Seeing both sides of the falls in a single day is possible, and it is a lot. This guide is for you if you have one day in Foz do Iguaçu and do not want to choose a side. It covers the two sets of tickets you need, the border twice, the walking, and the signs that you would be better off splitting it over two days.
Why it runs in this order
The falls are a single system of around 275 drops, with Argentina's national park on one bank and Brazil's on the other. The two parks keep different hours, and that decides the day.
Argentina opens at 08:00 and runs its trails until 16:45. Brazil opens at 09:00 on weekdays and 08:30 at weekends, takes its last visitors at 16:00 and closes fully at 17:30. Argentina opens earlier and stays open later, so it takes the morning. Brazil stops letting people in at 16:00, so it fits after lunch, with time to spare before that limit. It also means the longer walk comes while your legs are fresh.
The rough shape: about four hours on the Argentine walkways, lunch in that park, back over the bridge, then about two hours on the Brazilian trail. You are at your hotel at about 17:30.
Two parks, two ticket systems
This is the part to sort out before the day. The tour price covers the car, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Both park tickets are yours to buy, and the two parks do not sell them the same way.
Argentina
Tickets are sold online from 30 days before the date, or at the box office. Each ticket is for one day and one time slot, and it cannot be changed after purchase. Book a slot at the very start of the morning. At the box office you can pay by card or in cash in Argentine pesos, and staff ask for an ID document or passport for each visitor.
Brazil
Tickets are sold online only, for a date and a time slot. The slot is your entry time, so book one around 14:30, when the tour reaches the visitor centre. Unlike the Argentine ticket, you can change the date or time from your account, but unused tickets are not refunded. Each visitor shows a photo document with the ticket.
In practice, buy both before you travel, keep them on your phone, and keep the passports to hand for the bridge.
The border, twice
You cross the Tancredo Neves bridge in the morning and again after lunch, with Brazilian and Argentine passport controls each time. Everyone needs a passport. Whether you also need a visa for Argentina depends on your nationality, so check that before you book the day.
The queue at the bridge is the one part of the timetable nobody controls. How long it takes depends on the day. If time gets tight, tell your driver which part you would rather shorten. The itinerary can change as the day goes.
How much you walk
More than on any of our other Foz days. In Argentina, the Upper Circuit is about 3.7 kilometres there and back and fully accessible by wheelchair. The Lower Circuit is about 2.9 kilometres, with steep stairs in places. The park puts each at around 90 minutes. In Brazil, the Falls Trail adds about a kilometre and a half with stairs, ending on the walkway over the river.
Wear shoes you have walked in before, with grip for wet metal. Bring water, sun cream, insect repellent and a light rain layer, because you will meet spray on both banks. The Brazilian park recommends a rain cape over an umbrella on its trail.
If the morning has been hard on someone, the Lower Circuit is the part to drop. The Upper Circuit and the Brazilian panorama still give you both views of the falls.
High water on both banks
A high river can close the walkways closest to the Devil's Throat on both sides. In 2026 very high water closed them on both banks for a time. In Brazil, the walkway over the river closes when the flow passes 8.5 million litres a second and keeps rising.
During those closures, the Upper and Lower Circuits in Argentina and the Falls Trail in Brazil stayed open. The day still works, with a little less of the Devil's Throat. We tell you before the day what is open on each side.
When two days are better
This day suits fit adults with one day in Foz and passports in order. Think twice in these cases:
- Someone in the group walks slowly or struggles with stairs.
- Young children who will tire before the afternoon.
- You arrive late the night before, or fly out the same evening.
- Not everyone has the papers for Argentina.
With two days, take one side each day and add something else. The Argentine side day gives you the walkways without the afternoon dash. The falls and Parque das Aves day pairs the Brazilian side with the bird park across the road. Our guide to the Iguaçu Falls tours sets out how they compare.
Questions people ask
Can we fit a boat trip in?
Not easily on this day. Boat trips need extra hours. Message us and we will suggest a plan.
What if there are more than 16 of us?
Two vehicles travelling together on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
Can we cancel?
Yes, up to 24 hours before pick-up, with a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Check the Argentine entry rules for your passport, buy an early Argentine slot and a mid-afternoon Brazilian one, and pack for spray. The price depends on the size of your group; see it, with the full timings, on the both sides private day trip page.
