Known for its unique beauty and biodiversity, Iguazu Falls lands on many people’s bucket lists for good reason.
Before deciding to travel to Iguazu Falls I had two main questions to answer: when is the best time to travel to Iguazu Falls and is 2 days in Iguazu Falls a sufficient amount of time?
When I traveled to Iguazu Falls, it was a part of my journey to Antarctica by way of Patagonia. Because I had limited time during a limited travel window, I was hopeful that 2 days during the month January would enough time to fully experience the waterfalls and biodiverse landscape.
Ultimately kicking off a trip of a lifetime, I was honored to visit Rio de Janeiro for 4 days and spend 2 days in Iguazu Falls with my mom, in part to celebrate her 78th birthday.
Keep reading for reasons why you should add Iguazu Falls to your bucket list.
At a Glance
Fun facts about Iguazu Falls
As a UNESCO World Heritage site, my mom and I were beyond thrilled that we would have enough time to visit and experience most of what Iguazu Falls has to offer before I continued on my journey and she returned home to the U.S.
Iguazu Falls is roughly 3 kilometers wide and straddles the Brazilian and Argentinian borders. On either side exists a national park protecting the land that is part of the diminished but critically important Atlantic Forest.
The area in and around Iguazu Falls is extremely biodiverse. The constant spray from the many waterfalls is responsible for creating a microclimate thus allowing for the dense, subtropical vegetation, according to UNESCO.
Iguazu Falls is the largest waterfall system in the world according to wikipedia. I also recall our tour guide discussing the fact that there are well over 200 waterfalls. Wikipedia states there are 275.
Iguazu Falls is also located very near Paraguay. It is possible to step foot in all three countries in one day. In fact, some of the nearby airbnbs with incredible river views were located in Paraguay.
Should you hire a guide for Iguazu Falls?
If you want to spend 2 days in Iguazu Falls and see and fully experience all of the highlights in both Brazil and Argentina, I strongly encourage you hire a guide. We would not have been able to navigate the logistics, entrance tickets, the trail systems, the border crossing, and the airport logistics in only 2 days without Lilian and her husband Eduardo.
While my mom and arrived together at the airport on the Brazilian side, I departed on the Argentinian side while she departed at a different time of day on the Brazilian side. Lilian and her husband handled all of the logistics with ease.
Overall, our experience was far superior because our guide. Lilian and Eduardo have been guiding trips and experiences in Iguazu Falls for many years, however they just launched their new official website: Iguassu Tours by Edu.
I genuinely cannot say enough about Lilian’s kindness, patience, and knowledge, nor about how efficient and smooth the experience was. They knew we had limited time so they maximized every moment for my mom and me.
Even more, Lilian had to navigate working with the fact that I arrived with a sudden, acute stomach illness and my mom’s, albeit very minimal, mobility limitations. Nothing could deter Lilian’s ability to navigate a challenging situation with patience and empathy.
Lastly, Lilian speaks numerous languages so if you speak English, but also want to practice Spanish, you can. She also speaks Portuguese, Guarani, and is proficient in other languages as well.
When is the best time to travel to Iguazu Falls?
As far as the best time to travel to Iguazu Falls? That remains debatable as there are rainy and dry seasons and seasons that bring warmer or cooler temperatures. Besides the weather, you should also consider the crowds.
Iguazu Falls in the summer months (November – February)
My mom and I visited in January, during the rainy season, which is generally considered to be from December through February. However, while I didn’t experience any rain, my mom experienced just a bit on her last afternoon visiting the bird sanctuary (Parque das Aves).
During the rainy season, the falls are a bit more dramatic as there tends to be a higher volume of water.
November through February is also summer in Iguazu Falls which corresponded with summer vacation travelers. While busy, the crowds were not unmanageable for us. Ultimately, we were pleased with both the volume of water and the weather during our January visit.
If you want to see the falls with a large volume of water, December or January is the best time to travel to Iguazu Falls. However, the weather was warm and the sun was strong.
Lilian and the other tour guides had sun umbrellas* which I would recommend taking during the warmer months, or perhaps any time of year, to both protect your skin and to prevent overheating, especially if you are traveling with, or if you are, an older adult. *denotes an affiliate link
Is January the best time to travel to Iguazu Falls? Perhaps not for some but we were overall very pleased with the volume of water in the falls, the weather was not overwhelmingly hot and was a bit of a refreshing change from winter back home, and the crowds were manageable.
Iguazu Falls in the spring and fall
You may prefer to visit the falls during the spring and fall. The advantages of these seasons are there tends to be less rain and it is less hot than during summertime.
Another advantage is that there are generally fewer visitors during these seasons allowing for easier access to the best photos spots.
The disadvantage of the spring and fall seasons is that the falls may be less dramatic as there tends to be less rain as compared to summer.
Iguazu Falls in the winter
For some, winter is the best time to visit Iguazu Falls. Except for July which is noted to attract winter vacationers, there are fewer crowds and cooler weather. Depending on your preferences, you may prefer the cooler evenings that winter brings. Evening lows in June, July, and August hover around 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius).
A potential disadvantage to visiting during the winter is there are a few hours less daylight as compared to the summer. Nonetheless, there are still roughly 10.5 hours of daylight available to enjoy the park.
So, when is the best time to visit Iguazu Falls?
In sum, if you prefer longer days, with higher volumes of water, and warm to hot weather, summertime is the best time to visit Iguazu Falls.
If you prefer a bit cooler weather and fewer crowds and want to see more of the rock outcroppings that are visible when there is less rain and less voluminous falls, winter and/or fall and spring may be the best time to visit.
The Iguazu Falls website contains a nice chart that provides a visual representation of their take on the the pros and cons of each month based on temperature and crowds.
Is 2 days in Iguazu Falls enough?
While trying to make the most of an extended holiday from from work, I was really hoping 2 days in Iguazu Falls would be enough time for a visit. I am happy to report that it is absolutely sufficient to see the best of what Iguazu Falls has to offer on both the Brazilian and Argentinian sides. Again, I still must give credit to the efficiency of our guide.
If you want to add in more time to hike and/or take a boat ride to the base of the falls, I would suggest a 3 or 4 day itinerary.
If you decide not to hire a guide and you would like to see both the Brazilian and Argentina sides of the falls, I would again suggest adding at least an extra day or two to your itinerary to ensure you do not feel rushed navigating the logistics only to sacrifice enjoying the wildlife, hiking trails, and of course, the plethora of waterfalls.
Wildlife Encounters
When my mom and I arrived, Lilian took us to the Brazilian side of the falls. We enjoyed a light lunch while getting to experience our first wildlife encounter: an Argentine black and white tegu.
With only 2 days in Iguazu Falls, we were treated to so many wildlife encounters. We saw numerous butterflies, birds, Capuchin monkeys, and a caiman.
Getting to Iguazu Falls
There are two main airports to choose from when visiting Iguazu Falls. While we arrived in the Foz do Iguaçu (IGU) airport in Brazil, you can also fly into the Cataratas del Iguazú (IGR) airport in Argentina. I flew into Brazil and out of Argentina and both airports were nice and easy to navigate.
Conclusion
Iguazu Falls and the national parks by which they are encompassed are absolutely worth adding to your list places to visit. In addition to the jaw dropping beauty of the over 200 waterfalls, it is really special to walk around in an area so biodiverse and densely packed with plants, trees, and wildlife.
I personally felt that 2 days in Iguazu Falls is a sufficient amount of times, especially with a guide. Although there is certainly plenty to do in and around the falls that would justify a 3 or 4 day itinerary.
And while the best time to visit Iguazu Falls is a bit of a matter of personal preference, I was really pleased with having gone in January and would recommend that time of year.
Have you been to Iguazu Falls?
If you have visited Iguazu Falls, what do you recommend others do? Would you say that 2 days in Iguazu Falls is enough? What time of year did you visit?
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