Finding the Best View of Iguazu Falls From Both Sides

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Iguazu Falls in South America are the largest waterfall system in the world and one of the most impressive natural wonders you’ll ever see.

The falls are divided between Brazil and Argentina, allowing visitors to get up close from both countries. So most people have the same question when visiting, which side of Iguazu Falls is better?

I had that same question when I went, and since I had the opportunity, I decided to visit both sides – the Brazilian and the Argentinean.

The falls are divided by about 20% on the Brazilian side and 80% on the Argentinean. But once I saw each side, I realized that both have something unique to offer.

So when at Iguazu Falls, visit both sides for an unforgettable time. And let me not forget how you’ll be making friends along the road left, right, and center – especially if you’re staying at the hostels nearby.

I love dealing with travel logistics, so I went to both sides alone, including the border crossing, which I’ll explain below. But if you prefer not to deal with any planning logistics, I highly recommend you book this tour on Viator which takes you to both sides of the falls.

Visiting Iguazu Falls, Brazil

Since I first arrived in Foz do Iguaçu in Brazil, I decided to visit this side first. 

From the town’s Terminal de Transporte Urbano (bus station), I took the public bus that goes all the way to the Iguazu National Park.

It took about 40 minutes to reach the park’s entrance, where I bought the ticket and hopped on a panoramic bus that took me to the main mirador walkway of the falls.

Along the way, the bus made a few stops for people interested in hiking in nature along the Iguaçu River. Since I only had the afternoon and the weather was dubious, I decided to skip the hike and headed straight to the falls.

Although the weather wasn’t ideal for me, I recommend joining one or two hikes along the way. They do come at an additional charge separate from the park entrance fee, but from what I’ve heard, they are breathtaking.

However, the 9 km (5.6 miles) of walkways on the Brazil side of Iguazu National Park offer more than enough exploring opportunities.

Once I hopped off, I was just a few steps away from witnessing Iguazu’s immense and natural power. It is said that upon seeing Iguazu, the United States First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt exclaimed, “Poor Niagara!”

While I’m yet to see Niagara Falls in person, Iguazu is as impressive and powerful as you can imagine.

The name “Iguazu” comes from the Guarani or Tupi words y, meaning “water,” and ûasú, meaning “big.” According to legend, a deity planned to marry a beautiful woman named Naipí, who fled with her mortal lover Tarobá in a canoe.

In a rage, the deity sliced the river, creating the waterfalls and condemning the lovers to an eternal fall.

Whether by a deity or not, there’s no denying that some great forces created this awe-inspiring UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I followed the walkway along the canyon, stopping at every viewpoint to admire every single fall on the other side of the river.

After about an hour or so of walking and sightseeing, I reached the culminating point of the walkway. The extension to the lower base of Iguazu Falls Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo in Spanish or Garganta do Diabo in Portuguese)

The Devil’s Throat is the main attraction on both sides of the falls since approximately half of the river’s flow falls into this long, narrow chasm.

Its quite distinctive U-shape is 82 meters high (269 feet), 150 meters wide (492 feet), and 700 meters long (2,297 feet).

I stepped on the aluminum walkway and went deep into the fast-flowing horseshoe-shaped curtain of mist created by the powerful cascade, which at this point, was mere meters away from me.

On one side of the walkway, I had a curtain of water flowing from above; on the other, I could see water flowing even deeper on a vertigo-inducing fall that seemed to have no end.

It was on that walkway that I realized that I was somewhere in the middle of a stepped waterfall.

From the end of the walkway, I enjoyed the fresh mist and the gorgeous views of Devil’s Throat – in addition to getting soaking wet.

Seriously, it might even be a good idea to bring a change of clothes after visiting Iguazu’s Brazil side.

To end a spectacular stroll along the Brazilian Iguazu Falls walkway, I took the glass lift to the top of the viewing tower. From here, I could see at eye level the flowing Iguazu River before it took the thunderous plunge.

To avoid travel logistics, a walking and boat ride tour of Iguazu Falls is perfect. For one of the best options around, book on GetYourGuide.

What to See When You Visit Iguazu Falls, Argentina

The next day I woke up early to spend the entire day at Iguazu Falls, Argentina side. Crossing the borders between Brazil and Argentina was easy.

The process only took about two hours – from hopping on the bus in Foz do Iguacu, passing immigration, and reaching the bus station in Argentina.

Since I was staying in Argentina that night, I quickly checked-in at my hostel, and then returned to the bus station to take the next bus to the Argentinean side of the national park.

Note: The best place to stay on the Argentine side of the falls is Puerto Iguazu, which is 25 km (16 miles) from the park. There are plenty of options, from high-end hotels to affordable hostels. If you’re traveling on a budget, read about how I find the best hostels for my trip.

Once at the entrance, I bought my ticket (yes, another one) and took the Jungle Train to “Estación Garganta.”

This was the last stop of the train and the entry point to have an up-close look at the Devil’s Throat from the Argentinean side.

From the train stop, it was a 1.2km (0.75 miles) walk on catwalks until I reached Devil’s Throat. For the largest portion of this walk, the river flowed smoothly under my feet. That’s how wide this part of the river is!

Once at the Devil’s Throat, I simply stood there for about half an hour, admiring the water rushing down the 80 meters drop (262 feet). The chasm below seemed to have no end due to the blur created by the dense mist.

Compared to the Brazilian side, I was right at the mouth of the most powerful fall in Iguazu here. To me, it was incomprehensible how much water could flow through that space in such a short amount of time. But the thundering roar of the water quickly put things into perspective.

The thunderous sounds, the mist, and the visual of water breaking into millions of drops and splashing in disparate ways were overwhelming. Yesterday I saw the Devil’s Throat. Today, I was feeling it.

I loved spending time here, but there was much more to see ahead, so I took the train again to reach “Estación Cataratas” to see the rest of the smaller falls.

The Argentinean side has about 80% of the falls, many of which can be seen up close through a series of walkways known as the Upper Circuit and Lower Circuit.

As their names imply, the Upper Circuit gives panoramic views of the falls from above, while the Lower Circuit goes closer to the dynamic curtain of water.

The former is 650 meters long (2,132 feet) while the latter is 1,400 meters long (4,593 feet), so combined, they take a few hours to walk through. And besides, you’ll want to take your time to snap some unforgettable photographs of the falls.

Speaking of, when you’re done here, read my guide on how to improve your travel photography to take some excellent Iguazu Falls shots.

I started with the Upper Circuit, passing above falls like Salto Bossetti, Salto Adán y Eva, Salto Mbiguá, Salto Chico, and others.

At every viewpoint, I stopped to look down over the falls’ edge. There were moments when a rainbow adorned the mist flowing up from the fall.

As you can see, it was a truly spectacular site that I’ll never forget.

The Lower Circuit took me close to the lower part of some of the falls I saw from above, like Salto Dos Hermanas, and Salto Chico, among others.

But, beyond seeing falls, this walk was a lovely immersion into nature since there were moments in which I was surrounded by dense sub-tropical rainforest.

From the Lower Circuit, I took the famous speed boat that takes you close to the base of some of the falls to get soaked!

It was a quick 12-minute ride. And while I enjoyed it, I can’t say it’s truly necessary. It was fun, though! You can get a similar deal when you book a tour on Viator — this one includes a boat ride, jungle truck, and train ride.

Comparing Both Sides of Iguazu Falls

I enjoyed seeing both sides and believe they both offer unique views and experiences. The Brazilian side gives you a panoramic view and lets you see how immense these falls are.

On the other hand, the Argentinean side gives you a closer look at the falls and the opportunity to feel some of these majestic waterfalls.

I’m glad I saw the Brazilian side first since I got the overall picture of what I was seeing and got a taste of feeling some of the power of the Devil’s Throat.

Then, on the Argentinean side, I experienced the falls up close and almost individually and witnessed the “grand finale” of being right at the mouth of the Devil’s Throat.

In Argentina, there were points at which 260 degrees of waterfalls surrounded me.

Both parks offer lots of information along the way, so there’s no need to hire a guide.

If you’re continuing your trip across the border, I recommend exploring more of both 

Argentina and Brazil. If you’re heading north, here are a few fun facts about Ecuador and even some really good reasons to visit Peru for your ultimate South America road trip.

If heading south, Argentina has plenty to see, from enjoying Buenos Aires to exploring the glaciers at El Calafate.