Tips and tricks for Iguazu and Rio de Janeiro

Last week one of our students went on a week trip to Iguazu falls and Rio de Janeiro. In this blog he describes his experience and gives advice on what to do when going!

On Friday, we flew from Buenos Aires to the Argentinian side of Iguazu. From there we took a taxi outside the airport into the city centre were we stayed for two nights. At the Argentinian side of the park, we started with a boat trip in the river that brings you underneath the waterfalls. After this, we had lunch in the park and planned a route to walk in the afternoon. The best part of the Argentinian side is that you are able to come super close to the falls. The next day we crossed the border and went to visit the Brazilian side. If you are just going for the falls, two-three hours is enough to see them. The view from this side was one of the most incredible views I had ever seen in my life! 

From the Brazilian side, we flew to Rio de Janeiro.  This is a smart thing to do as you are boarding a domestic flight which normally is a bit cheaper than an international flight. In Rio we stayed in the neighborhood ‘Ipanema’. Ipanema is known for its amazing beaches and it also one of the safer places to stay. The first day we did a tour around the city visiting different places such as; the sugar mountain, Christ the redeemer, Leblon neighborhood and the famous steps. On a sunny day it is also nice to walk around the famous beaches of Copacabana. Brazil is like Argentina crazy about football. The famous football club in Rio is clube de Flamengo and is definitely worth a visit if you are a football fan!

When going to Rio you have to take in consideration the prices are slightly higher than in Buenos Aires. Accommodation can be found cheap but I would highly recommend to stay in the area of ‘Ipanema’ or ‘Leblon’. These are the safer places in Rio but this also means slightly higher prices. you can find cheap hostels here or if you prefer an apartment you could get them from around 50 euros a night for two persons. Flying from the Brazilian side of Iguazu makes it a bit cheaper and for a single flight  you will pay around 120-150 euros (varies on how long in advance you book). For 25 euros a day you can eat and drink in Rio as long as you keep it a bit low budget. However, the sightseeing places such as Christ the redeemer or the sugar mountain cost around 25 euros per place. If you have a slightly higher budget, I would highly recommend to do a Helicopter flight over Rio. The price of this is around 110 euros for half an hour but in my opinion it is 100% worth that!

Prices in Iguazu are similar to the ones in BA. The entrance of the park is around 15-20 euros per person. There are plenty hostels but also cheap hotels where you can stay for around 10-15 euros per person per night. If you are with 4 people it is cheaper to take a taxi to the park than the shuttle busses that go. The bus cost around 200pesos per person whilst a taxi with 4 cost around 500 pesos. At the Brazilian side there are opportunities to do a hike or go rafting, there are different packages to do this which vary from 50-100euros per person. The boat trip where you go underneath the waterfalls at the Argentinian side costs around 40 euros but it is an unbelievable experience!

It was by far one of the best trips I have ever done in my life and if you are planning on going, have fun!!