Iguazu Falls · Month comparison

January vs May

May ranks #1 overall vs January at #12. Shoulder month: pleasantly cool (23C/13C), 30% off summer hotel rates, river flow tapering but still strong.

Iguazu Falls Devil's Throat at peak summer water volume with rainbow

January

#12 of 12 months

Worth considering

Southern summer school holidays + monsoon water volume — Devil's Throat is a roaring wall of mist.

  • ↑Devil's Throat (Garganta del Diablo) at its loudest, fullest, most spectacular
  • ↑Lush green jungle vegetation at maximum vibrancy
May cooler-light Iguazu Falls Devil's Throat from above

May

#1 of 12 months

Best match

Shoulder month: pleasantly cool (23C/13C), 30% off summer hotel rates, river flow tapering but still strong.

  • ↑Hotel Loi Suites Iguazu from USD 180 vs USD 280+ in January
  • ↑Argentine Park Upper Trail cool enough for full-day walking
FactorJanuaryMay
Weather score
4
8
Value score
3
8
Crowd score
2
7
Events score
5
4
Atmosphere
9
8
Avg high temp33°C23°C
Monthly rain180mm110mm
Daily sunshine7hrs6hrs

January trade-offs

  • ↓Argentine and Brazilian school holidays — parks at capacity
  • ↓33C + 80% humidity makes the 7km Upper Trail brutal
  • ↓Lower Trail Macuco Safari boat ride often closed on flood days

May trade-offs

  • ↓Evenings can drop to 10C — bring layers
  • ↓Some cataracts already visibly thinning vs Feb
  • ↓Boat tours (Macuco) suspend on cold/cloudy days
See all 12 months for Iguazu Falls →January in detail →May in detail →
Scores compare months within Iguazu Falls. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →