← Foz do Iguaçu Marathon·2 nights

San Ignacio Miní: Two Nights to the Jesuit-Guaraní Ruins

Two nights in Misiones to visit the Jesuit-Guaraní ruins in short blocks, instead of an 11-hour round trip on tired legs.

Duration2 nights
TransitRoad, about 240 km from Puerto Iguazú; a tour provider sells it as an 11-hour day outing, so a booked driver or a separately checked intercity service is the alternative
DepartsFoz do Iguaçu

After the Foz do Iguaçu Marathon: San Ignacio Miní

The Route: Foz do Iguaçu → Puerto Iguazú → San Ignacio (2 nights) → Puerto Iguazú → Foz do Iguaçu → Airport Logistics: About 240 km by road from Puerto Iguazú to San Ignacio. A booked driver or a bus you have checked yourself are the options, and a border crossing comes before the road. Marathon Month: September Duration: 2 nights

Foz do Iguaçu ──(border)──> Puerto Iguazú ──(about 240 km)──> San Ignacio (2 nights)
      ▲                                                                  │
      └───────────────────(same route back)────────────────────────────┘

San Ignacio Miní is a Jesuit-Guaraní site in the Argentine province of Misiones. A tour provider sells it as an 11-hour day from Puerto Iguazú, which is a long coach day for anyone, and a harder one a few days after a marathon. Two nights split the road and leave a whole afternoon for the ruins.

September in Foz do Iguaçu: A weather provider's September averages for the Brazilian side give a daily low of 17°C and a high of 26°C, with 158 mm of rain. The figures are a regional guide, not a forecast for San Ignacio, so check it nearer the time.

Night One: The Road

Cross the border after a rest day and carry the passport you travelled on. Check the entry and re-entry rules for your nationality, because they depend on your passport. Travel by a booked driver, or by an intercity service whose departure time, luggage rules and travel time you have confirmed, as none can be assumed. Sleep in San Ignacio, in a room you have booked.

Day Two: The Ruins

The ruins are at Alberdi 437, reached from National Route 12. Provincial tourism gives daily entry from 07:30 to 18:00, with visitors allowed to stay until 18:30, and prices that differ for residents and non-residents, so check the day's tariff. Walk the site in short blocks with rests between them. Thursday to Sunday there is an evening light-and-sound show, with its first function at 19:30, paid separately and dependent on the weather. Do not plan on a show on a Monday night.

Night Two and Getting Home

Return towards Puerto Iguazú on the third day and allow the full road time. Foz do Iguaçu airport (IGU) in Brazil is the airport for a flight home, not Iguazú airport (IGR) in Argentina. Re-enter Brazil legally and leave a margin of several hours before an international flight.