Foz do Iguaçu: Triple Frontier, Waterfalls and Planning Tips

Located at the southwestern tip of Paraná state where the Iguaçu River (from the Guarani y guasu, meaning "Great Water") meets the Paraná River, Foz do Iguaçu sits at the heart of a tri-national metropolitan region shared with Puerto Iguazú in Argentina and Ciudad del Este in Paraguay. Twenty-three kilometres upstream from the river confluence, the Iguaçu River drops over a 150-million-year-old Serra Geral basalt lava plateau, splitting into roughly 275 individual waterfalls across a 2.7-kilometre canyon amphitheatre. Combine this overview with our top things to do in Foz do Iguaçu and our neighbourhood hotel guide.

Brazilian Side vs Argentine Side: Why You Should Visit Both

First-time visitors often ask whether to visit the Brazilian or Argentine side of the waterfalls. Because the international border runs down the deep central channel of the Garganta do Diabo (Devil's Throat), the two UNESCO World Heritage national parks complement each other rather than duplicate the view:

• The Brazilian Side (Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, 1939): Because roughly three-quarters of the individual waterfalls tumble down the Argentine cliff face opposite Brazil, the Brazilian side acts as a grand theatre balcony. A single 1.5-kilometre cliffside trail delivers sweeping, wide-angle frontal panoramas of the entire 2.7-kilometre canyon before leading onto a thrilling metal catwalk over the lower river directly into the misty base of the Devil's Throat (requiring a half-day of 3 to 4 hours).
• The Argentine Side (Parque Nacional Iguazú, 1934): Puts you inside and directly above the cascades along three extensive boardwalk networks (the Upper Circuit, Lower Circuit, and the upper Devil's Throat train and walkway), requiring a full day of 6 to 7 hours.

Triple-Frontier Passports, Currency, and Getting Around

Portuguese is spoken in Foz do Iguaçu and the currency is the Brazilian Real (BRL); contactless Visa and Mastercard cards are accepted everywhere from park ticket booths to taxis. Carry your original physical passport whenever you cross the 1985 Tancredo Neves Bridge into Argentina (where every passenger is stamped at border control) or the 1965 Friendship Bridge into Ciudad del Este and Saltos del Monday in Paraguay.