What's on in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil through the year

Peak crowds — travelers describe it as peak season, Summer holidays in Brazil

• Rule

  Timed park tickets, booked online

  1 Jan – 31 DecBook early

  Both sides sell entry by day and hour online and the Brazilian park caps arrivals per hour, so turning up without a slot in high season means waiting or missing it. Two countries, two tickets. Source ↗

Still on: Falls at their fullest (1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)), Devil's Throat walkway shut (1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually))

Peak crowds — Carnival, Summer holidays in Brazil

• Holiday

  Carnival

  13–18 FebCrowded

  A border town rather than a carnival town, but the whole of Brazil and Argentina is on the move and the park sells out its hourly slots for the long weekend. Hotel rates roughly double. Source ↗

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Falls at their fullest (1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)), Devil's Throat walkway shut (1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in March.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Carnival (13–18 Feb), Falls at their fullest (1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)), Devil's Throat walkway shut (1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Devil's Throat walkway shut (1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in May.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in June.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Peak crowds — Brazilian winter holidays, July winter break in Brazil

• Holiday

  Brazilian winter holidays

  1–31 JulSchool holidaysCrowdedBook early

  Brazil takes July off school and the park runs at its hourly ceiling every day of the month; the queue is at the visitor centre, not on the trail. Go for the first slot or the last. Source ↗

• Season

  The river at its lowest

  15 Jul – 15 Sep · usuallyHigh water

  August is normally the thinnest month for flow: basalt showing between the curtains, photographs without spray on the lens and a boat ride that gets closer. A dry year can leave it looking sparse.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), The river at its lowest (15 Jul – 15 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in September.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), The river at its lowest (15 Jul – 15 Sep (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Season

  Falls at their fullest

  1 Nov – 31 Mar · usuallyHigh water

  Rain over the whole upper basin reaches the falls with a lag, and flow is usually heaviest from November to March, around February at its peak. Expect spray, a soaked camera and a lot of noise.

• Hazard

  Devil's Throat walkway shut

  1 Nov – 30 Apr · usuallyFlood seasonClosures

  When the Iguacu runs above the safe limit the catwalk out to the Devil's Throat closes on both sides, sometimes for days. The rest of the circuit stays open and the falls are, if anything, better. Source ↗

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec)

Busy — Summer holidays in Brazil, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Timed park tickets, booked online (1 Jan – 31 Dec), Falls at their fullest (1 Nov – 31 Mar (usually)), Devil's Throat walkway shut (1 Nov – 30 Apr (usually))