Iguazu Trails in Order

Posted by JohnP 04/20/2008 at 23:50

A few folks have emailed asking for the specific order of the trails that we took and any other tips.

  1. Ask for a map at the front gate – they are free, but you have to ask.
  2. I didn’t go to the Brasilian side of the falls and haven’t heard from Fleur how that was (worthwhile, etc.) Going to Brasil for US Passports is problematic.
  3. If you follow the crowds from the park entrance, you’ll end up at a train station. Probably not what you want.
  4. Bring 5 hours of water for each person. Water is available all over the park, but it will be expensive. Don’t get me wrong, it is cheap by USA standards – AR$6 on the trails (about US$2), but outside the park bottled water is AR$2.
  5. Follow the Salida/Exit signs once you’ve see a particular train/sight. the exit trail will have a nice grade back up the hills.
  1. Enter the park
  2. Go to the Green Trail
  3. Take the Circuito Inferior – Lower Circuit
    1. Salto Alvar Nunez
    2. Salto Dos Hermanas
    3. Salto Bossetti
    4. Salto Bernabe Mendez
    5. Salto Mbigua
    6. Salto San Martin
    7. Salto Escondido
  4. Take the free boat to Isla San Martin – note, the trail on the isla is very steep.
    1. Climb the trail and stay right for the best views of these falls
      1. Salto Dos Hermanas
      2. Salto Bossetti
      3. Salto Bernabe Mendez
      4. Salto Mbigua
      5. Salto San Martin
      6. Salto Escondido
    2. Go back and take the middle trail to see
      1. Salto Escondido
      2. Salto Rivadavia
      3. Salto Tres Mosqueteros
      4. Salto Dos Mosqueteros
    3. Go back slightly and head west (this is a loop with the western/center loop)
      1. There’s a fabulous view of Saltos Escondido and Rivadavia through a natural arch tunnel. You’ve probably already seen this in pictures of these falls.
    4. Follow the remaining loop back to where all 3 trails meet and carefully take the steps down to the beach.
      1. Relax on the beach if you like – go swimming, but don’t venture too far from the sand. The currents are deadly, people die every season.
    5. Take the boat ride back to the Circuito Inferior and follow the Salida/Exit signs that go to the Sheriton Hotel and join the Circuito Superior
  5. Circuito Superior has views from above of
    1. Salto Dos Hermanas
    2. Salto Bossetti
    3. Salto Bernabe Mendez
    4. Salto Mbigua
    5. Salto San Martin
      You can see the people on Isla San Martin and on the Circuito Inferior – where you’ve already been.
      Take the trail back to the main green trail and head north to Estacion Cataratas – grab some lunch or ice cream or water or soda here while you wait for the trail.
  6. Take the train west to Estacion Garganta del Diablo
  7. Follow the trail/steel track over all the rivers feeding all the falls that you’ve already seen – watch out for snakes – until you reach ‘’Garganta del Diablo’’
  8. Garganta del Diablo is a multiple of falls, all connected.
    1. Salto Union
    2. Salto Florano
    3. Salto Santa Maria
      All the falls – ‘’all of them’’ feed into Rio Iguazu.
      Doing this at a leisurely pace took about 4 hours and both Fleur and I were tired.

However, it seems we didn’t do all the trails that were available. After all this writing, I see the Sendero Macuco trail wasn’t done. That trail is marked as difficult and were I doing this again, I’d do it after the Superior/Inferior Circuitos, but before Garganta del Diablo to be certain. That extra trail would probably add another hour to the day and would certainly require another bottle of water per person.

I had 3 water bottles, but wish I would have had 4 during the day. It was about 85 degF and I was wearing a cotton t-shirt and nylon (quick dry) convertible pants. I didn’t convert them into shorts – probably a good idea since the sun would have burned my legs. Anyway, I was very near heat exhaustion at some points during the day. I felt the coolness that hints at the onset and took a few minutes to rest and cool off. There were a few older people on the steel track that were overcome with the heat. Be careful.