Helicopter tour over Iguazu falls

[endlessdream]

It’s nothing very gay but I’d highly recommend it. I visited the Iguazu falls yesterday for the first time. After the classic bus+walking tour, which was great, I opted for the helicopter ride, over the highly recommended Macuco safari. I just don't like the idea of getting wet in a small boat with a bunch of unknown people. 
 

I stayed at the Sanma Resort, located 5 minutes walking to the Iguazu falls visitors centre, right next door to the birds park. 
 

The helicopter centre is outside the Iguazu falls park, opposite the birds park entrance. It has a coffee shop and a gift shop attached to it. They require minimum 4 and maximum 6 passengers per chopper. It costs 635 reais per person, about 50% more than the Macuco Safari. I’d pick the chopper over the boat any time. You can have a descent coffee while waiting for the checkin. Don’t take the cappuccino. They put a horrible sweetened chocolate flavored powder in it.
 

Neither at the purchase nor at the checkin was the passport required but they did ask for its number and my weight. 
 

After the checkin, you need to watch a security video for about 3 minutes. Then you are invited to a waiting salon on the airfield side. All bags need to be stored there. 
 

The tour lasts about 10 minutes. Only one chopper was in operation. It’s actually fun to watch it taking off and landing from such a close distance. 
 

The operator has a crew to record the whole boarding process and combine it with a pre-recorded in-air scenery video. The compilation is about one minute and costs 500 reais for a digital version, or 700 reais on a usb key. You can also get a hard copy of your photo taken in front of the chopper after landing. I feel it’s absurdly expensive, comparing to the ride. 
 

I had the luck to sit right next to the pilot. The view was superb in the cockpit. It did two full rounds over the falls to made sure that everyone had the full view. The whole ride was smooth and stable. 
 

Here are some photos and videos:

 

 

 

[12is12]

I think Iguazu Falls is the most beautiful nature scene in the world. Visited 3 times. Certainly beats Niagra and Victoria falls, if only because all the water is framed by green.

[Xclay]

Thanks for the great pics and details!

Now I've gotta return! I was there about 20 years ago and, like you, I found the helicopter flight a spectacular way to get an amazing, big picture view of this enormous waterfall unlike any other.

You made a good choice skipping the boat ride. Boats cannot go far into the long channel, so you just go to the first little waterfall, get wet, and that's it. Some people like it, but I thought it was a waste of time.

I loved wondering all around the labyrinth on the Argentine side and standing for an hour mesmerized by the thundering power only a few years away at Devil's Throat. 

Do you recommend staying at Samna? Looks very nice. The classic old Hotel das Cataratas on the Brazil side and the Gran Meliá Iguazú on the Argentine side are wonderfully close to the falls but you pay for their prime locations and their prices have skyrocketed.

[endlessdream]

On 1/17/2025 at 3:19 AM, Xclay said:

Thanks for the great pics and details!

Now I've gotta return! I was there about 20 years ago and, like you, I found the helicopter flight a spectacular way to get an amazing, big picture view of this enormous waterfall unlike any other.

You made a good choice skipping the boat ride. Boats cannot go far into the long channel, so you just go to the first little waterfall, get wet, and that's it. Some people like it, but I thought it was a waste of time.

I loved wondering all around the labyrinth on the Argentine side and standing for an hour mesmerized by the thundering power only a few years away at Devil's Throat. 

Do you recommend staying at Samna? Looks very nice. The classic old Hotel das Cataratas on the Brazil side and the Gran Meliá Iguazú on the Argentine side are wonderfully close to the falls but you pay for their prime locations and their prices have skyrocketed.

The Samna is a good compromise, well maintained and efficiently run. 

[Jake Stick]

Wow beautiful scenes, thanks for sharing!

[PeterRS]

I visited almost 15 years ago. I remember as the plane was arriving at Foz Do Iguazu it was almost impossible to see anything of the Falls in the distance due to the spray which forms over them. But it was at some distance away.

I did not do either the water or helicopter tours (was not even aware of a helicopter tour then!). But the views of the Falls from both sides were certainly one of the world's great sights. We were advised to see the Falls first from the Brazil side when the sun is at your back and you can see the entire panoply of this great wonder. You can also walk almost right into the Devil's Throat by a small walkway when we were given plastic macs to keep us more or less dry.

From the Argentine side, there is a little train to get you directly to the Devil's Throat. On the day we were there, though, it was almost impossible to get on to it because there were just too many people in the queue in front of us. I believe the best time of year to visit is from around mid-October to mid-November. Rainfall is highest in the area in October and so the Falls are at their most spectacular. It's all so photgenic it's hard not to take hundreds of pics!

 

[Axiom2020]

I did the helicopter ride twice while in Rio, and had a magnificent time.

In the clip I saw that lovely hotel and its magnificent grounds.  Stayed there for three days & nights, but it would have been more lovely if I had had a friend or partner traveling with me.  The nights were not too interesting.

 ...walked to the falls on the Brasilian side and enjoyed immensely.  The next day I went to the falls that were on the Argentine side and met a couple (man and wife) who encouraged me to travel to Salvador, Bahia.  Fortunately, that city was on my itinerary.  I went and returned the next year.