Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and the road leading to Porto Canoas (200m or so further along). If you walk up
one level to the terrace beyond the elevator you'll be free of the crowds with perfect
views of the falls up close.
9
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
PARQUE NACIONAL DO IGUAÇU
By bus
City buses (R$2.85) run from the TTU terminal in
Foz to the Brazilian falls via the airport and Parque de Aves
(#120; Mon-Sat 5.45am-12.40am, every 20min; Sun
5.30am-12.40am, every 45min).
By taxi
Taxis between Foz and the falls entrance are
around R$50 (on the meter).
ACCOMMODATION AND EATING
Belmond Hotel das Cataratas
BR-469 Km 32,
Parque Nacional do Iguaçu
T
45 2102 7000,
W
hoteldascataratas.com.
The only hotel within the
Brazilian national park, located just out of sight from the
falls. After years of neglect, the hotel was completely
renovated by the Orient Express group, with luxurious
guest rooms, posh lounges, superb dining options and
beautifully landscaped gardens. T
The locat
ion is perfect for
an early-morning view of the falls.
R$950
Ipê Grill
Hotel das Cataratas
BR-469 Km 32,
Parque Nacional do Iguaçu
T
45 2102 7000,
W
hoteldascataratas.com.
The only hotel restaurant
worth a splurge, even if you're not staying here. Located by
the pool, it offers an extensive but very pricey buffet dinner
of typical Brazilian dishes and “
gaúcho
” style barbecue for
around R$125.
Daily 6.30-10am & 7.30-11pm.
Restaurante Porto Canoas
BR-469 Km 30, Parque
Nacional do Iguaçu
T
45 3521 4443.
The main park
restaurant, overlooking the Rio Iguaçu at the head of the
falls, serves a decent - but pricey (R$48/person, plus ten
percent) - all-you-can-eat buffet. Otherwise, there's a
basic food court nearby.
Daily noon-4pm.
IGUAÇU ACTIVITIES: THE BRAZILIAN SIDE
Iguaçu Falls has become a major
adventure sports
hotspot with a bewildering range
of activities available. Martin Travel, Travessa Goiás 200 in Foz do Iguaçu (
T
45 3523 4959,
W
martintravel.com.br), is a reliable local tour agency that specializes in ecotourism and puts
together groups to go canoeing, rafting or mountain biking along forest trails. See also Loumar
at Av República Argentina 1700 in Foz (
T
45 3521 4000,
W
loumarturismo.com).
HELICOPTER
Helisul (
T
45 3529 7474,
W
helisul.com) operates helicopter rides from just outside the park's
entrance (Av das Cataratas Km 16.5), across from the Parque das Aves, offering ten-minute
flights (daily 8.30am-5.30pm) over the falls for R$255 per person (minimum three people);
the views are sensational, but the flights are controversial thanks to the noise pollution (which
scares wildlife). The longer (30min) ride over the falls and Itaipu Dam is better value if you can
afford it (around R$3000 for the whole helicopter, maximum 7 people).
JET BOAT
Macuco Safari (daily 9am-5.30pm, every 15min;
T
45 3529 6262,
W
macucosafari.com.br), at its
own dedicated bus stop in the park, operates a crazy jet-boat ride through white water right
up to and into the falls for R$170 per person; it's fun, but the crew takes non-stop video and
photos of passengers squealing in delight (to sell to them later), and everyone gets absolutely
saturated by ice-cold water as the boat passes through the cascade again and again. The boat
ride is preceded by a ride and walk through the jungle, but even if you understand Portuguese
(no English) the guided commentary is fairly dull, and you are unlikely to see any animals.
HIKING TRAILS
The 9km Poco Prieto Trail, accessed from its own dedicated bus stop inside the park, is a
generally tranquil and easy path through the jungle to the river. Macuco Safari (see above) runs
guided tours for R$135, combined with various excursions on the water. The Trilha das Bananeiras
provides a similar though shorter (1.6km) jaunt between the main park road and the river.
CANOPY TOUR AND RAPPELLING
Macuco Safari (see above) also operates Cânion Iguaçu (accessed at the Path of the Falls stop),
which comprises a canopy trail - a series of ropes and ladders above the forest (R$80) - and a
55m cliff face that you can abseil down (R$70).
