Visit Iguazu Falls With Cruise Ship
Published February 6, 2025
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Iguazu Falls ranks among the world’s most famous tourist destinations.
So, it is not surprising that the waterfalls are among the most visited natural sites globally and the truth is that the Falls are incredibly epic - they cannot be fully described.
There is no other place where you can experience such an incredibly strong natural force inside such a breathtakingly beautiful environment.
Iguazu Falls is more than a view; it's an adventure and there are numerous ways to enjoy the falls.
Visitors can observe them from double nations—Argentina and Brazil—at various times throughout the night and day, witness them illuminated by the moon, embark on an exhilarating boat ride directly beneath the falls’ curtain, or enjoy a helicopter tour for a panoramic view.
Can You Visit Iguazu Falls With a Cruise Ship?
Yes, if you are docked inside Buenos Aires during a cruise, it's possible to take a shore cruise ship excursion to visit Iguazu Falls.
The ideal cruise ship for the Falls will be one that starts or concludes inside Buenos Aires, and you can visit the Falls by yourself either after or before the cruise.
Some cruise ships do allow a shore excursion where one could fly round-trip in a single day to visit the falls.
Also, you can take a flight from a location in Argentina or Brazil to view the falls.
Choose whether you prefer a cruise ship that includes Brazil or you prefer one that heads south straight from BA.
Exploring Iguazú Falls from Brazil
To fully enjoy your trip to Brazil Iguazu Falls, it's essential to take the earliest bus from the visitors center to the waterfalls.
The ticket office at Iguaçu National Park opens at 9am and typically, there is a line formed by this hour.
To avoid waiting in line, you can buy your tickets in advance on the website of their National Park.
You may also obtain the Brazil section of the falls’ map from the park's website.
In case you arrive at the National Park without any ticket but wish to be one of the first to enter that day, obtain your entry tickets from the ticket vending machines and line up for the tour.
These machines at the ticket counters’ left start operating at 8:45am and there isn’t a line to access them.
You can also buy your lunch ticket in advance along with your entry ticket to avoid an additional line later.
The attractions within this park are linked by a bus service and you can get a complimentary ride at different times during the day.
It's observed that the majority of people like to reserve lodging in Foz do Iguacu town.
This town however lies in the other direction from the falls when driving via the airport.
So, we suggest reserving a hotel close to the falls rather and bypassing Foz do Iguacu entirely unless you'd like to use an Uber service to go into town for a meal.
Note that using Uber in Brazil is quite simple and the majority of airports, hotels, and tourist sites also offer complimentary WiFi.
Always remember to reserve your lodging ahead of time and you can even try out Belmond Hotel, a top hotel at the Falls.
Situated within the Iguacu National Park, this hotel allows you to experience Iguazu Falls prior to the park's opening to guests and even after it shuts down at night.
It is located directly opposite the Fall trail.
Then, if you favor stress-free guided tours, you can join the safari boat tours departing from the park.
Things To Do in Brazil Iguazu Falls
The Walking Trail
The Iguazu Falls walking trail used for discovering the remaining falls after completing your exploration of the Devil's Throat resembles a zoo.
By choosing to walk by the road rather than following the walking trail, you can steer clear of some of the crowds.
However, you’ll still need to line up for their viewpoints, and note that the terraced cascade is visible only from the falls' Brazilian side.
The final viewpoint along the path, across from Belmond Hotel, is less crowded, and a brief walking trail leads to the jungle at this location.
You will experience a fair amount of luck observing wildlife on the trail - Capuchins, Azara’s agouti, some impressive birds, and the vividly colored tanager.
It’s a really great location to observe wild animals in their natural behavior.
Also, the path goes by the remains of a deserted zip line spot.
The structures at this place have remained abandoned for an extended period and are gradually being overtaken.
The worn-out remains of this zip line framework create an eerie Lost World atmosphere.
Helicopter Tour
A way of indulging in the Iguazu Falls’ Brazilian side is to experience a ten-minute helicopter tour over the falls.
These helicopter tours operate solely on the Brazil side though the airline providing them is located on the Argentina side.
The price of a flight is around 335 dollars per individual for a company of 4 travelers.
Macuco SpeedBoat Ride
If there’s a must-see experience on the Iguazu Falls’ Brazilian side, it’s Macuco's Safari speedboat adventure.
The adventure begins with an educational trip on an extremely slow train via the rainforest.
During the trip, there is a guide that offers explanations in triple languages in succession: English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Then, following the train journey, a non-compulsory walking safari is made available, though the majority of individuals opt to proceed to the 'landing'.
From this ‘landing’ containing storage for visitors’ bags and a gift store, you are escorted to the edge of the water, where you decide if you prefer a ‘wet’ boat or a ‘dry’ boat.
The dry boat usually approaches the falls closely and it vanishes from sight behind the haze for a brief moment.
The wet boat moves straight under the roaring waterfalls and you receive a real soaking.
The power of the waterfalls is so intense that it's nearly unfeasible to keep the eyes open due to the water striking you from every angle.
It is indeed an incredibly thrilling experience and the boat passes beneath the falls 4x before navigating the rapids to the dock.
The operators of the boat usually capture GoPro footage of the trip and subsequently vend it to the boat passengers.
This footage might not be particularly impressive for you unless you take a seat at the boat front.
However, you can watch a preview of the video beforehand and determine if it's something you would like to buy.
Devil’s Throat in Brazil
When the Iguaçu National Park tourist bus reaches its last stop, it's a fast five-minute walk to the Brazil Devil’s Throat.
If you arrive on the very first bus, there's a strong possibility that you will enjoy this Devil’s Throat entirely to yourself.
This place is unquestionably the most impressive sight on Iguazu Falls’ Brazilian side and it's also the core of the waterfalls.
You can visit the Devil's Throat on distinct two levels: at the falls’ top, where it is aligned with the route, then at the falls’ bottom along a uniquely built walkway.
At this lower level, you’ll feel the waterfalls more than you actually see them because as the waters strikes the canyon floor, it produces a heavy spray that greatly reduces visibility and you end up entirely soaked.
Note that the Devil's Throat lower level is the sole location where you’ll get wet along the Brazil side trail.
So, purchase a poncho at their gift store or bring along one before going there.
Also, ensure that you do not pause for the elevator to become available - a flight of stairs provides access to the lower level walkway.
On the Devil's Throat upper level again, watch for those birds that seem to fly directly into the solid water wall and vanish on the opposite side.
These are the dusky swifts. They prefer to build their nests near rocky precipices and waterfalls.
Exploring Iguazu Falls from Argentina
If you’re located on the Argentina side of Iguazu Falls, head to Puerto Iguazu in order to see the falls.
For the greatest exploration time at the falls, think about using the Argentina Falls Tour.
Alternatively, to access the Brazil side via Puerto Iguazu, reserve the falls with the Boat Adventure Tours.
This will help you avoid wasting time, especially at the Falls border crossing, here vehicles line up for two to three hours.
The ticket office at Parque Nacional Iguazu in Argentina opens at approximately 8 am and it's advisable to purchase your tickets on time and queue at the entrance.
In Argentina, rather than using buses, you’re transported along the various trails inside a leisurely train and this train costs nothing.
As soon as the train gate opens, there's a few minutes walk to this train, which can become quite hectic with the guides hurrying ahead to secure places at the line front for their tour groups.
Things To Do in Argentina Iguazu Falls
The Lower Circuit
A very enjoyable aspect of the Iguazu Falls Argentine side is the vast network of walking trails, categorized into the Lower and Upper Circuits.
With numerous trails available, the crowds here are spread out, making the adventure of seeing the falls much less chaotic than on the Brazil side.
This Lower Circuit remains significantly steeper than the Upper Circuit, and at certain viewpoints, you can experience the spray from the falls.
The two trails are where you’re very likely to encounter the park’s more approachable wildlife - Capuchins and Coatis confidently perch beside the trails, anticipating snacks.
Kindly refrain from the temptation to give them food and remember that both animals possess a painful sting.
The Upper Circuit
Iguazu Falls’ Upper Circuit is the highest heavenly region inside the park.
Here, you will see the curtains of the waterfalls appear along the path.
Depending on your available time, you might finish this circuit in under one hour or take half of a day to explore the various viewpoints.
Macuco Trail
In case you have sufficient time remaining, take an hour to stroll Macuco trail.
It is your opportunity to discover a different area of a very picturesque national park in Argentina.
This whole trail is fairly lengthy, but you may walk through it as much as you have time to.
Devil’s Throat in Argentina
On the Argentina side, the Devil’s Throat remains harder to reach compared to Brazil since it is located on the Iguazu water opposite side, which is approximately a kilometer wide at this point.
The initial train departs at 8:30am to the Devil’s Throat and subsequently every fifteen minutes.
A raised wooden path has been built to allow crossing the river, extending right up to the falls drop.
However, in stark contrast to the Brazil side, there aren't calm moments here.
So, even when you get there on the very first train, you'll be experiencing it alongside roughly a hundred others.
Also, the sun shines directly on you around 9 am, making it quite challenging to take photos.
Yet, the view of lots of liters of water cascading over steep cliffs below one's feet is truly breathtaking.
The water cascades with such power that every short minute, massive clouds of mist burst into the sky and drench the observation deck.
The sole perspective to see Devil’s Throat from the Argentinian side is to observe from the peak of the waterfalls.
