One park, two countries, two experiences
Iguazu Falls stretch nearly three kilometres along the border between Argentina and Brazil, forming a system of around 275 individual falls surrounded by subtropical jungle. Each side of the park offers a distinct, complementary perspective: the Argentine side, much larger, has walkways that lead literally over and between the falls, while the Brazilian side, more compact, offers the panoramic viewpoint showing the whole system's scale in a single view.
What to see on each side
On the Argentine side, the Upper Circuit runs along the top of the falls with downward views, the Lower Circuit leads to the base of several cascades where the spray reaches you up close, and the eco-train leads to the walkway at Devil's Throat, the system's most imposing fall at 82 metres with a cloud of mist visible from afar. On the Brazilian side, a single panoramic trail of about 1.2 km runs through the jungle with frontal views of most of the Argentine falls, ending at a walkway that extends into the river facing Devil's Throat from the opposite angle.
How to plan it
Visiting both sides means crossing the border (with the appropriate passport for your nationality) and setting aside at least two full days, one per park, since each side alone takes almost a full day to explore unhurried. The rainy season, November to March, brings higher flow and more spectacular falls but also more people due to southern-hemisphere summer holidays; between June and August, flow drops, though the falls remain impressive and there are fewer visitors.