Iguazú Falls With Kids: Which Side, Which Tour and How Long Is Too Long?
4 min read
With small children, the Brazilian side is the easier half-day, and a long tour that crosses the border twice is the hardest. Children under 6 enter free on both sides, according to both parks, and in Brazil six-year-olds do too. Ask the operator about minimum ages for the land tours below. The boat rides are another matter, and the Itaipú Special Circuit is closed to children under 14, according to the operator.
What the parks say about children
The Argentine park lists children under 6 among the people exempt from payment, with the rest of the group paying the visitor rate, and asks you to show a DNI or passport at the ticket office so that the right category is applied (Iguazú Argentina, FAQ). The park is open every day from 8 am to 6 pm, with the last entry at 4 pm. Its page lists adapted toilets with changing tables, drinking water points, first aid, and free wheelchairs, and says the main circuits and the train are accessible for people with reduced mobility. Its FAQ also answers the stroller question: the walks are designed to be safe under adult supervision, and strollers for children aged 0 to 2 can be rented at the entrance (Local Guatambú) or in the Patio de Servicios. The circuits take about 90 minutes each according to the park, as our Argentine versus Brazilian side guide explains; at present the Devil’s Throat walkway is closed, which shortens the day (see the Devil’s Throat guide).
The Brazilian park’s ticket policy lists children up to 6 years as exempt (ticket policy, PDF). Its free-entry page adds that the child needs an original document with a photo (discounts and free entry). Its main trail is about 1.5 kilometres long, and panoramic buses take you to the start (Cataratas do Iguaçu). The park’s pages say nothing about strollers that we could find; its accessibility page advises visitors with walking difficulties to leave the park bus at the last stop, Porto Canoas, where a viewpoint and a panoramic elevator lead to the walkway (accessibility). Ask at the visitor centre whether that route works with a stroller. One tour page describes its walk as 1,600 metres with some descents and stairs, “manageable for most people”, and a second page says its walk ends at the top of the falls, reached by stairs or by a panoramic elevator.
Four ways to do it with children
| Tour | Starts | Duration | What the page says |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brazilian falls and Bird Park tour | Foz do Iguaçu | 6 hours | Group of up to 15, 2 hours at the Bird Park and 2 at the falls |
| Brazilian side with ticket | Foz do Iguaçu | 4 to 5 hours | Group of up to 15, a walk of about 1 km, stairs or panoramic elevator |
| Brazilian side and Bird Park from Puerto Iguazú | Puerto Iguazú | 7 hours | Group of up to 48, crosses the border |
| Both sides in one day | Foz do Iguaçu or Puerto Iguazú | 10 hours | Both parks, border crossing, lunch not included |
The first costs €37.44 per person and is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 189 reviews. Its inclusions list names the park and Bird Park entrance fees, while its itinerary marks both stops “extra fee”, so confirm on the booking page what you pay on the day. The second costs €65.07. The third costs €41, and its page lists the Bird Park among the stops and the entry fees to both attractions with approximate amounts. The fourth costs €38.77, and its page lists the 1,100-metre Upper Circuit and a 1,200-metre Brazilian trail; it also lists wheelchair users under “not suitable for”. None of the four pages names a minimum age or says anything about strollers, so ask the operator before you book.
Where the age limits are stated
The booking pages of the 12-hour Gran Aventura tour and the speedboat ride list children under 12 as not suitable, as our boat guide shows. For the Macuco Safari boat we found conflicting statements about a minimum age, so check the operator’s own page before booking it with a child. The Special Circuit at Itaipú is closed to children under 14, according to the operator, as our Itaipú guide explains.
How long children last
The tour pages give durations and nothing about children’s patience, so this part is our reading of them. A day of 10 hours, with 2 hours of transfers in the itinerary, is a long day for a small child. A 12-hour trip to the Argentine side is longer still, and its page puts up to 48 people in the group. The half-day Brazilian tours are the realistic choice for toddlers and preschoolers, and the Bird Park gives children something to look at between waterfalls; our Bird Park guide covers it. Remember that coatis come close to people looking for food, and the Brazilian park asks visitors not to feed them (wildlife guide).
Which to choose
For most families with children under 8 or so, take one of the Brazilian-side half-days and keep the Argentine side for a second day, on your own or with a tour. Staying in Puerto Iguazú means a border crossing, and our guide covers the documents for the crossing (documents guide). Skip the 10-hour both-sides day if your children cannot manage a full day of walking and waiting at the border. Take it with older children who enjoy walking, and see the both-sides tours and the Brazilian side tours for the full range.
