Argentinian Iguazu Falls Tour with Boat Ride from Foz do Iguacu

Iguazú National Park, Argentinian side

Iguazú National Park in Argentina protects the southern bank of the Iguazú river and the greater part of the falls, a curtain of cascades almost three kilometres wide on the border with Brazil. Together with its Brazilian twin it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the two sides complement each other: Brazil gives the wide panorama, Argentina puts you on walkways right above and beside the water. An Argentinian Iguazu Falls tour from Foz do Iguacu is the simplest way to see this side without arranging a border crossing yourself.

The park sits in subtropical rainforest full of coatis, toucans, butterflies and orchids, and a small train links the entrance with the trailheads. Our guide buys the tickets and leads you straight in, so you skip the ticket line. The park opens in the morning and the circuits take most of the day; comfortable shoes and a rain jacket are the only essentials.

The Devil's Throat

The Devil's Throat, Garganta del Diablo in Spanish, is the heart of Iguazú: a U-shaped gorge where the largest volume of water in the whole system plunges around eighty metres into a cauldron of mist. A long metal walkway crosses the calm upper river over islands and channels, and then suddenly you are standing at the railing above the roar, with spray rising higher than the trees and swifts darting through the water.

This is the stop every visitor asks about, and it is usually the first the guide takes you to while the light is good and the walkway is quieter. Allow about an hour and a half including the train ride and the walk. The Devil's Throat viewpoint is unforgettable in any weather; after heavy rain the river runs brown and the mist is thicker, while in the dry months the water is clearer and rainbows appear in the spray.

The Upper Circuit

The Upper Circuit is an elevated trail of roughly 1.7 kilometres that runs along the top edge of the falls on the Argentinian side. Steel boardwalks pass directly over the lips of several cascades, so you look down into the drop and across to the islands and the Brazilian shore, with the rainforest canopy spread out below. It is flat, has no stairs and is the easiest of the park's circuits, which makes it suitable for most fitness levels.

Your guide points out the best photo spots along the way and names the falls as you pass them. Plan on about an hour at an unhurried pace, with stops for pictures. The Upper Circuit is also where you are most likely to see coatis and colourful butterflies, so keep food packed away. After this walk there is a lunch break at the park's cafés, at your own expense.

The Great Adventure boat ride

The Great Adventure is the part of the day that most travellers remember. It begins with an open truck ride of several kilometres along a forest track, where the guide on board explains the plants and animals of the rainforest. At the river bank you put on a life jacket and climb into a large inflatable speedboat, and the pilot heads upstream through the rapids of the lower Iguazú river towards the walls of water.

The boat approaches the falls of the San Martín sector and the Three Musketeers, close enough that you are drenched by the spray; think of it as a full shower under the falls, and everyone on board loves it. The ride involves stairs down to the river and back up afterwards. Waterproof bags are available for cameras and phones, and a change of clothes in the vehicle is a good idea. Children under 12 and people with back problems cannot take part.

From Foz do Iguacu across the border

The day starts with pickup at your hotel in Foz do Iguacu and a drive of about an hour and a quarter to the park, crossing the Tancredo Neves bridge over the Iguazú river into Argentina. On the way the guide introduces the triple frontier region, where Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay meet and three cultures and languages mix in a small area. Before the bridge there is a short stop for immigration formalities, so carry your passport or ID card.

To make the crossing smooth, our team collects your passport details in advance for the transport manifest required by the transit authorities. Travellers of some nationalities need a visa for Argentina, so check this before booking. The return to Foz do Iguacu takes about an hour, and the whole day lasts around nine hours door to door.