tripplanner001

I'm thinking about including a visit to Iguazu Falls during a possible trip to South America in 2014. Given the costs of visas / reciprocity fees, I'll likely only visit one side and then continue onto another destination within either Brazil or Argentina. If you are able to only visit one side, which would you choose and why?

I'm sure the question has been asked before, so I apologize for that, but I haven't found any recent threads on it.

Thanks.

thursdaysd

I visited both sides, and if you can afford it I do think that is worthwhile (I was using my UK passport, so no fees, but click on my name for my TR for a possible work around). The Brazilian side gives an overall view of the falls, plus you get to stand at the bottom of Devil's Throat. You get closer to the falls on the Argentinian side, plus you get to stand at the top of Devil's Throat and watch the water go over. I spent a LONG time there, with thunder in my ears, a rainstorm of spray hiding still more falls, and a whole world of water fighting its way down.

See also: http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/...y-spectacular/

tripplanner001

Thanks Thursdaysd. I enjoyed reading your report, and your photos are gorgeous. While a workaround may be possible, I assume I would be subject to the whim of the officials at the border crossing at any given time, not to mention if something happens while I'm in a country illegally. It's not a risk I want to take.

Is it just not possible to get a good experience of the falls without going to both sides?

thursdaysd

No, I would say that if you do the Argentinian side you will still have a great experience. I would rate the Argentinian side a bit ahead of the Brazilian, as the falls are actually on that side.

IsabelaS

"If you are able to only visit one side, which would you choose and why?"
If I were able to only visit one side, I would forget about going at all; it's a folish economy. The trip is so expensive that a few more bucks/EU/whatever to get the full experience is well worth it. One side (whichever) only is NOT the full experience.
Just spend the money going somewhere else of interest in Brazil or Argentina.

Note: Yes, there are some taxi drivers who may be willing to take you over the border without neededing or getting stopped for lack of visa/reciprocity, but they would probably cost the same as paying either fee to do so.

IsabelaS

that was: "foolish" economy

thursdaysd

Sorry IsabelaS, but I disagree. The falls are so spectacular that visiting just one side is worthwhile. I was not suggesting a taxi driver, the bus I took from Puerto Iguazu direct (I think the "direct" is important) to the Brazilian park did not require its passengers to clear Brazilian immigration. Not did the return bus. The bus from the town on the Brazilian side, as opposed to the park, did require its passengers to clear immigration.

In any case, the trip need not be that expensive. I flew, and didn't think the air fare that high, but you can certainly get there by bus instead. And unless you insist on staying IN the park, in splendid isolation, there are many lodging options in assorted price ranges. Not to mention buses for transport.

tripplanner001

Thanks again, Thursdaysd. I greatly appreciate your insight into this question. From what I've been able to gather, there seems to be a lot of accommodation options in the towns on both sides of the falls, so I'm sure I'll find something that works for me. And given the distances, I'll be flying into and out of the falls, and have found reasonable airfares as well.

IsabelaS, thank you too for your thoughts on the matter. The costs of the visa or reciprocity fee may not be a lot of money depending on the circumstances, but since there are four of us and it's likely that the falls will be our only stop in one of the two countries and for a day at most, the expenses become significant. I wish there's a single Mercosur visa that would take care of both countries, but that's for another forum.

Thanks again.

IsabelaS

If there are 4 of you, I would certainly try the taxi driver option. Taxi fare divided by 4 is not going to be such an issue. Lots of reports on various forums about doing this with no hassle from border officials. I would say though that the bus not stopping or being boarded was more of a fluke, perhaps laziness on the part of the border official on duty. (You've been to the falls only the one time, correct, thursdaysd?)

Do realize that the iconic photos you have seen were likely taken from the Brazilian side, looking over to the falls in Argentina. The popular trail in Argentina is a walkway over the tops of the falls, looking down into the river, which is closed right now indefinitely for repairs from recent flooding.

Another factor to consider is that, should you change your mind at the last minute and be tempted to see both sides once you understand the logistics on site, the Argentine reciprocity fee can be paid online from anyplace that has facilities to print the receipt, whereas a Brazilian visa can only be obtained in advance from home or with much more delay in Puerto Iguazu.

Airfares (domestic airfare in Brazil to Foz/IGU anyway) vary widely depending on time of year, and at high season are indeed dear, enough so to prevent posters on some forums, who are not necessarily budget travelers, from considering the trip. At low season, they may be equivalent to the long-distance bus within Brazil on that route. The OP did not mention when s/he was going.

IsabelaS

And yes, this is becoming a hard decision for more and more visitors to the area if they are not planning to spend much time in the second country.
Given the reason (annoyance about the difficult situation for their own citizens trying to go to the US, Oz, Canada) Argentina and Brazil oblige those countries' citizens to pay the fees, IMO no way Argentina and Brazil would see a joint pass to the area as any solution.

tripplanner001

Thanks IsabelaS. I appreciate you taking the time to lay this out for me. I'm not at a stage where I'm ready to put money on anything yet, but I'm thinking this time next year, late-July or early-August (I would go earlier in July, but with the World Cup coming to Brazil, I realize costs may be much higher everywhere in SA).

As for the reason why Brazil and Argentina charge us Americans the fees, I'm not in any way voicing an objection to the practice. They're both sovereign countries with democratically-elected leadership that are capable of deciding what's best for themselves, regardless of why they do it. Instead, I'm merely explaining why it's difficult for me and my family to justify forking over the money for both.

Thanks again.

IsabelaS

Update: Walkway mentioned on Argentine side was reported to have opened again, after repairs, yesterday afternoon.