Iguazu Falls Argentinian Side Full-Day Tour Puerto Iguazu

Iguazu National Park, the Argentinian side of the falls

Iguazu National Park protects the Argentinian side of the Iguazu Falls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the Iguazu River drops over a basalt edge in around 275 separate cascades spread along almost three kilometres. This side holds about three-quarters of the falls, which is why anyone asking whether the Argentinian side of Iguazu is worth visiting hears the same answer: it is the side where you walk through the falls rather than look at them from a distance. The park opens at 08:00 and the last entry is in the afternoon, so an early start from Puerto Iguazu gives you the full day.

Your guide handles the 20-minute drive from your hotel to the gate and explains how the three circuits connect before you go in. The entrance fee is paid at the gate and includes the ecological train; our team tells you the current amount and payment methods when we confirm your booking. Inside, everything is on well-maintained walkways, and the visitor centre has maps, toilets and cafés.

Upper Circuit, walkways above the cascades

The Upper Circuit (Circuito Superior) is a flat loop of around 1,750 metres on metal walkways that run along the very lip of the falls. You stand directly above cascades such as Dos Hermanas, Bossetti, Adán y Eva and Mbiguá and look down the full height of the drop, with the river sliding under your feet before it disappears into spray. It is the easiest of the three circuits and takes about an hour at a relaxed pace, with several balconies for photos.

Because the walkways face west over the lower river, the Upper Circuit is best in the morning light, and the guide usually recommends starting here. Coatis wander near the paths and must not be fed, and brightly coloured butterflies settle on the railings. The loop ends near the Central Station of the ecological train, which is convenient for continuing to the Devil's Throat.

Lower Circuit and the San Martin Island viewpoint

The Lower Circuit (Circuito Inferior) is the trail that brings you closest to the water. It descends in a loop of around 1,400 metres with stairs and walkways through the forest to the foot of the Bossetti falls and the Dos Hermanas cascade, where the spray soaks the platform and rainbows form on sunny days. From the lowest balconies you look across the river to San Martin Island and, in the distance, to the Brazilian side of the falls. Allow about an hour and a half, and more if you stop often.

This part of the Iguazu Falls Argentinian side has steps, so it is the section that makes the tour unsuitable for wheelchair users and people with reduced mobility. Wear shoes with grip, carry a light rain jacket or poncho for the spray, and keep cameras and phones protected. The guide is available at the start of each circuit, and the walking itself is at your own pace.

The Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo)

The Devil's Throat is the highlight of any Iguazu Falls tour. A horseshoe-shaped chasm about 80 metres high and 150 metres wide swallows roughly half the river's flow, and a cloud of mist rises permanently above it. To reach it you take the ecological train to the Garganta del Diablo station and walk around 1,100 metres on a footbridge across the calm upper river, past small islands and herons, until the roar grows and the balcony appears at the very edge of the drop.

The viewing platform is the most crowded spot in the park, so the guide times your visit to avoid the peak of the day when possible. The footbridge is flat and the train makes it accessible, but the spray is intense, and in the rainy season the walkway may close when the river is very high. Plan about an hour and a half for the train, the walk and the balcony itself.

The ecological train and the Macuco Trail

The ecological jungle train (Tren Ecológico de la Selva) is included in the park ticket and links the Central Station near the entrance, the Cataratas station for the Upper and Lower Circuits and the Garganta del Diablo station. It runs slowly through the forest on a narrow-gauge line, so the ride is part of the experience rather than just transport, and it saves a long walk in the humid heat. Trains leave every half hour; your guide tells you the last departure back to the entrance.

If you have energy left, the Macuco Trail is a self-guided path of about 3.5 kilometres each way through the jungle to the Arrechea waterfall, a 23-metre fall into a clear natural pool. It is the best place in the park to see capuchin monkeys and forest birds, and it is quiet compared with the main circuits. Insect repellent, water and sun protection are essential, and the trail is usually open until mid-afternoon.