Upper Circuit / Lower Circuit

Circuito Superior / Circuito Inferior

Two loop trails in the Argentine park. The Upper Circuit looks down on water pouring over the crest of the falls, while the Lower Circuit descends into the gorge to look up at the falls and offers boat trips to San Martín Island. Jet-boat tours depart from here.

The Upper and Lower Circuits start from the Cataratas train station in the Argentine Iguazu National Park. Apart from the Devil's Throat, they are the two core routes. The Upper Circuit (Circuito Superior) is 1.75 kilometres long, flat and step-free, and takes about 1 hour. It is built along the top of the falls. The walkway passes directly above Dos Hermanas, Bossetti, Adán y Eva, Mbiguá and San Martín Falls, where you can watch the river tumble over the edge at your feet. In the distance you can see the Brazilian side and the spray of the Devil's Throat, and on sunny days rainbows appear almost everywhere. The Lower Circuit (Circuito Inferior) is 1.6 kilometres long, with many steps, and takes about 1.5–2 hours. It descends to the bottom of the gorge, where you look up at Dos Hermanas, Bossetti (the walkway passes through the spray of the falls) and San Martín Falls. This is the most spectacular vantage point and the best spot for photographing the falls and rainbows. At the pier at the bottom, a free ferry runs to San Martín Island (Isla San Martín, open when water levels allow). The island trail takes 1 hour and offers a frontal view of San Martín Falls and the Devil's Throat. The pier is also the boarding point for the Gran Aventura jet-boat tour (about USD 80–100; a rainforest truck and jet boat plunge beneath San Martín Falls; ages 12 and up). Combining both circuits with the Devil's Throat makes the standard full day on the Argentine side. Enter when the park opens at 08:00, take the little train to the Devil's Throat first to avoid the crowds, return via the Upper Circuit, and after lunch walk the Lower Circuit and take the boat. The park also has the Sendero Macuco rainforest trail (7 kilometres round trip, with monkeys and the small Arrechea Falls, and few visitors). Admission for foreigners is about ARS 45,000 (2025). If you leave the park and have your ticket stamped, you can re-enter the next day at half price. Food inside the park is expensive, so you may bring simple snacks, but beware of coatis. Wear non-slip shoes and bring a raincoat and sun protection.

Upper Circuit / Lower Circuit

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby