we need whether it’s Argentina or Brazil?
Hi BW, We actually applied for a Charles Schwab account, but we need to check on it because our fees in Argentina were brutal. We found that Western Union is great in some countries, but in Argentina we couldn't get it to work. Morocco took Apple Pay details through Western Union, but Argentina required a 12-digit code and for the life of us we couldn't figure out our way around that. And for Brazil, we didn't need cash in Iguaçu Falls or even at any point in our three weeks there. Granted, we didn't try to buy food from the street carts, who likely would have required cash, but that wasn't a problem. In fact Brazil automatically added a tip to restaurants, etc., and you could accept it or not (but I've heard you shouldn't ever really reject it) and all of it could be done from your credit card. -Judy
You are wrong, the best boat trip is on the Argentine side, because you can get close to the San Martín waterfall the second most important waterfall in the complex, which you cannot do on the Brazilian side.
Yes, you are right, and in our companion article we reference it both ways depending on which side we are talking about. But sometimes you have to make a decision in one direction or the other for the sake of length in a thumbnail or video title. -Judy 🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Hi @ringogrin8475, You're mistaken about that. 80% is in Argentina, but 20% of the falls are in Brazil. You can see from our thumbnail that we are literally right next to a waterfall on the Brazil side of the falls. Brazil has fewer falls, but it does have a portion of the 275 falls physically in Brazil. Thanks for watching. -Judy
@@ringoogrin8475 Did you or did you not see us standing in Brazil literally next to falls? The major cascades named Benjamin Constant, Deodoro, and Floriano all are on the Brazil side. Twenty percent of the 275 cascades are on the Brazil side of the falls. -Judy
We will be there Monday! Great video!
How awesome! We hope you have an incredible time! Our travel guide might help, so I'll include a link. Let us know what you think. Are you seeing both sides? Someone reminded me that if you are considering doing the boat, only the Argentina side goes under the San Martin Falls, if that's a must-do for you. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
We are going to do the boat ride on Brazil side someone said that is best so can have more time on the Argentine side for the trails since only one trail on Brazil side anyway. And they said better views from Brazil side.
@@emcoss Yes, we said that you'll have more time and not have to compromise your time on the Argentina side. We'd love to hear what you think about the boat from the Brazil side since we skipped both of them. -Judy
Oh, thank you so much! I can't believe you just reminded me of our exact steps(2017), I traveled all the way from the UK and my uncle took me specifically from the Argentine side to see Iguazu from the Brazilian side! I'll never forget!❤
Hi @Lio192, How lucky you are to have visited this magical place. We were in awe of the natural beauty here. We're so glad we could help you relive some of your own memories from here. -Judy
going there soon. trying to pin down a good time. your video was very comprehensive!
We hope you have a terrific time. Iguazu Falls is a natural wonder. We had some hiccups, but it was so worthwhile. We have an episode from Argentina you might want to check out before you head there if you're considering spending any time in the rest of Argentina. -Judy
🎥 First time in Argentina: Things to know before you go: th-cam.com/video/GpK48Y43unA/w-d-xo.html
We loved the Falls! So glad you got the opportunity to experience it.
Yes, it was absolutely amazing! We had some rough going in Argentina, but Iguazu Falls was worth the effort! How was Antarctica?! -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie We loved Antarctica. We only did a "drive by" on a large cruise ship, but our 2 days there were breathtaking. Can fully describe it.
Great stuff! Awesome way to start the new year!
Hi Dan, thanks so much for watching. It was a very cool experience! -Judy
SPECTACULAR!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much for watching, Enrique! Spectacular is the perfect word, regardless of which side of the falls you prefer! -Judy
Mother Nature is equally beautiful & breathtaking at the same time.
Hi @awalker916, You are absolutely right. It was very humbling to experience this natural wonder. Thanks for watching! -Judy
This was a trip down memory lane for me. It brought tears to my eyes, in the best way. I totally agree that it’s a must to experience both sides of the falls and seeing Argentina side first is the best way to do it. Brazil side gives the overall picture of the actual scope of the various falls and you remember where you had been the day before. I’m glad you had the chance to have Argentine beef. When you come back to San Francisco, we have an authentic Argentine steakhouse I would love to take you to. It’s called Lolinda and will bring back the same flavors.
I will say that when I was at Iguazu it was supposedly a requirement for all Americans to have a tourist visa for Brazil. We hired an Argentine driver for our whole time there and he was great. He joked about the visa and said he would “sneak” us across the border- don’t worry about the visa. He said it was something of a joke to the locals. When we arrived at the border, he said “duck, get down.” We sailed through and not a soul was at the Brazilian border booth. He laughed hysterically. It was an unforgettable moment. Oddly, it was only the Argentina side coming back which had guards at their posts. This has changed, I noticed. Also, there was no public bus option that I recall. I’m glad they’re getting their act together! iguazu is without doubt one of the most amazing natural wonders I’ve seen in my lifetime. As you said, the scale of it makes Niagara seem like a leaky faucet.
😂😂😂
Thanks for sharing this so we actually could feel we were there.
❤❤
Hi Daniel, We would love to meet you for steak in San Francisco if it could work out! We are so happy that our video could bring back some happy memories for you. And we hadn't originally planned to see the Argentina side first, so our canceled flight did create a happy accident for us. And oh boy regarding the border slide under 😉 That had to have been a trip! -Judy
My favourite natural wonder. We stayed in Cuidad del Este in Paraguay and walked across the bridge to Brazil to get the bus to the falls. You can get to both Brazil & Argentina sides. Paraguay doesnt get enough love
We actually thought about visiting Paraguay when we were on the Brazil side for a day trip, but we were ready to be done. I don't think the internet helps though because when I do a search on google for how safe is Paraguay (something we used all the time when checking out certain parts of the world), it comes back with not great information, which could turn off someone not curious enough to dig deeper. For us, one of the main items that was being promoted as a reason to visit was shopping and we don't really shop. I'm sure there was more to do, but our day in Brazil was hot and we were sweaty and uncomfortable. Thanks for the suggestion though. In the past people stayed in Argentina because it was less expensive than Brazil, but that's less true now I think. How was Paraguay in comparison if you remember? Thanks so much for watching! -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie we were there 10 years ago. We stayed in Paraguay because we had been staying in Salta Argentina and took a bus to Asuncion and stayed there a few days then headed east. Cuidad is a big shopping destination for Brazilians & Argentinians. We found Asuncion and Cuidad to be very safe but not a lot to do. For us they were transit cities. Paraguay back then was quite a lot cheaper than Brazil & Argentina also. ...Argentina used to be cheap when you exchanged USD on the street. Not sure how it is now but I'll be there next month to find out 😃
Argentina is not cheap anymore, unfortunately. We were looking for a waterproof camera and it cost $450 in the US but $1200 in Argentina, so we gave up on it. Our Airbnbs and hotel weren't terribly priced, but airfare, tours, and food all were expensive. We'll be back again in South America and will need to give it its own window of time. Thanks for the additional insights. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie we have in in BA for a week now. Also finding accommodations affordable but everything else seems expensive! Groceries and restaurants are same price as the USA. I was here 8 years ago and I remember it being so inexpensive back then.
@@emcoss Yes, we have a video coming from there tomorrow. It was not easy for us to say that now might not be the time to visit if you're looking for a budget Argentina. It's not that way right now. -Judy
Omg, another place I want to go…even more after watching this. Wonderful video!
We put together a travel guide article as a companion to our video with a few more details and photos that hopefully will be helpful. Thank you so much for watching! -Judy
Wow. Embarrassed to admit we had never heard of these falls before your video. More interested in traveling to that part of the world now.
Hi Matt & Taysia, To be honest, we never heard of them either before we became full-time travelers! That has been one of the things we love about what we're doing. We are learning so much about the world around us, that it makes every day interesting and exciting. Learning about more of the economics of Argentina and its political history would not have been at the top of my list to research until we decided to visit. Thanks so much for watching. -Judy
Loved this. I have been twice. First time was in 2008 and we stayed at the Melia (then a Sheraton) on the Argentina side. Cost was $125/night. I was there again in 2023 and did the full day trip from BA. It was an early morning, but well worth it to take my mom! Enjoy you time in SA!💗🙏🏽🇵🇷
How cool, Iramis and Gerry! It's an incredible place, but how special to be able to take your mother. That's awesome. Thanks so much for your kind words. We just arrived in Santiago! -Judy
Amazing Tour and Perfect Information. Thx you so much 🎉
Hi @OurYourneyToRetirement, Thank you so much for watching. It's an absolutely spell-binding place. We were so glad to be able to experience it! -Judy
Excellent video once again @judy and @kevin! Yes this is on our bucket list, both sides are gorgeous! I couldn’t pick just one, so I would probably have to do both. THANK YOU!
Hi @AriesQban, We don't think you would go wrong doing it that way! We were happy to discover that the Brazil side was such an easier lift that I thought it would be. We have an article with more photos and details that we think also will be helpful to you. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
I'd love to know what month you visited the falls. Great video, thanks for sharing.
We were there from December 3-6, 2024. We have a video that we just released from Buenos Aires as well that might be helpful for you. -Judy
🎥 First time in Argentina-Mistakes to avoid: th-cam.com/video/GpK48Y43unA/w-d-xo.html
@@FindingGinaMarie You're the best. Thank you. We're thinking about November. Not a fan of hot humid weather.
We hope you have an amazing time. Hopefully by then the economy will have stabilized as well. -Judy
Thanks for another great video!
Thank you so much for watching, Deb! It took a little longer to put this one together, but we're hoping that it will be a good primer for anyone else interested in visiting. There were a lot of logistics for this trip! -Judy
Great video, super informative! I'll have to plan a trip there/haven't been yet. Just got back to BA, catching up with your videos. Thanks for the great content you create!
Hi Marisa! It's wonderful to hear from you! Keep us posted on your upcoming travels because we'd love to meet up and have more time. And thank you so much for your kind words! -Judy
Wow, nice place. It’s amazing how westernised we are in Australia, we’ve never heard of this place before, but we know all about Niagara Falls! I love those little possum like animals, they’re cool. This was one of your most interesting videos, thanks👍
Hi Dan, I didn't know anything about Iguazú Falls until we were traveling full time and people were mentioning it when we were talking about visiting South America. I was clueless about it as well! It was a tough one to balance sharing all the information about it as well as trying to keep it moving and not bogging it down. Personally planning the logistics for this trip was a little overwhelming for me, so we tried to document it to be easier for our viewers. Here's a link to our article with more cool pictures. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
It's one of the big 4 sites on all tours to South America from Australia
they are coatis, they are known to be thieves of food. They are really smart. When I was a kid they stole my lunch.
In April 2025, I plan to visit the Iguazu Falls from Paraguay. Learned that I could take the bus from Asuncion, its capital to Ciudad del Este where I could take local buses to the Falls. Due to Brazil’s visa requirements and what you showed in this video, I intend to visit the Argentina’s side only.
Thx for your very informative and interesting video!
Hi Eva, Thank you so much for sharing this additional information. When we originally put together our companion blog article, we left out some of the information about Paraguay due to time constraints, but I'll be slowly adding that in because it sounds like there are a lot of people like you choosing to originate in Paraguay versus Argentina or Brazil. -Judy
Beautiful!!
Thank you so much for watching. We tried to do justice to this incredible natural wonder, but it is absolutely breathtaking in person. We have more photos and details on our website. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Love your videos and the information you give us! Thank you!! Not sure if you missed out the cost of the visas to enter Brazil in the final cost breakdown!?🤪
Thank you so much for watching! The new visa doesn’t come into effect until April 10, 2025, so we didn’t have to incur that cost. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarieI obviously wasn’t paying close attention!! ☺️ Thank you ❤
Hi @saferbeautybyamanda180, No worries; it's an easy thing to miss and glad we could clear it up. -Judy
Simply amazing! It will be super interesting when you are able to compare these falls to Victoria Falls once you get there.
Oh Rebecca, I would love that! Zimbabwe isn't the first African city on my bucket list, but we'd love to get there. We may need to spend three months in Africa. I'm game to do it though! -Judy
Wow, very nice. Also, I'm sixty days out! Freeeeeedooooommmm!
Hi Ronin, That is amazing news; t will be here in a blink! We are thrilled for you! -Judy
I am glad you guys had a good time, and that steak dinner looks delicious. I was there many years ago, and I recall enjoying both sides for different reasons. The overall landscape full view was nicer on the Brazil side, but the Argentina side showed you a more impressive close up of the force of the water, especially the garganta del diablo!
Dinner at Aqua was amazing. It was by far our best meal in Argentina over the 38 days we were there! It really is hard to choose which side is "best," but we think that if you can afford the extra cost of the new visa, they both are absolutely worth viewing. We're so glad to hear that you got the opportunity to see the falls in person! -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie I will definitely be back to Argentina, as I was a vegetarian when I was there last time and I definitely want to go back for the steak! 🥩
@@TheWalkingThomasGuide Steak is quite expensive these days in Argentina, but we do recommend Aqua Restaurant in Puerto Iguazú Falls. We were vegetarians many, many years ago, and I don't know how we did it. I love bacon too much! -Judy
@ Me too! I am 100% pro pork!
Thank you for this tour! We visited years ago…back when the Malia was a Marriott and we were able to stay on points! (Yes, we are old people…). Our favorites were along the lines of what you described where every turn showed a new “falls,’ and there were butterflies everywhere…so many that I have pictures of butterflies that landed on my wife’s shirt and stayed there for 20 min or so. And yes, there were crowds, but not so many that you couldn’t get away from the bulk of them for mostly quiet moments with the falls. Thank you again for the tour and happy memories!
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words, Nick. Impressive that you could be at Maliã on points. The rooms with a view of the falls are now running around $1200 per night! We saw a lot of butterflies, too. We only have a few photos of them, but they kept flying past our camera lens, and we loved it! We have a full guide on our website for anyone looking for all our details and more pictures! -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Such a great video and so well put together. Looks and sounds amazing! We were going to go end if this year but have put it back a year so now plenty of time to prepare for a wonderful trip.
Oh Annette, I know you've had your share of rejiggering lately. It really was a bucket list destination and we were glad we could visit. It was the highlight of our time in Argentina. We put together a detailed guide on our website when you're ready to start planning for it. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Such good information with practical details. I wish it was available last year when we were considering going there.
Hi Erin, was it completely closed or just Devil's Throat? We were at the airport waiting to head there when Flybondi canceled our flight and didn't even bother to reschedule it. We were lucky that we had just arrived in Buenos Aires and hadn't booked our next destination (rare!), so we were glad to be able to tack it onto the end of our trip to find a time when flights weren't outrageously expensive. And having Devil's Throat be open was such a highlight! We prepared a detailed guide if you ever decide to go back. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Loved this! Great footage and comments. Based on this video, I think I’d skip the Brazil side - my husband and I like walk/hiking, so the longer Argentinian walk and scenery appeal to us more than the quick/one trail Brazil side. Also I don’t think the shorter visit on the Brazil side is worth the $80 evisa for doing just that for an afternoon. I forgot, when were you there? Seems like the crowds were manageable 😊
Hi Norma, Yes, we liked the Argentina side as well. There are trails you can take in Brazil (that aren't alongside the falls), but we skipped them. It was a very hot day and we were sweaty. The Brazil side right now I think is somewhat of a no-brainer because it can be done pretty quickly. But you are right about the e-visa maybe making Brazil cost-prohibitive. We were lucky because we were there on Dec. 5, 2024, and that requirement hadn't kicked in yet. And although it was high season, we do think the crowds were very manageable. I think it might be worse in the spring or September/October, but it was fine for us. It did drizzle a bit when we were on the Argentina side and December is considered rainy season. You can tell from our video that it was a much more cloudy day. Our companion article is linked below with more pictures and details if you're interested. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
@ Thanks Judy. One last question, do you think there is enough to do for 4 nights (3 days) in that area of Puerto Iguazu? Is the city interesting?, walkable ? So, enough to do without going to the Brazil side?
Hi Norma, I think that there is not really that much to do in town for that span of time. I think you could spend four days on the Brazil side more easily than in Puerto Iguazú. You could take a side trip to Paraguay, which is easily accessible and has no visa required for entry for several countries (sites to see in addition to some famous shopping include Jesuit Ruins of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Itaipu hydroelectric dam, which is one of the "modern wonders of the world"), Brazil has a bird park, more trails to explore, a bike ride near the falls where you can learn about the flora and fauna in the park, and there's a Buddhist temple to check out.
The city is very walkable though! -Judy
@ thanks Judy! Will plan on a couple nights then to allow for arrival, park the next day and out the third day 👍 Unless we plan to include the Brazil side and what it offers (thanks for the info on that side ).
@normamanty7069 We hope you have a terrific time! Also, someone mentioned that they thought the boat ride from the Argentina side was better than from the Brazil side (of course opinions are very subjective) because it goes under the San Martin cascade, which is the second largest of the falls. But you do have to give up something on the Argentina unless you plan to go back a second day). -Judy
Dear Gina, great video, thanks for sharing. I am planning to travel back to Argentina the day I do the brazilian side. Do you recommend it? If yes, what time is the best to book the plane as i know i will be on the brazilian side & need to go do the boarders again check. Thanks.
Hi Johnny, Thanks so much for watching! Yes, you are fine to return to Argentina on the same day as visiting the Brazilian side of the falls. You can put your luggage in a locker at the falls if you need to. You'll need to do some price checks because while the easiest option would be to catch a flight from Foz do Iguaçu International Airport (IGU) to Buenos Aires, I don't believe there are direct flights. It might be less time consuming to take a bus from the falls to IGR (Iguazu Falls Airport in Argentina) or else use the transfer service we used (iguazufalls.com/tours-and-activities/transfers-from-iguazu-airports-to-your-hotel/)-we aren't affiliated with them. I'd probably plan to get to the falls as early in the morning as possible (they open at 9am). You'll be done by 11am, give yourself 1.5 hours to get to the airport (because you have to go through immigration when you leave Brazil), and then another 2 or 3 hours before your flight departure. You might have way more time than you need, but the transfer service should be able to help you as well if you need better clarity on how much time they'd want you to have. I would just give yourself buffers so you don't feel rushed in the process. Hope this helps. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Beautiful ❤
Thank you so much for watching, Juli! We were so thrilled to have been able to visit, despite a canceled flight and a month delay. It was worth it! -Judy
@ Argentina and Brazil are now in our Bucket list, because of your channel. ❤️❤️
Hi @@julilopez, We'll admit to you that the other parts of our time in Argentina weren't ideal. The cost of things right now is hugely expensive there, and we ended up not being able to do some of the things we wanted to do because of it. But if you do nothing but visit Iguazu Falls while you wait for prices to go down in other parts of Argentina, it will be time well spent! And psssst, we really enjoyed our time in Rio de Janeiro! -Judy
@ that’s good to know. Honestly, this year 2025, we have 7 countries in line, 2 in Asia and 5 in EU. And hopefully 🤞we bumped with your itinerary🥰. Watching your channel is inspirational and somewhat stress relieving specially now that my beloved City of Los Angeles is in fire. We are safe, God’s grace🙏🏼
We'd like to be back in Asia for at least a little while in 2026 if we can. And yes, what's happening in LA right now is so unbelievably tragic. I can't fully grasp how devastating this has been. We have friends who fortunately have been lucky and at least one who has lost everything. It's terrible. -Judy
I'm going here end of February then to Rio for carnaval. Wish our timelines matched up but hope you make it to Peru and Costa Rica. I went to Peru last year and studied abroad in CR 13 years ago
Hi Tyler, We had a great experience in Rio and we hope you love it. We're currently in Santiago, but we'll be visiting Cusco and Macchu Picchu and then heading to Costa Rica. Our full plans for 2025 are listed below. How amazing for you (both visiting Peru and 13 years in Costa Rica!!!). We wish our plans to meet up could have worked, but if there is something that does line up, please let us know! -Judy
🎥 What’s New for 2025: Our Complete Travel and Budget Planning Breakdown ❤️ th-cam.com/video/IkA76TWLvMM/w-d-xo.html
@FindingGinaMarie I'm guessing you have everything booked already but I really enjoyed the ruins in Ollantaytambo. We also did a day trip to maras salt mine, moray, urubamba valley, chinchero and Pisac! That day was almost as good as hiking the 4 day Inca Trail! Also if you can do Humantay Lake, that is absolutely incredible!
We don't have everything booked yet since I'm waiting to confirm tickets for MP, which should be available tomorrow! We do have plans to be in Ollantaytambo as well. Did you hire a guide for any of those trips? One question I have is that we arrive in Cusco and my plan was to go straight to Ollantaytambo, but people said I should first acclimate in Cusco. Is that necessary? Couldn't I just lay low in Ollantaytambo and then start exploring there? -Judy
What is the bank fees listed under Lodging on your costs spreadsheet?
Hi @pwong3544: We mention in this video that we needed to withdraw money multiple times in order to pay for our accommodations (and our bus tickets and tips). Argentina throttles the amount of money you can withdraw from an ATM at any one time to no more than $70 US worth of pesos (at whatever the currency exchange is at that time). We got our accommodations from booking.com and it said that we'd pay in person using the local currency, which we assumed would be the peso equivalent, but purchase through our credit card. We got a WhatsApp notification in Spanish that said that we needed to pay in cash, but it was buried with all the check-in information and details about Puerto Iguazú, so somehow we missed it. It was not an ideal situation! -Judy
Love your music too. Can I fly my drone there?
Hi Jeanette and Roger, Thanks for the compliment about our music. We use Epidemic Sound and have been really happy with their offerings.
Unfortunately, drone usage is not allowed at either side of the falls because national parks have very strict guidelines. You can apply for a permit, but it sounds like those have a very high threshold you have to meet.
And while residents of Argentina can fly drones as hobbyists, they have to be registered in advance. -Judy
drone-laws.com/drone-laws-in-argentina/#:~:text=Hobbyist%20drone%20flights%20are%20allowed,hobbyists'%20drone%20operations%20in%20Argentina
It looks like if I register I should be able to fly as mine is also under 250 grams. I have flown in twelve international countries so far. Thanks.
@whirltraveller1350 I think the biggest issue is the concern that national parks tend to have because of protected wildlife and nature. -Judy
Perfect timing, thanks for this video! I’ll be there later this week but am traveling from Asunción, Paraguay with one overnight on the Brazilian side so think I’ll just do that side the next morning before heading back by bus to Asunción. I may also do the short helo flight just so I can get some different video angles since I’m sure drones are not allowed.
Hi dotted8-, We hope you have an amazing time! We have more pictures on our website, but we do not break down the process of traveling from Paraguay or from the Brazil side. The only thing I'd caution about the helicopter rides is that Argentina doesn't offer them because the noise and operation hurts and disrupts the wildlife, so they've prioritized that over earning money. The problems are the same on the Brazil side, but the government there is allowing it for the sake of profit. But we all have our own tolerances for what we will support. Our article about Iguazu Falls is below. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Thanks!😁
Terrific video with lots of good info. Based on your video, I would say I would prefer the Argentinian side but I would feel that I missed something if I didn’t visit and experience the Brazilian side.
Hi Ted, thanks so much for watching. We agree. As I was putting together a companion article to complement this guide and I was looking at all our images from Brazil, I enjoyed it even more than experiencing it the first time around! You are spot on that since the Brazil side is fairly easy to visit (once you know how, which we tried to explain), you'd be doing yourself a disservice to skip it. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
23:17 açaí with cupuaçu both are fruits
Hi @Enz0oYa, Yes, thank you! I knew that açai was a fruit, but at the time I didn't realize that it was indigenous to Brazil. And I had no idea about the cupuaçu, BUT we were in Brazil for three weeks after Iguazu Falls, where I learned more about it. I kept expecting to get something chocolate when it said cacao, but I finally understood what it was! Thanks so much for watching! -Judy
@ Thank you so much
Bom dia, os dois lados são lindos, mas o lado brasileiro tem uma visão mais ampla das cataratas.
Hi @jonashermelindooliveira2823, Yes, we enjoyed them both. We probably enjoyed seeing them more from the Argentina side because it was a longer experience and had so many unexpected moments, but we would have been very disappointed to not have seen the Brazil side as well. Thanks so much for watching and for sharing your perspective. -Judy
Oh I so wish I could travel reasonably like you guys do! $206 a night is wonderful! I wish I could have been enjoying that steak dinner with you! Keep enjoying life!
Wait, Robin, just to be clear, Iguazu Falls was a bucket list destination and it was the only thing we ended up doing in Argentina of any significance. We can't afford to spend any significant time anyplace with that big of a budget! We knew we'd be spending much less for the next few months, and three days at that rate was still a stretch. But that steak was absolutely amazing and well worth the price; we'd have loved to have your company! -Judy
brazilian side is a short path with panoramics views of the Argentine waterfalls (most of them) and a single viewpoint over the Floriano waterfall, the Devil's Throat can be seen very far away
Hi @diegolargo8131, The Brazil side takes as long as one circuit of the Argentine side. But for many people, they preferred that side, so shorter doesn't necessarily mean worse. We preferred the Argentina side, but we had a sunnier, prettier day in Brazil and our photos from that side are beautiful. -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie argentine SIDE is more complete, overviews in lower circuit, closer views in Upper circuit, beautifull and closer views of Devil Throath, and the brazilians overwiews in his short circuit are argentine waterfalls, they cannot be compares. The argentine SIDE is much more complete and the brazilians SIDE " borrows" a landscape that does not belong to it, except to the waterfalls next to elevator
Twenty percent of the falls belong to Brazil. Many people actually prefer to view the falls from the Brazil side. We're grateful that the falls are so panoramic and that we can see them from different sides. I'm not sure I completely follow your point, but it sounds like you resent that the Brazil side is beautiful. Beauty is beauty from wherever you're able to view it. -Judy
@FindingGinaMarie only people lazy don't like walking prefer that short walk. Likewise what is seen from Brazil is mostly Argentine landscape.
@@diegolargo8131 Do you realize you can't see the Argentine side fully if you don't go across the river to see it in Brazil? Also, so what if what is seen from Brazil is mostly Argentine landscape? As far as only lazy people who don't like walking enjoy the Brazil side more is absolutely not true, and I don't think it's fair to lump everyone into one opinion. -Judy
Thank you for the great information as always!! Do you recall if they allowed umbrellas on either side, Brazil or Argentina?
Hi @RoamSweetRoam, Yes, they do! You can see when we were on the Argentina side headed to the Devil's Throat that it was getting gloomy. It drizzled a bit before and after and we did see a few people with them. Although we already were wet from the falls, so there didn't seem to be much point by then! The challenge is that especially on the Brazil side, you'll be ruining everyone's view if it's crowded. There's a little more room to negotiate on the Argentina side because some parts are very spread out. We have a travel guide with more information and pictures if you're interested in checking it out. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Love açaí! With honey, granola, bananas… 😋
Yes, that's how I've had it as well. But I was completely unfamiliar with the other ingredient it was mixed with, which is a form of cacao fruit. And the açai was especially delicious here! -Judy
@ I’ve never had cupuaçu! I’d totally try it too!
@@EvolveMoore It's a fruit with a reasonably neutral taste, and I had ordered it on another occasion as well, but I was surprised that it wasn't chocolate. Totally blame my translator app and that I didn't look it up to understand exactly what it was! It was fun when I finally realized that it is a tropical rainforest tree common in the Amazon!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theobroma_grandiflorum
-Judy
@ yeah! It’s common in BR! I’ve seen it, just never had it! It never looked appealing to me! I would totally try it now cause I love new experiences! I was young and dumb when I was still living there 🤣
Boy would I make a lot of different decisions if I could correct the errors of my youth. Although I might not have landed where I am if things had been different, so be grateful for the younger you who made you who you are today! -Judy
Excellent video with lots of images. I was just disappointed that almost nothing of the Brazilian side was shown, so it's unfair for me to pick which side is better.
Hi Fatima, The truth is that the Argentina side of the falls has three different elements (Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit, and Devil's Throat). The Brazil side is outstanding, but it's only the distance of one circuit and we were finished in 90 minutes. The Brazil side has other trails to explore, but they aren't along the falls and it's an entirely separate area of the park. We actually felt a little let down ourselves when we were finished with the Brazil side because it ended so abruptly. But we think this video showcased both sides of the falls equally. In fact, our thumbnail image is of the Brazil side. And whereas the Argentina side had an entire path that led to Devil's Throat, you can see that it's just a small extension from the main route and is more of a lookout versus a long path. We have more pictures in our companion article linked below. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
Thank you, Judy, for the thorough answer. My husband doesn't want to visit the Brazilian side because he thinks it only offers one viewpoint. However, I’d like to visit the Argentinian due to your beautiful video.
The views in Brazil are incredible and some people prefer them to the Argentina side. It's not expensive to add Brazil to your visit and it can be done in just a few hours. We should have gone on the platform to Devil's Throat on the Brazil side, but we were worried about our equipment. However, I think we might actually have been okay (or at least no worse than on the Argentina side). -Judy
Legal
With all of the hassle of visiting Argentina and exchanging money, would you still stay on the Argentina side?
Argentina has been the more popular side to visit because in the past accommodations and food are cheaper there than Brazil. Brazil also has tariffs and high import fees, so buying things there also isn't ideal. It was much more convenient in that during our three weeks there, we didn't need to use cash (we didn't visit an ATM once!), so that was a huge convenience. We also liked Aqua Restaurant in Puerto Iguazú, which wasn't cheap, but which was delicious.
I think knowing how easy it is to get across the border, it might be a viable option if you can get a good deal on accommodations in Foz do Iguaçu, especially if you are going imminently while Argentina's economy is so volatile. We didn't need to deal with getting a visa, but that will be an extra $80 to factor in beginning in April. It sounds like you'll still need to get bus tickets using cash, though. There is a lot you can do from the Brazil side, including the Itaipu Dam, the bird park, a bike ride I mentioned, but we ended up skipping, a Buddhist temple, and various other things. I didn't think there was much to do at all in Puerto Iguazú. -Judy
We are going there in February. Did you have a apply for an e-visa to enter Brazil?
No, and you won't, either if you are a US, Canada, EU, or Australian citizen. The visa rules go into effect April 10, 2025, so if you're there beforehand and your trip ends before that date, you should be fine. Here's the official website to verify that you won't need one if you want to double check: brazil.vfsevisa.com. Have a fun and safe trip. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
I’ll be there this February. Did they take credit cards on the Brazilian side for the park?
Hi Lonnie, Yes, they took credit cards on both sides. We did not bring any Brazilian Real and did just fine. I put together an article on our website with a few more details and photos if you're interested in taking a look. Have an amazing time and let us know which side you prefer! -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
@@FindingGinaMarie Thanks and great information as usual! I will definitely use your suggestions. Cheers
The ATM fees are outrageous. I wonder if Charles Schwab would still give that feedback to you? Do you have any tips or suggestions of maybe withdrawing money somewhere else or how we can withdraw money cheaper to get all the cash we need whether it’s Argentina or Brazil?
Hi BW, We actually applied for a Charles Schwab account, but we need to check on it because our fees in Argentina were brutal. We found that Western Union is great in some countries, but in Argentina we couldn't get it to work. Morocco took Apple Pay details through Western Union, but Argentina required a 12-digit code and for the life of us we couldn't figure out our way around that. And for Brazil, we didn't need cash in Iguaçu Falls or even at any point in our three weeks there. Granted, we didn't try to buy food from the street carts, who likely would have required cash, but that wasn't a problem. In fact Brazil automatically added a tip to restaurants, etc., and you could accept it or not (but I've heard you shouldn't ever really reject it) and all of it could be done from your credit card. -Judy
@ Ok, great to know. Thank you!
You are wrong, the best boat trip is on the Argentine side, because you can get close to the San Martín waterfall the second most important waterfall in the complex, which you cannot do on the Brazilian side.
Hi @diegolargo8131, You may be right, but you are going to compromise on the other things you can see on the Argentina side. -Judy
Iguazú and Iguaçu because this falls are brazilians too
Yes, you are right, and in our companion article we reference it both ways depending on which side we are talking about. But sometimes you have to make a decision in one direction or the other for the sake of length in a thumbnail or video title. -Judy
🗺️ Iguazú Falls Travel Guide (Argentina and Brazil): findingginamarie.com/articles/iguazu-falls-travel-guide
There is no Brazilian side, actually. The falls are 90% in Argentina. Everything you see from Brazil is Argentine.
Hi @ringogrin8475, You're mistaken about that. 80% is in Argentina, but 20% of the falls are in Brazil. You can see from our thumbnail that we are literally right next to a waterfall on the Brazil side of the falls. Brazil has fewer falls, but it does have a portion of the 275 falls physically in Brazil. Thanks for watching. -Judy
@@FindingGinaMarie You are completely confused, ma'am. I am a geography teacher. Look where the border between the two nations runs.
@@ringoogrin8475 Did you or did you not see us standing in Brazil literally next to falls? The major cascades named Benjamin Constant, Deodoro, and Floriano all are on the Brazil side. Twenty percent of the 275 cascades are on the Brazil side of the falls. -Judy