Hello Brasil!
 

Hi!

I'm traveling to Sao Paulo Brazil March 21st to April 2nd.

I thought about taking a flight to Rio for 2 nights then fly to Iguazu for 2 nights then back to Sao Paulo.

I'm sure I will be able to find what to do in Rio for the 2 nights and where to sleep but for the Iguazu, where I should go how much are hotels, tours etc. where I would check such things?

thanks!

Flights from Rio or São Paulo to IGU: check thr domestic Brazilian airlines TAM, GOL, Azul, Avianca
Local buses run from the town of Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, across the border to the town of Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.
Local buses run from each town, past the airport, out to the park entrance, on either side.
Taxis are also readily available.
On the Brazil side, there is a path to walk and take photos of the falls on the other side mostly, with a walkway into the river at one point.
Near the entrance is an interesting bird park.
On the Argentina side, there is an upper walkway over the tops of the falls, and a lower trail, and some parkland.
No tours really needed, except for boat rides under the falls.
Plenty of hotels in all price ranges in both towns, along the road to the park, and one expensive one inside each side of the park.
Just Google for more info.

For Rio, take a thorough look at www.ipanema.com

Thank you very much.

So I do understand that I should cross to Argentina to see the falls from that side as well, the upper walkway sounds really good!
Do you recommend taking the boat rides? I took one for the Niagara falls, i remember it was just ok..

where do you recommend on staying? any specific side?


For Rio, the favela tour is worth it? is it risky?

thanks again

You can see lots of Foz do Iguacu hotels on www.priceline.com. And then independent hotel reviews on www.tripadvisor.com.

Romelle

Yes, you should see both sides. (Note: if US passport holder, you will need to pay the Argentine reciprocity fee online ahead of time and carry the receipt.)
I liked the boat ride. It is a small Zodiac with a few rows of seats, not a big boat like Maid of the Mists, and is pretty exciting.
Stay wherever suits your schedule and taste. If arriving and returning via the IGU Brazilian airport, I see no reason to stay in Argentina.

For Rio, iMO, taking a favela tour is tacky and ignorant and shameful. Walk or ride around peering into private homes? I don't understand the attraction. Do you often drive or walk through the ghetto of the urban area nearest your own home to look into stranger's windows to attempt to understand their lives? Do you go there to spend a few cents in some shop, to feel warm and fuzzy, thinking you are improving some poor person's life? Gee. Why not?
Wanna visit a poor community? Learn Portuguese, spend the time to make a friend and earn the trust to be invited home to meet his/her family. Start with maybe the underpaid maid that makes your hotel stay comfortable, the very one most hotel guests simply look past in their rush not to be late for the "zoo" tour. She probably lives in one of the nearby poor communities. Smile and start up a conversation. Ask about her family, what she does in her non-work time, her hopes for the future.
(Note: I also don't approve of tour buses disgorging tourists that well outnumber parishioners for gospel masses in Harlem. Or swimming with captive dolphins. Or spectating at candomble religious ceremonies in Bahia.Etc.;-0

thanks for the tips. I'm still not sure on which airport I'm flying in or out. I assumed that it would be cheaper to fly within BR but sometime it's not the case. best case would be probably fly to the BR one and leave from the AR one. but we will see how much is it...

And for the favela tour, absolutely not. I didn't know you do get in people houses or look in, I just thought it's the architecture and the history that would be more of the main subject in the tour.
I did talk to some people and I do speak very very bad portuguese but still able to have a basic conversation. I do understand that those people that currently living there are the ones that came from the north part to assist building the cities, ending up not having enough money to get back home.
The fact that you are unable/shouldn't go there alone made me think of the taking the tour. All I wanted to know if it's worth it and what i should expect.

I do not go to the "ghetto" hood in my area as it's not well known. usually things that are well known are worth seeing. (a lot of things that are not known sometime are much better but it's a hit or miss).

as far as reaching out and helping the JW Marriott maid or buying something for a dollar to feel better with myself. not going to happen. as one that started up with nothing. n-o-t-h-i-n-g. I do believe that you are the only one that can help yourself. If I'll buy a bottle of water that is because I want one and not because I feel I have helped them.

As far as talking to the locals, yes I have and would do it again. thats my joy of the trip...

Que pobreza de espirito!

+1

+1000

well I don't do that everywhere in the world. no reason of doing that in Brazil.

per your statement "The fact that you are unable/shouldn't go there alone made me think of the taking the tour. All I wanted to know if it's worth it and what i should expect."

Might want to read about this.

http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Jane...624/story.html

enjoy. there is much written about why some of these tours are exploitive...personally, i won't participate in any of them.

gotcha. Well if it's that bad I let it go. Thanks.

I went on a tour of Rocinha 3 years ago, with Zezinho, who actually lives in Rocinha. We didn't go peering into anyone's windows, but instead walked around the neighborhood where we saw how daily life is. We also ate a restaurant in Rocinha, and saw some of the work Zezinho does to help people living there.

You can see an interview with Zezinho to learn more. Personally, I found the tour was a good way to understand how things are there, and they were much different than how I imagined it.

That looks really good. thank you for the info, I'll be checking it out!