Iguazu in One Day

[kruznkanuk]

We just got back from the Star Princess BA to LA and spent a week in Buenos Aires before the cruise. Iguazu was high on our list to see, but we had rented an apartment for the whole week in BA and weren't sure if we wanted to pay for accommodation in two places as once and also deal with luggage in travelling to Iguazu. I searched these boards for advice, and relied on a friend who had spent 2 nights at Iguazu, seeing the falls from both Brazil and Argentina, and said that one day is really OK. So we booked the early morning (8 AM roughly) flight from Jorge Newberry in BA to Iguazu and the latest possible (Aerolineas Argentinas) 8 PM return to BA.

How did this work out?

Well, we felt it was well worth it. The airfare is not cheap, but we avoided a $300 a night hotel at the Sheraton and didn't have to wait for luggage. And we had more time in Buenos Aires. The flights were great, on time, with snack boxes and quick check-in. The reviews we read on Aerolineas Argentinas were negative but we had no problems and in-air service was better than most US airlines. I would not recommend doing this trip if your ship leaves the next morning as you'd be in deep trouble if the evening flight were cancelled, but we did it on a Friday and the cruise left Monday so no worries.

Did we see everything there? Nope, we didn't, but we did walk every path, boardwalk, and all the viewing points on the Argentina side. And go home with 280 waterfall pictures to add to the 250 sunset pictures we have. :D If we'd spent less time waiting for the silly little train (see more on that below) we would have had time to take the boat trip near the falls, though the island trip was closed when we were there due to high water levels. We prefer to really enjoy what we do see and not worry about all the things we miss when travelling.

How did we get to the park? On arrival in Iguazu airport, we walked to the left and found the taxi ranks. The taxi gave us a fixed price for round-trip pickup and delivery from the park, but in reality there were lots of taxis at the park and we didn't need to pre-book the return though from my limited spanish I thought maybe the driver needs to have a specific fare to get into the park and pick someone up. Taxi with tip was ArPeso270 (about $55 US). Taxis were clean, good cars, very professional. It is 10 minutes from the airport to the park.

In the Park? You pay the entry fee and get a map. We overpaid as there is a lower rate for seniors (of course that is my DH, I am naturally much too young to qualify! ;)) and it was ArPeso 130 each. I think the senior rate is 10 Pesos less.

Water, food and walking? This is a tropical place. It was not hot in Buenos Aires but we needed lots of cold water in the park! And hats!

And it is crowded. This is a major international tourist attraction. There are lots of people and strollers and kids. Think Disney World. Many ignore the signs that ask people to walk on the left so it's hard to get past the sauntering families if you want to walk faster as we did, but the useful words are 'Permisso, por favor, Senor (or Senora)' which will let you go by without being too rude. Take a waterproof bag or backpack for cameras, etc, if you want to be able to go everywhere. Most places you don't get wet but that also depends on the wind. We took sandwiches and ate them on a bench overlooking the river; to us it was much nicer and quicker than finding a snack bar but there are several snack bars if you prefer. There are a couple of drinking water stations which we used a bit and didn't get any intestinal bugs. Most people were in sandals and shorts but we had long sleeves and bug repellent as our travel health people warned us about dengue fever in this area.

The train? Was the most annoying thing about the park and the day. I had a sore foot so we thought we'd take the train to the first stop, but it doesn't go as scheduled and basically they wait until it is jammed full and then it leaves. We should have just walked to the first stop. You do need to take the train to the Devil's Throat falls as it is a long way! So there is no point waiting for it and getting a 'good seat' as the staff will come along and make you move to make room for other people, or as they did to some young guys next to us, made them spllit up into different cars after they had waited 15 minutes and been near the first in the line, so some other people who came at the last minute got seats together. We found it was better to sit opposite each other as you will have your knees practially in someone else's groin, it may as well be someone you know. The staff were rude and it was hard to figure out when trains were going to leave, but it is worth asking to avoid a long wait. If we went again, I would wait until I see a train boarding and join the line. And I would not be so anxious to get back to the central park as there is not much open there at the end of the day. We could have had more time on the paths and overlooks. If you want to see the gift shops or get food, do that earlier in the day.

If you don't want to be rushed? Or you want to see more of the area? Another approach we thought would be good would be to go on the last trip of the evening/afternoon to Iguazu, which was a much lower fare, and then spend one night in a moderate hotel in the town, then get a cab to the park when they open (I think that's 9 AM) and then get the same evening flight back to BA that we took. This would give you about 2 hours more at the park which is lots. I am sure the Sheraton is a great location but if cost is an issue there are other good options.

So, I hope this is helpful to those planning their trips. We had a great day at Iguazu, and hope you will, too!

[Keith1010]

Excellent writeup.

 

Thanks for taking the time to write it and to post it for all to see.

 

Keith

[boulders]

Thank you for the review. It answered a lot of questions I had about the area.

[cormike1]

Thanks so much for your review. I am going to stay overnight at the Sheraton and return the next day. Thanks for posting the time as it gives me an idea as to how long I have in the park. I am so looking forward to it and even though it is a day, it sounds like it is well worth it. Thanks again.

[cormike1]

Can you tell me if you can pay the entry fee in U.S. dollars or does it have to be the Argentine peso. If they take U.S. dollars do you know how much it is? I want to carry the least amount of money I have to so I would appreciate knowing in advance what I would need to take with me.

 

Thanks so much for your help!!!

[Pearl64]

You must do the Argentine entrance fee online ahead of time. You print out the receipt and have it with your passport. You cannot pay at the border. Read through this thread to find the actual site.

 

Pearl

[HDS]

Great report and good idea to take sandwich lunch! The eating places were crowded and the food unappetising.

We splurged on the Sheraton for its convenience inside the park. We were out on the trails before the main gates opened and the hordes arrived. Having those magnificent falls and jungle trails in the early morning cool, with not another human in sight, was priceless. And Mastercard took care of the Sheraton.

[cormike1]

I posted an earlier question about the entry fee. I was asking about the entry fee to the Falls, NOT entry to Argentina. I know about paying that online ahead of time.

 

KruizinKanuks....can you pay the entry fee to the Falls in U.S. dollars or do you have to pay in Argentinian pesos?

 

Thanks so much for your help!

[myotis]

Wonderful post which I will refer to closer to our BA three day stay. We disembark on the 21st of Feb. and leave on the 24th. I did not think we had time for an overnight trip, but you have made me see it can be done in one day. Can you detail the costs? Thank you.

[cormike1]

Wonderful post which I will refer to closer to our BA three day stay. We disembark on the 21st of Feb. and leave on the 24th. I did not think we had time for an overnight trip, but you have made me see it can be done in one day. Can you detail the costs? Thank you.

 

I am planning to do an overnight to the Falls and my flight will be approx. $500 I was told. If you are staying overnight you will then have to factor in your hotel room and food and taxi costs to and from the airport. Hope this helps.

[VidaNaPraia]

Can you tell me if you can pay the entry fee in U.S. dollars or does it have to be the Argentine peso. If they take U.S. dollars do you know how much it is? I want to carry the least amount of money I have to so I would appreciate knowing in advance what I would need to take with me.

 

The entry fee for adults is 170 Argentine pesos, iirc.

(U$1 = 5.86 Argentine pesos on the official exchange; blue market may be much better if you can exchange in BsAs.)

The park is open from 8am to 6pm.

 

I often wonder why people whose "home" currency is the dollar think that it is also legal tender everywhere else in the world. Perhaps is is accepted (at a discounted rate) in places like Cancun. But in this area of the world, although some hotels may go out of their way to accomodate you (and this may seem like they accept dollars, tho' they are simply doing an exchange/cambio), it seems rather arrogant to even ask the question. Just go to the ATM and get local currency to get you through your stay. (And FYI, in Brazil, it is actually illegal to do transactions in other than the Brazilian Real.) OK, off my soapbox.

[tiptank]

Fully concur! Why would anyone expect this?? Pretty much only one nationality does this though!

[SPacificbound]

We just got back from the Star Princess BA to LA and spent a week in Buenos Aires before the cruise. Iguazu was high on our list to see, but we had rented an apartment for the whole week in BA and weren't sure if we wanted to pay for accommodation in two places as once and also deal with luggage in travelling to Iguazu. I searched these boards for advice, and relied on a friend who had spent 2 nights at Iguazu, seeing the falls from both Brazil and Argentina, and said that one day is really OK. So we booked the early morning (8 AM roughly) flight from Jorge Newberry in BA to Iguazu and the latest possible (Aerolineas Argentinas) 8 PM return to BA.

How did this work out?

Well, we felt it was well worth it. The airfare is not cheap, but we avoided a $300 a night hotel at the Sheraton and didn't have to wait for luggage.

 

And we had more time in Buenos Aires. The flights were great, on time, with snack boxes and quick check-in. The reviews we read on Aerolineas Argentinas were negative but we had no problems and in-air service was better than most US airlines. I would not recommend doing this trip if your ship leaves the next morning as you'd be in deep trouble if the evening flight were cancelled, but we did it on a Friday and the cruise left Monday so no worries.

Did we see everything there? Nope, we didn't, but we did walk every path, boardwalk, and all the viewing points on the Argentina side. And go home with 280 waterfall pictures to add to the 250 sunset pictures we have. :D If we'd spent less time waiting for the silly little train (see more on that below) we would have had time to take the boat trip near the falls, though the island trip was closed when we were there due to high water levels. We prefer to really enjoy what we do see and not worry about all the things we miss when travelling.

How did we get to the park? On arrival in Iguazu airport, we walked to the left and found the taxi ranks. The taxi gave us a fixed price for round-trip pickup and delivery from the park, but in reality there were lots of taxis at the park and we didn't need to pre-book the return though from my limited spanish I thought maybe the driver needs to have a specific fare to get into the park and pick someone up. Taxi with tip was ArPeso270 (about $55 US). Taxis were clean, good cars, very professional. It is 10 minutes from the airport to the park.

In the Park? You pay the entry fee and get a map. We overpaid as there is a lower rate for seniors (of course that is my DH, I am naturally much too young to qualify! ;)) and it was ArPeso 130 each. I think the senior rate is 10 Pesos less.

Water, food and walking? This is a tropical place. It was not hot in Buenos Aires but we needed lots of cold water in the park! And hats!

And it is crowded. This is a major international tourist attraction. There are lots of people and strollers and kids. Think Disney World. Many ignore the signs that ask people to walk on the left so it's hard to get past the sauntering families if you want to walk faster as we did, but the useful words are 'Permisso, por favor, Senor (or Senora)' which will let you go by without being too rude. Take a waterproof bag or backpack for cameras, etc, if you want to be able to go everywhere. Most places you don't get wet but that also depends on the wind. We took sandwiches and ate them on a bench overlooking the river; to us it was much nicer and quicker than finding a snack bar but there are several snack bars if you prefer. There are a couple of drinking water stations which we used a bit and didn't get any intestinal bugs. Most people were in sandals and shorts but we had long sleeves and bug repellent as our travel health people warned us about dengue fever in this area.

The train? Was the most annoying thing about the park and the day. I had a sore foot so we thought we'd take the train to the first stop, but it doesn't go as scheduled and basically they wait until it is jammed full and then it leaves. We should have just walked to the first stop. You do need to take the train to the Devil's Throat falls as it is a long way! So there is no point waiting for it and getting a 'good seat' as the staff will come along and make you move to make room for other people, or as they did to some young guys next to us, made them spllit up into different cars after they had waited 15 minutes and been near the first in the line, so some other people who came at the last minute got seats together. We found it was better to sit opposite each other as you will have your knees practially in someone else's groin, it may as well be someone you know. The staff were rude and it was hard to figure out when trains were going to leave, but it is worth asking to avoid a long wait. If we went again, I would wait until I see a train boarding and join the line. And I would not be so anxious to get back to the central park as there is not much open there at the end of the day. We could have had more time on the paths and overlooks. If you want to see the gift shops or get food, do that earlier in the day.

If you don't want to be rushed? Or you want to see more of the area? Another approach we thought would be good would be to go on the last trip of the evening/afternoon to Iguazu, which was a much lower fare, and then spend one night in a moderate hotel in the town, then get a cab to the park when they open (I think that's 9 AM) and then get the same evening flight back to BA that we took. This would give you about 2 hours more at the park which is lots. I am sure the Sheraton is a great location but if cost is an issue there are other good options.

So, I hope this is helpful to those planning their trips. We had a great day at Iguazu, and hope you will, too!

 

Excellent and detailed information, thank you so much. :)

[cormike1]

The entry fee for adults is 170 Argentine pesos, iirc.

(U$1 = 5.86 Argentine pesos on the official exchange; blue market may be much better if you can exchange in BsAs.)

The park is open from 8am to 6pm.

 

I often wonder why people whose "home" currency is the dollar think that it is also legal tender everywhere else in the world. Perhaps is is accepted (at a discounted rate) in places like Cancun. But in this area of the world, although some hotels may go out of their way to accomodate you (and this may seem like they accept dollars, tho' they are simply doing an exchange/cambio), it seems rather arrogant to even ask the question. Just go to the ATM and get local currency to get you through your stay. (And FYI, in Brazil, it is actually illegal to do transactions in other than the Brazilian Real.) OK, off my soapbox.

 

Sorry I hit a sore spot with you asking about using U.S. dollars. I had read another post last year that said you could use both or a credit card. I am Canadian. The only reason I asked that question is the U.S. dollar is widely accepted all over Mexico and the Caribbean so who knows about elsewhere until you ask and I wanted to make sure after reading the earlier post. I thank you for your answer and the conversion rate. We usually get some "local currency" ahead of time from our bank so that is what I will do. I am looking forward to visiting your Country....it looks amazingly beautiful!

[VidaNaPraia]

Sorry I hit a sore spot with you asking about using U.S. dollars. I had read another post last year that said you could use both or a credit card. The only reason I asked that question is the U.S. dollar is widely accepted all over Mexico and the Caribbean so who knows about elsewhere until you ask and I wanted to make sure after reading the earlier post.

 

Sorry to have been so "testy", but there've been a few too many posts of the "why should I have to get a visa, comply with border regulations, use local currency" theme. It starts to seem Ugly American syndrome.

The US dollar is accepted in those limited areas you mention that are sufficiently desperate for tourist income to bend over backwards to get it, but, at least in Mexico, at a cost to the tourist of several pesos per dollar (maybe not much to the tourist, but worth a bag of beans or rice to a local feeding his family).

 

Anyway, do enjoy the beautiful cataratas area!

[myotis]

The entry fee for adults is 170 Argentine pesos, iirc.

(U$1 = 5.86 Argentine pesos on the official exchange; blue market may be much better if you can exchange in BsAs.)

The park is open from 8am to 6pm.

 

I often wonder why people whose "home" currency is the dollar think that it is also legal tender everywhere else in the world. Perhaps is is accepted (at a discounted rate) in places like Cancun. But in this area of the world, although some hotels may go out of their way to accomodate you (and this may seem like they accept dollars, tho' they are simply doing an exchange/cambio), it seems rather arrogant to even ask the question. Just go to the ATM and get local currency to get you through your stay. (And FYI, in Brazil, it is actually illegal to do transactions in other than the Brazilian Real.) OK, off my soapbox.

 

I think this response to an innocent question is rude. Since the question was re Argentina, why bring up Brazil? I am not sure about Canadian currency, but we often have been quoted two rates in some countries, US $ and local currency. So, ease up and make a foreigner feel welcomed, with a gentle correction.

Signed: Trying Hard Not to be an Ugly American

[VidaNaPraia]

I think this response to an innocent question is rude. Since the question was re Argentina, why bring up Brazil? I am not sure about Canadian currency, but we often have been quoted two rates in some countries, US $ and local currency. So, ease up and make a foreigner feel welcomed, with a gentle correction.

Signed: Trying Hard Not to be an Ugly American

 

Well, to expect or assume that a foreign country accept US currency everywhere, as if it were local, is quite arrogant, IMO. Locals are simply doing you a favor to do so (or do you imagine your currency should buy you some rights as being more well off than they are and in a position to dictate?) I don't necessarily think people asking such questions are rude, but rather naive about how the rest of the world may think about rich tourists (yes, you ARE, in comparison to locals) imposing their thinking/way of doing things. The point about Brazil was simply to point out that, not only do some countries not accept US currency for transactions, some prohibit it.

I only wish to point out this preconception of how tourists imagine they can act is often unrealistic, so that we tourists may be more culturally sensitive. My apologies if that seemed rude to you.