Marathon changes access at Iguazu Falls on 27 September
Published on 09/27/2026 at 17:53 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
The 16th Foz do Iguaçu International Marathon finishes at Iguazu Falls (Cataratas do Iguaçu) on 27 September 2026, changing tourist access to the Brazilian park. The race connects Itaipu Binacional with the national park in Foz do Iguaçu, where several courses reach the waterfall area.
Marathon changes access at Iguazu Falls on 27 September
The 16th Foz do Iguaçu International Marathon is scheduled for Sunday, 27 September 2026. The event is organised by Sesc Paraná and returns for its sixteenth edition after a break in 2025, according to the organiser's current information.
The 42-kilometre marathon and relay race finish at the Parque Nacional do Iguaçu, while a 10-kilometre course runs entirely inside the protected area. The race also includes a 5-kilometre event and a children's mini race, with the longer courses ending near the falls. The organiser's 27 September programme confirms the date and the park finish.
For ordinary visitors, the park's tourist service begins at noon on 27 September. The change is intended to keep the operation organised while competitors arrive, so the morning schedule will not follow a normal sightseeing visit. Local reporting on the visitor adjustment says regular tourist entry continues from noon until 4pm.
Iguazu Falls brings a national park into the race route
The Brazilian side of Iguazu Falls lies inside Iguacu National Park, a protected Atlantic Forest landscape. The park was created on 10 January 1939 and received UNESCO World Heritage status in 1986. The falls themselves were named one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature in 2011.
The main Cataratas Trail begins at the visitor centre and runs for approximately 1.5 kilometres through the forest to viewpoints over the falls. The route ends at a walkway facing the Devil's Throat, linking the ordinary visitor landscape directly with the race's finishing area. The park operator's visitor information also identifies the 11.6-kilometre Cataratas cycleway and several forest routes.
That connection gives the 27 September change a practical meaning beyond a road closure. The falls remain the destination, but the visitor experience is divided between an early sporting arrival and a later sightseeing period.
What the 27 September finish means for the park
The race begins elsewhere in Foz do Iguaçu and uses the national park as its finishing setting. Traffic and public transport changes around the city are expected during the event, while the park's access arrangement applies specifically to tourist visits on 27 September.
The restriction does not remove the falls from the day's programme. It changes when general visitors can enter, while registered competitors and people accompanying the finish have separate arrangements connected with the race. Travellers planning a normal visit should therefore treat the marathon date differently from an ordinary park day.
Visiting Iguazu Falls: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The 16th Foz do Iguaçu International Marathon reaches Iguazu National Park on 27 September 2026, with the marathon and relay finishes near the falls.
- Tourist access begins at noon on 27 September 2026 and regular entry continues until 4pm; the morning is reserved for race operations and associated arrivals.
- The park is in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil, beside the border with Argentina. The Brazilian falls area is reached through Iguacu National Park's visitor centre.
- The main Cataratas Trail is approximately 1.5 kilometres long and includes forest paths, viewpoints and a walkway facing the Devil's Throat.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Iguazu Falls
When does the Foz do Iguaçu International Marathon take place at Iguazu Falls?
The 16th Foz do Iguaçu International Marathon reaches Iguazu National Park on 27 September 2026, with several race finishes near the falls.
Where is Iguazu Falls and how do you get there?
The Brazilian side is in Iguacu National Park near Foz do Iguaçu, on the border with Argentina. Visitors enter through the park's visitor centre.
What is Iguazu Falls?
Iguazu Falls is a major waterfall system inside protected Atlantic Forest. The Brazilian park was created in 1939 and became a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986.
