Iguazú Falls first came onto my radar when my friend Lindsay suggested that I make a visit during my second South America trip in 2019. As I researched the destination, I realized that it was a no-brainer to squeeze in a stay between my time in São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. First of all, it’s the largest waterfall in the world. That alone was enough of a reason to earn Iguazú Falls a place on my itinerary. Secondly, I figured it would be nice to enjoy some time in nature between my visits to Brazil’s two largest cities.

Argentina vs. Brazil

The falls are actually split between the border of southern Brazil and northeastern Argentina, although the majority of the falls lie on the Argentinian side. Some say the panoramic Brazilian viewpoint is more impressive; others claim that it’s better to see the falls up close in Argentina. To state that Brazil and Argentina have a rivalry on the matter (amongst other issues) is an understatement; I heard Argentines repeat multiple times, “Argentina puts on the show, and Brazil profits from it.” I researched accommodations in both countries and ultimately made the decision to stay on the Argentinian side since it undeniably housed the best option in the region. Sorry Brazil, but it’s true.

Getting to Iguazú

I’ve been using the Spanish spelling of Iguazú since I stayed on the Argentinian side of the river/falls, but feel I should note that the Portuguese spelling is Iguaçu, especially since I was flying in/out of the Brazilian airport in the region (Argentina hosts its own Cataratas del Iguazú Airport). Same, same, but different. I flew from São Paulo to Foz do Iguaçu Airport on Azul Airlines, a well-reviewed, low-cost Brazilian airlines. The domestic terminal at GRU left a bit to be desired, and I found myself a little anxious when my flight was delayed, especially since the communication of updates in English was limited. However, once I finally boarded the one-and-a-half hour flight, the experience was relaxed and enjoyable.

Deciding to Stay at Awasi Iguazú

Remember how I mentioned that the best option for accommodations in the region was in Argentina? To be more specific, those accommodations would be Awasi Iguazú. Affiliated with Relais & Chateaux, Awasi is a luxury hospitality brand offering private, all-inclusive experiences in three different South American locations: Patagonia (Torres del Paine), Atacama, and, of course, Iguazú. Awasi Iguazú was the newest property, and it blew away all the other options in the area. It was also the most expensive, by far. Having traveled with other luxury South American brands in the past (Explora, Tierra), I knew that it would be worth it to splurge for a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I bit the bullet and booked three nights with Awasi.

One detail that makes Awasi different from the aforementioned hospitality brands is that it only offers private excursions. For this reason, it is a popular destination for VIPs requiring discretion (in fact, I learned that the president of Argentina had left just before I arrived). While I had been paired with small groups during my trips to Patagonia, Easter Island, and the Sacred Valley, I would be assigned a private guide for the entirety of my time at Awasi. It wasn’t the ideal situation for me as a solo traveler, as I prefer the social experience of getting to know other visitors, but I was confident that Awasi wouldn’t disappoint.

First Night at Awasi Iguazú

Given the flight delay and the time required to transfer from Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil to Puerto Iquazú, Argentina, I knew I couldn’t expect much from my first afternoon at Awasi. Once I finally landed I met my personal guide, a young Argentine woman named Finny.

Funny story–when I first wrote this blog post, I couldn’t remember Finny’s name. Although I spent three days with her and could recall all sorts of random details about her (her mother is a life coach, she studied Biology before deciding she didn’t want to work in a lab, she was taking capoeira lessons, she has a younger brother, she loves playing games at a bar in Buenos Aires called Jobs), I forgot to write down her name. As I wrote the post a very belated nine months later, I hd somehow forgotten the simplest piece of information about her. This would have been excusable if it had been a brief encounter, but it was entirely rude after spending three days together. Don’t let this reflect badly on her; she was a wonderfully passionate and knowledgeable guide. I’m afraid I was suffering from some travel fatigue at this point, and was doing a terrible job noting basic details about my experiences for future reference.

All that being said, I ran into Finny over two years later when I visited Vik Chile in December 2021! I walked into the reception area one morning to inquire about hiking trails and immediately recognized her. “I know you!” I told her excitedly. “You were my guide in, um, Bra- no, Argentina!” She was a little confused at first as I was wearing a mask, but she quickly registered the memory, and we had a slightly awkward but mind-blowingly serendipitous reunion. She told me she had recently started working at Vik and then reminded me of her name. I definitely won’t forget it again.

Let’s put all of that aside. Upon arrival at the airport, I didn’t have to worry about anything. Finny helped to carry my bags to our taxi that drove us to the Argentina border (for some reason, she could drive me and my bags from Argentina through Brazil, but not vice versa). Once passing through immigration and customs, we switched to her 4×4 that would also be my private ride for the next few days. Throughout the drive, she pointed out details about the surrounding flora and fauna, and we chatted about what I wanted to do with my time. Well, I wanted to see the Falls (duh), and otherwise, I wanted to see as much of the region on my feet as possible. I wasn’t into horseback riding, and I could be convinced to kayak or bike, but I preferred hiking. I definitely didn’t want to sit in a car and drive around all day.

Once we arrived at Awasi, I knew I had made the right decision. The property was spectacular, and the staff was wonderfully welcoming.

Visiting the Falls

While Awasi offered a number of different excursions, Iguazú Falls was obviously a must-see, so I decided to start there. Our plan was to hit the lower section of the falls in the morning, then view the upper section (where the famous Devil’s Throat is located) in the afternoon. This approach would allow us to avoid crowds as best as possible, as we’d enter the lower section early before others arrived, and would then re-enter the upper section later when most of the other people had already left.

The day started early (I was out of my room before 7am). Finny met me in the lobby, and we headed to the Gran Meliá Iguazú. The only hotel located within the national park, the Gran Meliá boasts a gorgeous infinity pool with views of the falls, but is the second-best place to stay, in my humble opinion. Awasi has an arrangement of sorts with Gran Meliá, so I was able to have breakfast there, and then be one of the first people to enter the park once it opened.

The morning tour was pretty incredible. Because we had the benefit of early access, we essentially had the park to ourselves for a couple hours. And while the park was well-maintained and easy to navigate, having a guide helped me to spot plants and animals that I never would’ve noticed on my own (passion fruit! toucan! anteater!) We retired for a mid-day break and made plans to reconvene for what many consider to be the highlight of the park: Devil’s Peak.

Then it was back to Awasi for the night (no complaints from me). While Iguazú Falls had been dramatically impressive, I looked forward to getting off the beaten path the following day.

Trekking Through the Atlantic Forest

The plan for the following morning was a hike through the forest and lunch by the river. While I had been expecting humid weather and was prepared for heavy tropical storms during my visit to the region, I lucked out with clear skies and dry conditions throughout my stay. However, bugs were still an issue. I made sure to cover up with loose, long-sleeved shirts and pants, and lathered on 98% DEET insect repellent any time I was going outside. The International Association for Medical Assistance for Travellers (shortened to the much-easier-to-write-and-say IAMAT) recommends that visitors to Iguazú Falls get the yellow fever immunization before visiting, a detail that I regrettably missed. Spoiler: I didn’t get yellow fever, thanks in no small part to my highly effective bug spray, but my lack of vaccination foiled some of my future travel plans.

We did have to drive a couple hours to reach the hiking trail, so Finny handed me a neck pillow when I got in the car. I looked at her indignantly; I could stay awake to chat with her and admire the scenery during the car drive! Well, sure enough, after we ran out of things to discuss, and the scenery turned into a redundant blur of tall trees, I found myself nodding off. I hope I didn’t snore.

Then, we arrived at the “trailhead.” There is no way I would have endeavored on this trail without a guide, as it seemed to lack any markings. Finny alerted me that we wouldn’t have access to a bathroom for a couple hours, so I had to squat in the bushes to pee before we started our trek, praying that bugs were sufficiently turned off by the DEET covering my body even when I didn’t have my pants fully on for a brief moment. Next, Finny found a long stick and insisted on walking a few paces in front of me. Throughout our hike, she waved the stick in front of her in an attempt to break up any spiderwebs before we walked straight into them (she assured me the spiders would be fine). I had no problem trailing at a distance.

While the trail didn’t offer stunning vistas of the ocean or mountains, the biodiversity was incredible.

After lunch and some relaxation, it was time to return to the car, albeit via a slightly different route. During the entire day, we only ran into a handful of other people, who all seemed equally surprised to encounter us.

Then, it was time to make the drive back to Awasi. We took a different, very scenic road on the return, and I managed to stay awake most of the time.

While it wasn’t the most exciting of days in terms of dramatic landscapes or eye-opening culture, I discovered something new about myself during our day in the forest. In the past I was the girl screaming about a spider or rushing to kill an ant. Now I was starting to appreciate the role that insects played in our ecosystem, and I felt more comfortable understanding them in their natural habitat. I still didn’t want them to bite me, and I definitely didn’t want to get yellow fever, but my boundaries had started to relax a bit.

Last Day at Awasi

My last day had to be short and sweet since I had a 1:35pm flight out of Foz do Iguaçu Airport (via LATAM, sadly not as pleasant as Azul Airlines). Fortunately, I was able to fit in an early morning hike on the Awasi property down to the river. While the trail was well-marked and included signage describing the various trees and plants along the way, Finny insisted on meeting me for one final adventure together. I wanted to walk ahead for part of the way, so she handed me a stick and I practiced waving away the spider webs all on my own.

I was glad that I had made time to spend an extra day in the area and see more than just the legendary Iguazú Falls. I certainly could’ve visited for longer, enjoying some kayaking and paddle-boarding while learning more about the Guaraní people and the incredible biodiversity in the region. Awasi offered world-class hospitality, and I couldn’t imagine a better option for visiting the Falls. I’d love to return one day, but for now I was headed back to Brazil for a long-awaited visit to Rio de Janeiro.