Planning a trip to Iguazu Falls? You’ve probably tried asking which side of Iguazu Falls is better – Argentina or Brazil? You’re not alone – I did the same thing before visiting. But we managed to do both because we had the luxury of time to. Understandably, not everyone is travelling all around South America! While both are worth visiting, it’s not particularly helpful when you’re trying to plan flights, visas or budgets with limited annual leave.

Here’s the honest answer. The two sides of Iguazu Falls feel completely different. You can almost treat them as two separate attractions. One side throws you directly into the waterfalls whilst the other shows you the sheer scale of it all.

So after visiting both sides, I’d broken down this comparison for you. I’ll share the pros and cons of it and which side I’d recommend if you’re short on time. And depending on your travel style, one side might suit you far more than the other.

Quick Answer: Which side of Iguazu Falls is better?

Let’s say you only have one full day to visit the falls… visit:

Argentina side: better for immersion, trails and getting right up close to the waterfalls
Brazil side: better for panoramic views, photography and shorter visits

If I absolutely had to choose just one? Most people expect “two viewpoints of the same waterfall”. It’s not really like that.

Personally from a photographers’ point of view, the best views are from Brazil. But I think most people would prefer the Argentinian side because you’ll not only feel the power but get to visit Devil’s Throat and get close and personal with the falls. Which isn’t a realistic explanation of the falls.

The Argentina side of Iguazu Falls

On the Argentinian side, there’s a extensive network of walkways, jungle trails and multiple circuits weaving through the national park and waterfalls themselves. Around 80% of the falls are technically on the Argentinian side. On the Argentinian side, you’re constantly inside of the landscape rather than looking at it.

What makes the Argentina side special?

The biggest and main highlight is Devil’s Throat (Garganta del Diablo),  where you’ll have the full view of where half of Iguazu’s river plunges down 80 m! This circuit is actually the best if you have issues accessibility wise. To get to the end, you take a train and then walk along metal platforms suspended above the river until you are above an enormous shall of water crashing beneath you.

If you just want to spend the entire day looking at the falls, most people would spend the entire day here.

Pros of the Argentina side

For many, the Argentinian side is more immersive as it feels like you’re in the waterfall and landscape rather than just looking at it. The trails are more accessible to those with mobility issues so getting to the Devil’s Throat is all flat. If you just do the two main circuits, you can easily spend a fully day here. It’s also easier to see the resident coati’s that call Iguazu National Park home.

Cons of the Argentina side

On the down side, the entrance price for the Argentina side costs more compared to Brazil. As majority of people visit this side, there it can feel very crowded depending on the time of day. You don’t get the iconic panoramic view of all the falls lined up. In some ways, you need a game plan to explore because it can take a while to get around.

The Brazil side of Iguazu Falls

The Brazilian side feels dramatically different. Here, you can see the sheer scale of Iguazu Falls. As majority of the falls sit on the Argentinan side, you are standing opposite them, looking across hundreds of cascades stretching 2.7 kms. I personally thought the views from this side was ridiculously beautiful.

The trail itself with views of the waterfall is much shorter than Argentina and isn’t accessibility friendly until the end. For the most of people, they spend only a couple of hours here.

What makes the Brazil side special?

If you’ve seen the classic postcard style panoramas, it’s most likely taken from this side. There are quite a few trails to explore on the Brazil side but most of it is actually without the views of the falls and more immersive to the jungle surroundings. There’s a trail you can go for a swim in and another for bird watching.

Overall, the Brazilian side is great if you prefer a panoramic view rather than a close up of all the falls and you’re short on time.

Pros of the Brazil side

There is a lot less walking overall on the Brazilian side and makes for an easier short visit. It’s a great option for visitors who prefer the panoramic view rather than getting up close. I’d argue it’s better photographically. While this isn’t directly part of Iguazu, there’s the Parques de los Aves (a bird park) located opposite the falls entrance. It is worth noting that the birds are in a caged environment. We did not visit as it does not align with our wildlife ethics.

Cons of the Brazil side

There are fewer trails with the views of the falls itself, making this for a shorter experience. It definitely isn’t as immersive. There is only one walkway that takes you up close to the falls and you can best assume this is an extremely busy trail!

Argentina vs Brazil: Which side has the best views?

Basically, for the best close-up experience = Argentina, hands down.

For the best overall views = Brazil, easily.

Which is probably why everyone has a different opinion. I would argue it’s what you are most interested in seeing and how you prefer to experience the waterfalls.

Which side is better for photography?

I would easily say that Brazil gives you the best photos if you’re looking more for the landscape shots or panoramic shots. For the more detailed shots, Argentina is good for that. However, I preferred the composition from the Brazilian side.

Which side is better if you only have one day?

If you only have half a day or one day total:

• • choose Brazil if you want efficiency and viewpoints
  • choose Argentina if you want the full experience

As much as I loved the Brazilian side… Personally, if someone only had one day – I would recommend visiting for the Argentinian side. It’ll be a more memorable experience especially if you want to see Devil’s Throat. You can only fully appreciate it from the Argentina side.

However – if long walks aren’t your thing or are visiting purely for photography, Brazil may actually suit you more.

Can you visit both sides of Iguazu Falls?

Yes, absolutely. Most people do. I would recommend visiting the Brazilian side first to get the full overview of the waterfalls one day. And the next day, visit the Argentinian side to get an up close experience of it. You’ll actually get the best of both worlds. And afterall, you’ve flown all the way here, you might as well spend time to visit both sides!

There are others who visit both in the same day. Personally, it can feel rushed because you do have to border cross between Argentina/Brazil. However, if this is something you’re thinking of doing, I would highly recommend doing this with a tour.

If you can spare two days, that is easily the sweet spot. Together, they make the experience complete.

Visiting both sides of Iguazu Falls with a tour

From my research, tour groups are able to stay after the park’s closing time. Attempting to do both falls on the same day and feel quite rushed so if a tour allows you to stay after closing – do it! The immigration on the Argentinian side takes time and we got stuck in it for an hour at lunch time. I assume there’s a separate line for tour buses to zip through immigration quicker.

If you’ve only got a day and want to see both sides, then definitely do a tour. You won’t have to stress about trying to figure out how to organize transportation or sit through border crossings yourself. It’s all organised for you. It’ll also be a nice option of being told the history of the falls and all the folklore surrounding it.

Things I wish I knew before visiting Iguazu Falls

I kinda assumed it was two different viewpoints of the same waterfall but it really isn’t like that. What surprised me was just how different the two sides were to each other. Not sure why I had assumed that because in reality, it felt more like two separate experiences. On the Argentine side, you are constantly inside the landscape. You’re walking above the river, beside waterfalls and through jungle trails. Brazilian side was just cinematic and grand. You can look back and see several waterfalls scattered along.

Where the crowds were the worst

It is worth noting that: both sides get busy.

I reckon the busiest side we experienced overall was definitely around the Argentina side, especially near the train station and Devil’s Throat circuit. Wowzers, it was packed! The lower circuit wasn’t as busy and the trail was one way. But you definitely had moments when tours came in with a massive group before it quietened down again.

Brazil Iguazu felt more concentrated on the same trail. Most people end up walking from Trilha Das Cataratas Station to Espaco Porto Canoas Station. It is the main panoramic trail and walking this direction gives you a chance to see the falls all the way. All in all, the crowds weren’t too bad, especially towards the end of the day but I’ve seen photos of the platform right at the end being absolute chaos at around midday.

What felt more exhausting

Personally, it was the Argentina side. There are a lot more walking trails to see different viewpoints of the waterfalls compared to the Brazilian with just one panoramic trail (Trilha das Cataratas – Waterfall Trail). It’s very easy to spend an entire day there without even realising how much ground you’ve covered. By the time we finished, we were absolutely exhausted – mainly from the heat and humidity.

If you struggle with heat + humidity OR need assistance

Brazil Side:

Take the bus from the main gate to the Porto Canoas station – it’s the very last stop. From here, it’s a short walk and you can take a lift down to the main viewpoint platform to see the falls. If you try walking along the Trilha das Cataratas panoramic route, keep it mind there are some steps and inclines – the whole trail is about 1.2 km.

Argentina Side:

Take the train to the last station Estacion Garganta and follow the Circuito Garganta del Diablo. It’s an accessible metal pathway for 2.2 km. There’s also Circuito Superior which is 1.7 km and accessible. The lower circuit/Circuiot Inferior  is about 1.4 km made up of trail, metal steps and some inclines.

Which side felt more commercial

I don’t think there’s any easy way to say this… both felt very commercial and touristy to me. But this is probably because Iguazu Falls was visited by almost 3 million tourists (on both sides) each year!!! For both sides, a lot of the experiences are built around the main panoramic walkways and viewpoints. It’s easy to understand that most people only get a day or two to explore so these are the parts that are the most busy.

That said, I think they were both spectacular and worth visiting once in your life!

Things I’d do differently next time

Personally, I was really happy we did a day for each side. We had seen the Brazilian side first – getting an overview of the scale of the falls. And the next day was more immersive, with a visit to the Argentinian side. The main thing I wished I had done was to spend more time on the Brazil side! We only managed about 3 hours. For most that’s enough… but!!! There are other trails in the park for animal spotting and swimming!

I personally wished we actually took one of the boats to experience the falls even closer! However, after travelling for a year, our budgets were getting slim so we had to skip out on this activity, unfortunately!

Okay, so… Which side of Iguazu Falls is better?

After visiting both? Annoyingly, I think you need to visit both to truly appreciate Iguazu Falls properly. Argentina side to give you the immersion, close up views and exploration. Whereas the Brazilian side will allow you to appreciate the scale. But if you can make both work, do it!! Because this is one of those places where the “see both sides” advice is actually justified.

However, if you can only choose one: Argentina. For most visitors, this was their favourite side because of how close you get to the falls.