From Foz do Iguaçu, the Argentine side of the falls is a day across a border and mostly on foot. This guide is for you if you are staying on the Brazilian side and want to stand on the walkways over the water. It covers the papers, the tickets, the walking and the state of the Devil's Throat, so you can decide if this is your day.
Papers first
You leave Brazil and enter Argentina on the Tancredo Neves bridge, with a passport control on each side, and you do it again in reverse in the afternoon. Everyone in the car needs a passport. Whether you also need a visa for Argentina depends on your nationality, so check that well before you travel, not the night before.
Carry the same passport into the park. The ticket office asks for an ID document or passport to place each visitor in the right ticket category.
The bridge sets the pace of the morning, and how long you wait there depends on the day. Have the passports in your hand before the car reaches the control.
Tickets, time slots and money
The park is open every day of the year, holidays and rainy days included. You can buy tickets at the box office on the day or online, and the park recommends online to skip the queue. Online sales open 30 days before the date.
Two rules catch people out. A ticket is valid only for the day and time you chose, and you cannot change it after you buy it. If something beyond your control stops you, it stays valid for 72 hours after the original slot. Our day reaches the park at about 08:30, so book a slot at the start of the morning.
At the box office you can pay by credit or debit card, or in cash in Argentine pesos. Brazilian reais are not on that list, so if you plan to pay in cash, change some money before the day.
The tour price covers the car, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. Your park ticket, any boat trip and lunch are paid on the day. The price depends on the size of your group; see it on the tour page.
What you walk
Inside the gate, the park's train, with open-air carriages, runs through the forest to Cataratas station, where both circuits begin. You can also walk there along the Sendero Verde, a forest path of about 15 minutes. The trails open at 08:00 and close at 16:45.
The Upper Circuit
About 3.7 kilometres there and back, graded easy, and the park says it takes around 90 minutes. It is fully accessible by wheelchair. The walkways cross the river along the lip of the falls, past the Dos Hermanas, Bosetti and Mbiguá falls, and look across to the San Martín fall, the second largest in the park.
The Lower Circuit
About 2.9 kilometres there and back, graded medium, also around 90 minutes. It drops through the forest towards the foot of the falls, with balconies at Lanusse and Álvar Núñez falls and views across to the Devil's Throat. Some sections have steep stairs. About 70 per cent of it can be done in a wheelchair, and there is an adapted alternative path.
Add the walk to and from the station, the stops for photographs and a lunch break, and you are on your feet for most of the day. The park lends wheelchairs free at its train stations, and you can rent pushchairs for children up to two at the entrance.
The Devil's Throat
The third trail, to the balcony above the Devil's Throat, has had a hard few years. A flood in October 2023, described by the Argentine government as the largest in the river's history, destroyed about 90 per cent of its walkways and the balcony itself. It was rebuilt and reopened in July 2024.
In August 2026 the park removed the floors and railings of those walkways again, as a precaution against high water linked to El Niño rains. The Upper and Lower Circuits stayed open. Our day is built around those two circuits. Ask us whether the Devil's Throat walkways are back before you book.
Rain, sun and what to wear
Rain does not normally close the circuits. The park keeps them open in steady rain, though it can close any trail when the weather turns. Its own advice is a rain jacket, comfortable shoes and protection for your belongings against the water. Raincoats are sold in the park shops if you forget yours.
- Shoes with grip for wet metal walkways and the stairs on the Lower Circuit.
- A light waterproof and a plastic bag for your phone.
- Water and sun cream.
- Your passport, kept dry and close.
Do not feed the animals. Coatis are common on the paths and the park bans feeding them. Pets are not allowed in, and there are free kennels by the car park for anyone travelling with a dog.
Who it suits
This side suits people who want to be close to the water and do not mind a long day of walking. The Upper Circuit works for most people, including wheelchair users. The Lower Circuit, with its stairs, is the one to weigh up if anyone in your group has bad knees or tires quickly.
Think twice if not everyone has the right papers for Argentina, or if your time in Foz is a single half day. The Brazilian side half day needs no border crossing and much less walking. If you want both sides and only have one day, there is a both sides day, though it is long. Our guide to the Iguaçu Falls tours compares all five.
Groups of more than 16 travel in two vehicles on one booking. Message us and we will price it.
Questions people ask
Can we take a boat under the falls?
No. Boat trips are not included in this day.
Where do we eat?
Inside the park. There are restaurants and eating areas at the service area and the train stations.
Can we cancel?
Yes, up to 24 hours before pick-up, with a full refund. See our cancellation page.
Booking the day
Check your papers for Argentina, buy your park ticket for an early slot, and keep some pesos or a card for the box office. The timings and what is included are on the Argentine side private day trip page, where you choose the size of your group and book.
