Iguazu falls

Need suggestions for time in Iguazu besides falls. Know about animal hospital and recyclable building. Any hiking or boating not involving the Falls? Want to stay at least 1 week. Thanks!

I once swam under some of the falls. Give it a try if you can.

Pop over the border to visit Paraguay.

Honestly, beside the falls there is not much to do in either Foz or Puerto Iguaçu. In Foz there is a very nice bird park. You can go on an excursion to the Itaipu dam, which is also quite impressive (and often combined with an awful shopping trip in Ciudad del Este, which you should try to avoid unless you are looking to buy a knockoff of anything under the sun).

On the Argentinean side you can easily spend a day hiking around the park, but that is basically "seeing the waterfalls". To most of the national park on the Brazilian side (which covers quite a good stretch of the river beyond the waterfalls) access is restricted, but you can do a hike to Poço Preto (never done it, but it seems quite nice).

If you have to spend a week there in any case (visa reasons?) you should talk to a travel agent on the spot. They will probably have more detailed and specific info. I know there are boat trips both above the falls, and obviously below the falls. Technically the ones above the falls have nothing to do with the falls themselves, but they are in the same park and organized once inside.

Somewhat further afield, however if you are interested then San Ignacio would be worth a trip for the Jesuit Missions. This would take a couple of days in your week. The house built by Horacio Quiroga is now an interesting museum, in San Ignacio.

Another interesting visit, even further afield, in time if not in distance, would be to the Saltos del Moconá (the "other" falls in Misiones Province), not as well-known as those of Iguazu, however they are very unusual, and visited by a thousandth of the numbers of tourists. Getting to the falls by public transport is a lengthy process, and it would be another couple of days. It would be more efficient to rent a car for this suggestion.

While I agree that the Mocona are totally worth a visit, you might want to extend your stay more than one week if you include them. Getting there takes a while as alanymarce already said, and the Iguazu area is worth more than the customary couple days many tourists dedicate to it.

A devil's advocate style comment on the much maligned Ciudad del Este (Paraguayan side): yes it is a haven of counterfeit goods and cheap knockoffs, and if you visit the area to see nature only you might find it revolting. But if you happen to be more interested in biped animal behavior -like myself- CdE is a must. Just my two cents.

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