ironmanjt

I have a short trip planned (2 nights) coming up in January, and had a few questions. Will be staying at the Sheraton, and arriving around noon. Plan is currently to use the rest of that day exploring the Argentine side.

For the next (full) day, we want to explore the Brazilian side, as well as venture into Ciudad del Este for a couple of hours. (Yes, it's mostly about getting that elusive Paraguay stamp....) Already have Brazil and Paraguay visas, so that won't be a problem.

What's the easiest way to do this time-wise? I assume we can hire a car from the Sheraton that will take us to the Brazilian side, and wait for us. Would they also wait for us on the Brazilian side of the bridge during our stroll into Paraguay?

ClipperJCM

As I haven't visited Ciudad del Este (on the advice of numerous people), I may not be in the best position to give advice... but... if I were you, I would reverse your schedule and spend the half-day exploring the smaller Brazlian park. You should be able to hire a driver at either the airport or the Sheraton for a very reasonable rate.

You could easily spend all of Day 2 exploring the Argentine side and relaxing at the hotel. Much more to see on that side of the Falls; depending on your overall travel schedule, the relative creature comforts of the Sheraton may provide enough R&R opportunities to fill the balance of the day.

Unless you have a real, pressing need to nab that Paraguayan stamp, I'm not sure there's much to see or do on that side of the border. But, like I said, I'm not the best to answer that question...

ILuvParis

I agree. There are three separate trails in the Argentine Park - and you can easily spend 2 hours on each - not to mention a moonlight visit to La Garganta del Diablo - if the timing is right (they do it around full moon - I don't know when that is! ) And, you'll probably want to take one of the boat rides and get soaked. Its gonna be HOT at that time of the year. IIRC, the boats are MUCH cheaper on the Argentine side.

oiRRio

Good advice. IMO the Brazilian side has the best views of the Falls but doesn't take long.

As for Ciudad del Este I tried something similar to what you propose. In the end I saw very little of it which was enough. I arrived back at the Brazilian side just behind a busload of people who seemed to take forever to get processed and nearly resulted in me missing my coach out of Iguaçu. Also best to get your exit stamp when you leave Brasil on the way over to stop the PF having a "problem" on re-entry.

hobarthoney

Agree full day on Argentina side would be the way to go. Make sure you go for the ride on the speed boats and walk out to devils mouth. It is a great place enjoy it!

ironmanjt

That's all I want. To walk over the bridge, experience the traders, and head back. I imagine a couple hours will be plenty. If I could get a driver to wait for me, that would be best (on the Brazilian side of course.)

So, sounds like the consensus is, when I arrive I should head straight to do Brazil in my half day, enjoy the Sheraton at night, and plan to spend most of my full day in Argentina. When to do Paraguay? Maybe for just 1-2 hours the morning of the full day?

We're not the type that "linger" and take it all in. Walking through things once is nice, but we're more likely (usually) to take 1/2 to 2/3 the suggested time for most walks.

Hayvenhurst

The two sides of Iguaçu Falls are quite different. The Brazilian side offers a magnificent panoramic view. On the Argentine side – most of the falls are located on the Argentine side of the river -- there are pathways that take visitors right up to the falls. You can look down as the water cascades over the cliffs below you. The Brazilian side can be visited in a couple of hours. Because the trails are so extensive it takes much longer to really see the Argentine side.

I would recommend that as soon as you arrive at the Sheraton you make arrangements to have a car pick you up the next morning for a trip to the Brazilian side. (I did this on the Brazilian side – it should be possible to do the same thing in the other direction.) Then spend the afternoon exploring the Argentine falls.

The next morning you can see the Brazilian side; on the way back you could pay a visit to Ciudad del Este. (I haven’t gone there, but at least one guidebook says that they don’t stamp the passports of persons who are visiting Paraguay only for the day.) Then you could return to Argentina and spend the afternoon seeing the things you missed the day before at the Argentine side of the falls.

LAXGUY

The taxi driver who takes you to your hotel will be delighted to pick you up the next day to go to the Argentine side, or anywhere else you want to go. If you can negotiate directly with the driver it will be cheaper than whatever the hotel arranges.
Also, be aware that Iguazu has been experiencing one of the worst droughts in its history, and the falls have been greatly reduced in intensity this year. I was there in July and we weren't able to take the boats to/under the falls because the water level in the river was too low. It's still impressive but not what the guidebooks promise.
If you stay at the Sheraton they will upgrade you to a suite on arrival if you are Sheraton Gold (or higher). The suites have big balconies with a perfect view of the falls.

ILuvParis

I was there in early September and the falls are still spectacular. The boats were operating and one of the guides told me that the water level was up and she could see the difference even from a few days earlier. What has happend in the 6 weeks or so since, I haven't heard. BTW, I was SPG Gold and did not get a suite, although I got a nice room with the great view of the Falls.

oiRRio

That's all I intended to do but IIRC it took longer than that and could start eating into your full day. My point is that I would consider viewing the falls from Argentina as essential but not going to Ciudal del Este. IMO do the critical stuff and sate yourself wrt the falls and then worry about Ciudal del Este.

Hayvenhurst

It takes some time to travel from the Argentine to the Brazilian side of the falls since there is no bridge across the Iguacu River near the falls. It is necessary to travel about 18 km to the bridge, then after crossing into Brazil about the same distance back to the falls. Ciudad del Este is reached by crossing another bridge – about 5 km from the one between Argentina and Brazil – that crosses the Paraná River from Brazil into Paraguay. (There is no way to go directly from Argentina to Paraguay in the Iguacu area.) Since your time will be limited, if you decide that you want to check out ciudad del Este you should do it on your way back to Argentina from the Brazilian falls. That way you will only have to drive to Brazil from the hotel in Argentina one time.

GibSpmuh

I wish you luck with the hunt for getting a Paraguayan stamp on the passport. When I took a stroll across the bridge to Ciudad del Este there was no passport checks for me at either end of the bridge, and certainly no-one stamping at the Paraguayan end of the bridge. Perhaps they were having themselves a nap somewhere, who knows?

As for Ciudad del Este itself, well it's fair to say it's an experience - and you can get a plentiful selection of duty free items there (all very well secured by shotgun toting guards). Certainly interesting to see the locals that cart the duty free limit's worth of goods across the bridge to import them into Brazil, seems to be a never ending stream of folks trudging across!