Puerto Iguazú, Argentina Travel Guide — What to See, Weather & Where to Stay

Puerto Iguazú is a small, leafy town whose only reason to exist is the spectacle 18 km down the road: Iguazú Falls, 275 waterfalls thundering into the Devil's Throat gorge on the border with Brazil. The falls are the largest waterfall system on earth by flow, and they are best seen from the Argentine side's network of walkways and the jungle train.

Two days is the classic stay: one on the Argentine circuits (Upper, Lower and the Garganta del Diablo balcony), one for the Gran Aventura boat ride and, if time allows, the Brazilian side's panoramic view across the gorge. The town itself — fresh tropical air, coati-filled parks and steak dinners — is a pleasant, humid home base.

Everything is 18 km from the park gate, so most visitors take the town's green local buses to the entrance or join organized tours. Inside the park, the jungle train and walkways are the only ways around — no cars beyond the entrance.

A day trip to the Brazilian side needs your passport and a border hop across the Tancredo Neves bridge. The town is also the departure point for the triple-frontier viewpoint at the confluence of the Iguazú and Paraná rivers, where Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay meet.

Hot and humid subtropical jungle climate year-round. Summer (December–February) is the wet and steamy peak at 28–35°C with the highest water flow — spectacular but crowded and suffocatingly humid. Autumn (March–May) is the golden window: 20–28°C, still plenty of water, far fewer people. Winter (June–August) is mild and less humid at 15–22°C with lower water levels. Spring warms back up with rainy spells. Rain makes the falls louder, the mist thicker — and the rainbows better.

Cards work in the better hotels and restaurants, but the park, buses, market stalls and smaller eateries are cash-first — pesos are the base currency, though Brazilian reais are widely accepted near the border. ATMs in town are sparse and fee-heavy; bring pesos from Buenos Aires. Exchange rates at the border crossings are poor; avoid them unless desperate.