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The day I danced with butterflies. What to see in Iguazu Falls.

what to see in iguazu falls

What to see in Iguazu Falls

The majority of the falls are in Argentina, only a little part on the Brazilian side. To get the full experience you should definitely visit both sides. While the Argentinian part allows you to experience them very close to you, the other side gives you a larger view. More about it next time.

The trip to Iguazu Falls in Argentina has been a real treat! I won’t exaggerate by saying that this is one of the most spectacular trips you can ever have. Believe me! It’s not only the falls, it’s the whole package: the surroundings, the nature, the animals… I’m not going to bore you much today about practicalities and for the tips regarding this trip, you will have to wait a few more days. Today let’s just enjoy the nature.

The falls are in a rainforest and some say, this is a perfect starting point for jungle beginners. You can really get the experience of a jungle there: hot, sweaty and surrounded by untouched flora and all sorts of bugs, insects and animals. While walking through the sweaty forest you will be accompanied by butterflies on your hair, arms, backpacks, and t-shirts. This will give you a chance to see those creatures really really close.

There is a reason why Iguazu Falls won their place on the world’s 7 natural wonders list. I can also bravely say that this is a destination where the nature meets romance. What can be more romantic than dancing with butterflies, watching sunsets with the sound of mighty falls or having breakfasts in the middle of the rainforest while watching toucans?

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Favourite travel resources:

  • Booking.com for searching best prices on accommodation.
  • Discover Cars is a great website as they search both local and international car hire services, so you can choose the best deal for yourself. Make sure though, that the company has a good reputation and reviews.
  • Get Your Guide is my place to go for searching and booking tours and excursions, especially when I travel solo.
  • World Nomads travel insurance. I like them because they have quite extensive coverage of different activities.
  • Jack’s Flight Club is a service that can save you hundreds of dollars on flights, it works especially well in Europe.
  • Trivago where you can search and save on hotels.
  • Go City is a perfect site for booking bucket list experiences and attractions all in one to avoid paying for multiple tickets. Easy and saves money.
  • Trip Advisor– amazing for good quality recommendations.
  • Skyscanner is a perfect website for searching flight routes and comparing prices.

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Iguazu Falls

See the butterflies in Iguazu Falls

Have you ever seen a thousand butterflies in one place flying around you as if you were one of them? All shapes and colours, including the mysterious blue morpho that is almost impossible to capture in a photo. It is something extraordinary and I couldn’t resist showing you a larger number of photos than usual. I hope you’ll enjoy it.

Best hotels to stay near Iguazu Falls

For an ultimate luxury experience:

There are only two hotels that are located within the national park of Iguazu and both are extremely beautiful and offer some of the best travel experiences you can have. I visited both sides of the falls and loved them equally for different reasons: in Argentina, you can walk close to the falls to see their magnificence; in Brazil, you get a picturesque view of the falls from a distance.

  • Gran Melia Iguazu– (Argentinian side). I stayed in this hotel for a few nights and it was one of the most spectacular experiences of my travels. It is located inside the Iguazu park, so you can walk freely even after it closes. The best part of it was eating breakfast with the breathtaking views of the rainforest and the falls in the distance accompanied by toucans. A truly unforgettable!
  • Hotel Das Cataratas, a Blemont Hotel– (Brazilian side). In this hotel, from the windows of your bedroom, you can see the Iguazu Falls. It is such a unique place to stay. The rooms are elegantly decorated ina  colonial style- I could stay there for a week.

Top pick for a budget-friendly hotel near Iguazu:

  • Sanma Hotel– a beautiful hotel with a pool, modern and elegant, located on the Brazilian side near the entrance to the park.

There are more hotels on the Brazilian side to choose from, however, I found the Argentinian side of the park less crowded and more beautiful. Search for accommodation near Iguazu through the Booking.com website.  


How to get to Iguazu Falls

The Iguazu Falls are located on the border between Argentina and Brazil, and there are various ways to access them. First, you need to decide whether you want to enter the falls from the Argentinian or Brazilian side.

Cataratas del Iguazú International Airport in Puerto Iguazú, Argentina, is the nearest airport to the Argentinian side of the falls. It’s about a 20-minute drive to the park entrance from this airport.

Foz do Iguaçu International Airport, Brazil, is the closest airport to the Brazilian side of the falls. It’s approximately a 30-minute drive to reach the park entrance.

Both airports offer regular flights from major cities in Argentina, Brazil, and sometimes from other countries in South America. You can easily access the Iguazu Falls from either side once they arrive at these airports by using taxis, rental cars, or organized tours.

The best place to start looking for flights is through Skyscanner.


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Butterflies of Iguazu


See also:

An ultimate guide to Iguazu Falls

A quick guide to Potosi, Bolivia: all you need to know

Wine, sun and art. Visiting Mendoza, Argentina.

Salta la Linda. A city in the north of Argentina you should visit.


Don’t get fooled by the innocent face of this little fella. Let me introduce to you a smart and cheeky resident of the rainforest: coatí. He will first gain your sympathy shortly after stealing your sandwich.20150324_155058

And the main reason of the trip: the falls. All 275 of them in the banks of the river Iguazu spreading over 2,7 km. The photos are not even close to doing justice of their beauty and power them. The Devil’s Throat is the biggest and most impressive fall there, and being able to almost touch it, gives you a big lesson of how powerful nature is. Do you notice that ‘thing’ on my hair? It is a live accessory (read: butterfly) that had been decorating my ponytail.

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what to see in iguazu fallsAs you walk through the forest the only melodic sounds you hear are the frothy waterfalls, butterflies fluttering their wings, coatís sidling, birds singing and mysterious sounds of bigger animals deep in the forest.

what to see in iguazu falls

what to see in iguazu falls

I hope you enjoyed this light post and the photos. Please stay tuned later this week for some tips on how to organize your trip to Iguazu, so you can experience this wonderful place too.

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Disclosure: Please note that this post included affiliate links, when you decide to purchase anything through these links I get a small commission at NO extra cost to you, it helps me to keep running this blog! I only promote products and services I use or would use myself. All images are the property of Postcards from the World and cannot be used without permission.

  1. Tyle motyli w jednym miejscu- czad !!! I raj dla mnie. Przecudownie miejsce ,chcę więcej zdjęć 🙂

  2. NELLY - ARGENTINA says:

    RODEADA DE MARIPOSAS !!! HERMOSAS FOTOS, PAJAROS.- MUCHAS GRACIAS ANNA , DAN GANAS DE VOLVER A ESE LUGAR !!! Nelly -Argentina

  3. I LOVE every one of your posts Anna, however this has to be my favorite so far! The photos are breathtakingly beautiful and your descriptions walk me through it so that I can feel like I am right there with you. THANK YOU!

  4. You mentioned butterflies but I had no idea you meant this many butterflies. Holy Hannah! That’s incredible. And your photos of the falls? I was brought right there. Love the rainbow. Wonderful post that’s going to make a lot of folks want to trip on down there this very week.

  5. lovely pictures! And the falls….I’m in love for sure. I can’t resist a waterfall. Big or small they are all spectacular!! I must put this location on my to do list. 🙂

  6. Oh goodness Anna – what an amazing adventure! Butterflies and waterfalls are two of my favorites, but you’ve allowed me to imagine them in greater context now. What fabulous photos.

  7. Absolutely Spectacular! How much fun. I can’t wait to show my boys these photos. We watched the movie, The Blue Butterfly, together a while back. It is full of gorgeous shots of butterflies as well as all sorts of other insects in Brazil. I am not a bug person. I was afraid it would freak me out, but these bugs are beyond gorgeous, and the cinematography is quite stunning. You would love it.

    These waterfalls! I am completely smitten with them.

    And I love how you described the stillness of the forest. I am learning about stillness and quiet right now, and this was especially lovely.

    1. Thank you, Liesly. I have seen ‘the Blue Butterfly’ and really liked it. If you eever have a chance to go to Iguazu, you won’t regreat.

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