Brazilian Side of Iguazu Falls: Visit the Panoramic Side

The Brazilian Iguazu Falls is definitely worth a visit. The trail is easy to follow and walk on, and the end part is simply mind-blowing. 

I thought it was superfluous to visit both sides of Iguazu Falls, but after seeing the Argentinian side and then the Brazilian side, I realised that each has something unique to offer. 

The perspective you get over Iguazu from Brazil is something not a lot of places in this work can match. And if you add the fact that the park is so modern and designed for tourists to access the walking trail easily, you realise that Iguazu Falls is an attraction that is hard to beat. 

After spending two days on the Argentinian side of Iguazu, I crossed the bridge over to  Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil and visited the Brazilian Iguazu Falls. 

In this guide for visiting Iguazu Falls (Brazil side), I share all my best tips for organising the best trip to Iguazu Falls in Brazil.

How to get to Iguazu Falls, Brazil side

The Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian side is next to the town of Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil. 

You can easily reach the Brazilian Iguazu Falls by either crossing the bridge from Argentina’s Puerto Iguazu or flying into the Foz do Iguaçu International Airport. 

I wrote a detailed guide on how to cross the border between Argentina and Brazil at Iguazu, if you want to do that on your own.

Those travelling around Argentina and visiting the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls can easily cross the bridge between Argentina and Brazil and reach the Brazilian side of the waterfalls. 

And if you are in a different part of South America, you can book a flight to land in the Foz do Iguaçu International Airport.

From the border or from the airport you can easily get a taxi or Uber to get you to the entrance of the park, which is really close by. 

If you have the time and flexibility, I recommend not hurrying your visit and exploring both sides of Iguazu Falls.

Also, I recommend spending at least one night, either on the Brazil or Argentina side of the falls, to make the entire trip more comfortable and stress-free.  

Where to stay on the Brazilian side at Iguazu?

Iguazu Falls is one of the most popular tourist attractions in South America, and that’s why you will find plenty of hotels on either side of the border. 

Here are a few hotels near Iguazu Falls in Brazil:

• $$$ – DoubleTree by Hilton, JL Hotel by Bourbon, Foz Plaza Hotel, Sanma Hotel (close to the entrance of the Iguazu Park)
• $$ – Viale Cataratas Hotel, Vivaz Cataratas Hotel Resort, Cataratas Park Hotel e Eventos, Viale Tower Hotel (close to the centre of the city)
• $ – Hotel Monalisa, Pousada Cris Garden Bed&Breakfast, Hotel Três Fronteiras

And if money is no issue, then the absolute best luxury option is to stay right in the park at the Hotel das Cataratas (A Belmond Hotel). Guests get to enjoy the park even when it is closed to the public and can rent bikes to go around and benefit from all sorts of perks. 

Visiting Iguazu Falls, Brazil

I want to guide you through the entire process of visiting the Iguazu Falls in Brazil. 

Since a lot of visitors don’t know what to expect and how to plan their trip to make the most of this experience at Iguazu, I want to explain each step of the visit, so that you will come prepared and waste no time and make your visit stress-free. 

The Iguazu Falls Park in Brazil is just 3.5 kilometres away from the airport and about 14 kilometres away from the city (Foz do Iguaçu). 

There are public buses running between their locations, but you can always take a taxi or order an Uber. 

Here’s how a visit to Iguazu Falls, Brazil, goes:

1. Get to the park by bus or taxi
2. Buy ticket / go to the entrance if you have an online ticket already bought
3. Wait for the next available bus to drive you to the start of the trail
4. Enjoy the 1.5 kilometres walkway with panoramic views of Iguazu Falls
5. Optional: Go for the speed boat ride
6. Enjoy the last part of the platform (Devil’s Throat) – the part where you get wet
7. Walk back up to the main road
8. Optional: Stop at the restaurant at the end of the trail for lunch
9. Get the bus back to the entrance

Buying a ticket for Iguauz Falls Brazil side

I bought my tickets at the entrance of the park.

The park is very modern and well-organised, and there are machines where you can easily purchase your tickets (the ENG menu is available). There was also a member of the staff who assisted us in purchasing our tickets. 

I bought the option with the meal included at the restaurant. That’s an all-you-can-eat buffet, and you can enter it at any time (during opening hours). 

If you are vising Iguazu Falls during high season, you should buy your entry ticket online, in advance, to make sure you will enter at the chosen time in the park. 

You can buy your ticket online from the official website of the park here: https://tickets.cataratasdoiguacu.com.br/

What’s the price of the entry ticket for Iguazu Falls in Brazil? In 2024, the adult price for foreigners was R$100 Brazilian real (~ $18). 

The price of the all-you-can-eat buffet at Restaurant Puerto Canos (which has panoramic views of Iguazu Falls), located at the very end of the trail, is R$125 (~$22). Note that drinks and dessert are not included. 

After you enter the park, you can go on the trail however you want and spend as much as you want. 

Note that there several snack bars and sandwich bars at the end of the trail, which are cheaper (if you don’t want to spend money atthe restaurant). 

Also, you can buy your restaurant pass right at the entrance of the restaurant (if you didn’t already buy it at the main entrance of the park). 

Overall, I thought the entire park is very well organised, and you can buy snacks and water in a lot of places, so don’t worry. 

Because I arrived in the afternoon at the Falls, I bought the lunch add-on and took the bus directly to the end stop, where the restaurant is located. I had lunch and a beer, and after that, I took the bus back for one stop to the start of the trail. 

Brazil side of Iguazu falls trail

The bus transport is also well organised and moves very fast. 

There are double-decker buses, and you get great views from the top. I stayed on the top, in the front row, for the views. 

Unfortunately, the front window of the bus was a bit warn out, but there was no lateral window, so that was great for some ventilation (it’s really hot and humid). 

As I was hungry, I got the bus up to the second (last) stop, where the restaurant is and had lunch first. It was fast and the bus ride offered some really cool views of the falls. 

The buffet was great (even for vegetarians), and we ordered beers on the side. 

After lunch, I took the bus back to the first stop, where the trail starts. Basically, the buses are free and run back and forth all day at no extra cost. 

The path through the Iguazu Falls park in Brazil is very straightforward, and there are not many options to it. 

Unlike the park on the Argentinian side of Iguazu, in Brazil, you’ll find only one trail, which is much shorter. 

The Brazil trail is famous for its panoramic views over Iguazu. The trail is accessible to anyone, and it is sprinkled with designated photo spots. 

However, I felt like small crowds were forming around these spots, and that made it a bit more touristy than the trails I experienced in the Argentinian side. 

Just like in Argentina, the Park in Brazil also offers a boat ride service. 

The trail is only 1.5 kilometres long, and it shouldn’t take you more than 1 hour to complete it, even with all the stops for photos. 

But the last part of the trail, the Devil’s Throat, is the big attraction of Iguazu Falls in Brazil. 

Just like the Devil’s Throat in Argentina, this part of the walkway takes you really close to the waterfalls, right between then, and you will get sprayed a bit. Rain ponchos are available for sale at snack bars in the park and at the entrance. 

However, I didn’t get one and I was ok, although all my clothes were wet. It didn’t bother me, since it was so hot outside. 

The very end of the walkway, which is over the water, get really crowded and it will be hard to take any photos there without people in them. Also, the water is everywhere, so you will get your camera and phone wet. 

After leaving the platform at the end, you can take the stairs to get you up to the street level, or use the elevator. 

You’ll easily reach the street and the bus’s end stop.

There, you can rest for a bit and have a snack (or lunch at the restaurant). After that, get on the bus to return to the park’s entrance, which is also the exit. 

Best time to visit Iguazu Falls, Brazil

You can visit Iguazu Falls all year round on both sides. 

However, if you want to avoid the crowds, the best time to visit Iguazu Falls in Brazil is outside the high season. 

Aim to visit between February and May and September to October. This is outside the holiday season, so there will be fewer people, which means no waiting time for you and an overall more enjoyable experience at Iguazu in Brazil. 

Things to do in Iguazu Falls, Brazil

The Brazilian Iguazu deserves at least two days if you want to explore everything at a comfortable pace. 

Here are the main attractions around Iguazu in Brazil:

• Iguazu Falls Park (Parque Nacional do Iguaçu) The main attractions are the walking trail and Devil’s Throat. Reserve at least half a day for this.
• Parque das Aves. A zoo park close to the Iguazu park that hosts over 140 species of birds, plus some reptiles & butterflies.
• 3 Frontier landmark Brazil side (requires a ticket). There are evening shows with music and light. The three countries that share a border (Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay) all have this monument on their side, and you can visit each one of them. 
• Yup Start giant ferris wheel (Yup Star: Roda Gigante de Foz do Iguaçu). It gives you great panoramic views over the border between the three countries. 
• Day trip to Argentina to visit the Argentinian side of Iguazu Falls
• Day trip to Paraguay. There are tour agencies offering a day trip to all three countries, which are advertised as “Three countries in one day.” 
• Boat trip on the Iguazu River (cruise on the border of the three countries). I did this in Argentina.
• Blue Park Foz. It’s a great waterpark in the centre of Foz do Iguaçu.
• Dreams Park Show. Wax museum featuring life-sized sculptures of international celebrities.
• Movie Cars. A museum with car replicas from famous movies. 

Is the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls worth the visit?

Yes, Iguazu Falls is one of the most impressive natural attractions I’ve seen in my travels. (I’ve visited over 60 countries on five continents.) 

If you are short on time, you can limit your time (and budget) by visiting only one side of Iguazu Falls. So if you are already in Brazil, and it’s easier and faster to visit the Brazil side, do that. 

But if you have two to three days to spend at Iguazu, I urge you to visit both sides of this gorgeous waterfall system. Both sides offer amazing and unique perspectives, and all nature enthusiasts will appreciate them.

To give you a better perspective on this side of Iguazu, I made a video with the Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls: