Iguazu Falls: Visit to Argentinian and Brazilian Side in two days

Knowledgeable, responsive and flexible

We have returned from what turned out to be a wonderful vacation in and around South America. Perhaps the top highlight was the side trip to Iguazu Falls with expert help from Francisco at Ripio Turismo. I cannot express adequately how pleased we were with the entire experience. His prompt responses to our many questions (which is a very big thing), explanation of the details and coordination of logistics – from the door of our hotel in BA all the way back to that same door – was top notch and extremely professional. And the flexibility in finding a hotel with a king size bed for my 6’8” frame! Having said all this, the best thing about the entire trip to Iguazu was our guide Eder Dorneles. As you know, even if all the logistics work, the performance of the guide can either enhance or spoil the entire project. Eder was loaded with interesting information about the Falls and both Argentina and Brazil. He was very personable, his English was exceptional and he seamlessly guided us through the logistics of getting into and out of Brazil as well as providing tips as we traversed both national parks. We could not have had a better guide. We can honestly say that from our standpoint, it was a flawless confirmation of our decision to select Ripio Turismo to make this adventure come true.

via Tripadvisor

Iguazu Falls in 2 days

The tours were very well managed by both tour guides. I was disappointed in not knowing that the tour was bilingual when it was advertised as an English tour and we were the only English speakers. That being said our Tour Guide Macarena did a wonderful job of explaining everything to us and went out of her way to make sure that we knew all that was being said. The Argentinian side of the Falls is absolutely magnificent and incredibly well managed. Not to be missed! The Brazilian side is not as spectacular and there is an enormous amount of time spent getting in and out of the country. Knowing that I would still highly recommend the tours. It was a once in a lifetime experience. Macarena was one of the best guides we have had!

via Viator

Horrible experience Total scam

This tour operator is a total scam. they don’t actually give any tours. We were charged $700 for the small group trip and they resell it a a cheaper price to another operator who actually performs the tour. We were told we would be picked up at 7:30am, the bus didn’t show until 9:30am. We crossed the border into Brazil and drove another hour around some bordering town trying to pick up another couple. Mind you, we were staying at a hotel that is only 30 min it drive from the waterfalls. We had a guide who didn’t talk at all, nice guy but I am not sure why he was on the tour. While on the tour we were informed that some of the guest on the tour had purchased another tour and we now have to wait for another 2hours to get the ride home. I texted the operator but of course got no response. This company is a scam and I am reporting them to the Argentina ministry of tourism.

Response from the operator: I regret your comments and your negative experience. However, I always appreciate being able to respond to negative reviews with the other side of the story, which is often distorted by the customer's anger—an anger I can understand but that is not always valid or justified. Allow me to point out that you booked a regular group service, not a private service where you can choose the pickup time, arrival time, and end of the tour. On the contrary, this is generally a more economical service, conducted in groups, where the guide picks up passengers from various hotels, takes them to the park, guides them through the tour, provides time for lunch, and then returns everyone to their hotels. This is not a personalized, private service. For that, there are several (more expensive) options, where the experience is much more customizable and exclusive to the passengers. In those private services, the guide picks you up at your preferred time, takes you directly to the park, provides a personalized tour, and returns privately without waiting for anyone else. But that is not what you booked. I wanted to clarify that the service offered here and provided on December 25th was exactly what you reserved, and it was fulfilled as agreed. Personally, I believe negative reviews should be addressed by presenting the other side of the story. Sometimes, it’s important to openly accept when the client is right, but at other times, it’s necessary to defend oneself appropriately. This has helped me while reading reviews for many services. That being said, I understand that clients are often disappointed, thinking they booked one thing when they actually booked something else. This happens due to a lack of attention (the details of the activity are very clearly stated) or the pursuit of lower prices. There is a range of options to fit all budgets. This frustration is always acknowledged, and we often offer refunds even when not obligated to, to keep our clients happy and avoid this type of feedback. What I will not accept under any circumstances is being accused of fraud in a malicious and simplistic manner due to a poor experience. There was absolutely no fraud here. This company is a legal and honest business with a 25-year history in the international tourism market and an impeccable track record. We are highly receptive to acknowledging our mistakes and also providing favorable responses to refund requests. However, in this case, your lack of respect is unacceptable to us, especially considering you were attended to during the Christmas holiday period with great kindness by our agents, guides, and other staff on site.

via Tripadvisor

Fabulous, customized tour to Iguazu Falls

Mauro Levin was very helpful (and patient) helping us customize our fantastic tour to Iguazu Falls. We ended up also doing the Argentine Experience and Itaipu Dam, both of which we really enjoyed. The private guide that was assigned, Ricardo, was dynamite, with excellent communication and guidance. He picked us up from the airport and was with us every step of the way, taking us back to the airport as well, even helping us at the counter with the check-in. Thank you, Ripio Turismo. Your excellent reviews are well deserved.

via Tripadvisor

Double check your reservation

Our original booking fell through with the local tour provider RipioTourismo. An attempt to reach them at the number provided in the Viator app failed. An alternate number was found but the person answering spoke no English. Our hotel staff in Iguazú was able to speak with a tour operator. Later, we received an email from the tour provider indicating our original reservation had not been processed due to system error. We successfully re-booked with a different tour provider from our hotel. We request a refund be provided for the original booking. Thanks.

via Viator