Travel guides
Paraguay’s real tourist attractions
Paraguay is a small country on the map and a long one on the road. These are the places that justify the trip, with the kilometres we measure ourselves and the hours it actually takes to get there.
What there is, and how far it is
Almost all tourism in Paraguay starts in Asuncion and is measured in hours on the road, not in kilometres. The network is well paved to the east and the south; towards the Chaco the distances stretch out and flying starts to make sense. These are the times our own fleet records, stops included.
| Asuncion | The starting point for everything. Two days cover the city |
| Ciudad del Este | 327 km · 4 h 30 min to 5 h. Trade, Itaipu and the Monday Falls |
| Foz do Iguacu (Brazil) | 340 km · 5 to 6 h with the border. The Brazilian side of the falls |
| Encarnacion | 370 km · 5 to 5 h 30 min. Riverfront, carnival and the Jesuit ruins |
| Pilar | 358 km · on the Paraguay river, fishing and wildlife |
| Concepcion | 420 km · the north of the country and the Paraguayan Pantanal |
| Filadelfia | 450 km · the Mennonite heart of the Chaco |
| Pedro Juan Caballero | 535 km · dry border with Brazil |
| Formosa (Argentina) | 190 km · 2 h 30 min to 3 h with the border |
What you actually see in each one
Ordered by what people ask us for, not by what the guidebooks say.
- 1
Asuncion
The historic centre, the Pantheon, the Costanera riverfront and the markets. It fits in a day if you plan it well, and in two at a calm pace. It is also the base for everything else: almost every destination is a trip out of here.
- 2
The Iguazu Falls
They are on the Brazilian and Argentinian side, not in Paraguay. We operate the Brazilian side, in Foz do Iguacu: 340 km from Asuncion, between 5 and 6 hours with the border crossing. It can be done in a day, though it is a long one.
- 3
The Jesuit ruins
Trinidad and Jesus de Tavarangue, both World Heritage sites, near Encarnacion. They are the best preserved of the whole Jesuit circuit and take half a day. The night visit to Trinidad is worth it if it matches your dates: we run it as the Jesuit missions tour.
- 4
Ciudad del Este and around
Beyond the shopping, there is the Itaipu dam, visited with a guide, and the Monday Falls, a waterfall in Presidente Franco a few kilometres from the centre. Both fit into one morning.
- 5
The Chaco
Filadelfia, Loma Plata and Neuland: the Mennonite colonies, 450 km along the Transchaco road. It is another country inside the country. The distances are long and in the rainy season the road gets difficult, so many people prefer to fly.
- 6
The river
Pilar and Concepcion live off the Paraguay river. Fishing, wetlands and the Paraguayan Pantanal around Bahia Negra. It is the least crowded tourism in the country and the one that needs the most planning.
What fits in the time you have
The sum almost nobody does: how many hours on the road fit into an itinerary before it stops being a holiday.
| How long | What fits | Hours on the road |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days | Asuncion and one day trip | 10 to 12 h |
| 5 days | Asuncion, Encarnacion and the Jesuit ruins | 14 to 16 h |
| 7 days | You add Ciudad del Este and the falls | 22 to 26 h |
| 10 days | You add the Chaco or the north | 30 h or more |
| A weekend | Asuncion alone, or a single day trip | 6 to 10 h |
| With children | Fewer destinations and more days in each | Half of it |
The full distances for each route are in the travel guides.
What is worth it and what is not
We say it the way we say it to passengers who ask in the car.
Worth the trip
- The Jesuit ruins of Trinidad, better preserved than anyone expects
- The Brazilian side of the falls, which you see in full in three or four hours
- The Itaipu dam, above all the technical visit
- The Chaco, if you have the days and the appetite for driving
- The Encarnacion riverfront in summer, which is the country beach
Worth knowing first
- There are no falls on the Paraguayan side: the Monday Falls are lovely but another scale
- Between December and February the heat is strong and dictates the timing
- Intercity buses work, but each long leg eats half a day
- Many northern destinations have little hotel infrastructure
- Chaco distances deceive: 450 km there are not 450 km on Route 2
What it costs to move around
Price per vehicle, not per passenger, and fixed before you book.
| Destination | Distance | Sedan · Minivan |
|---|---|---|
| Ciudad del Este | 327 km | USD 347 · USD 397 |
| Foz do Iguacu | 340 km | USD 417 · USD 497 |
| Encarnacion | 370 km | USD 417 · USD 497 |
| Formosa | 190 km | USD 147 |
Destinations that are not in the table are quoted by route. For the Chaco and the north it is worth comparing with an air taxi, which past a certain distance costs about the same and saves a whole day.
When to go
This applies to any destination in the interior.
| Season | What to expect |
|---|---|
| March to May | The best window: reasonable heat and little rain |
| September to November | The second best, with short storms |
| December to February | Strong heat; leaving early helps |
| June to August | Cool and dry, but the days are short |
What to know about the roads
The times we give include one stop along the way, which is how it works in practice. If someone tells you Encarnacion is four hours away, they are measuring without stopping and without traffic on the way out of Asuncion.
- Asphalt: good to the east and the south.
- Fuel: there are stations, but not on every stretch of the Chaco.
- Borders: Brazil and Argentina add 20 to 40 minutes of paperwork.
- Signal: patchy away from the main roads.
Times are estimates in normal conditions and can vary with rain, roadworks or delays at the border.
Frequently asked questions
What is worth knowing before you plan the trip.
What is there to see in Paraguay?
The places that most justify the trip are the Jesuit ruins of Trinidad and Jesus near Encarnacion, the Brazilian side of the Iguazu Falls out towards Foz, the Itaipu dam in Ciudad del Este, the Mennonite Chaco and the Paraguay river at Pilar and Concepcion. Asuncion is the base for all of them.
Are there waterfalls on the Paraguayan side?
No. The Iguazu Falls are on the Brazilian and the Argentinian side. The closest thing in Paraguay is the Monday Falls, in Presidente Franco near Ciudad del Este: a good looking waterfall, but another scale entirely. We operate the Brazilian side.
How many days do I need for Paraguay?
With three days you see Asuncion and do one day trip. With five, Encarnacion and the Jesuit ruins fit. With seven you add Ciudad del Este and the falls. Beyond that you are into the Chaco or the north, which are multi-day trips on their own.
How far is Encarnacion from Asuncion?
370 kilometres, between 5 and 5 and a half hours at a normal pace, including one stop along the way. It is paved the whole way and crosses no border. From there the ruins of Trinidad are about 30 kilometres away.
And how far are the falls?
The Brazilian side is 340 kilometres from Asuncion, between 5 and 6 hours counting the border crossing. It can be done in a day, though that means leaving very early and coming back at night. Many people prefer to sleep in Foz.
When is the best time to travel?
March to May, and September to November. The heat is reasonable and it rains little. Between December and February it is very hot and leaving early helps; from June to August it is cool and dry but the days are short.
Is it better to rent a car or book transfers?
If you are going to move around a lot on your own and you are comfortable driving on roads you do not know, renting makes sense. If the legs are long and few, a private transfer costs about the same and you do not drive five hours after a flight.
Can Paraguay be travelled by public transport?
Yes, there are buses to every important destination and it is by far the cheapest option. The catch is time: each long leg eats half a day and leaves you at the terminal, not at the destination.
What is in the Chaco?
The Mennonite colonies of Filadelfia, Loma Plata and Neuland, about 450 kilometres along the Transchaco road, and wildlife you do not see in the rest of the country. It is a long trip with little infrastructure on the way, and in the rainy season the road gets difficult.
Is Itaipu worth visiting?
Yes, above all the technical visit, which goes into the machine hall. It is booked in advance and leaves from Ciudad del Este. It pairs well with the Monday Falls: both fit into one morning.
How much does a transfer to the interior cost?
From USD 347 to Ciudad del Este and USD 417 to Encarnacion or Foz do Iguacu in a sedan for up to three passengers, and USD 397 and USD 497 in a minivan for up to seven. The price is per vehicle, so between four people it divides.
Can you put together multi-day routes?
Yes, and for that it is better to quote the whole circuit instead of adding up separate transfers: the same vehicle covers several legs and the cost comes down. If the service goes past the legal driving day, a second driver is added.
Do I need a passport for the trips to Brazil or Argentina?
It depends on your nationality. The crossings to Foz do Iguacu, Puerto Iguazu, Clorinda and Formosa are international borders, so you need the document you entered the country with. The paperwork usually adds 20 to 40 minutes.
Which destination do you recommend if I only have one day?
If you have already seen Asuncion, the Jesuit ruins or the Brazilian side of the falls. Both are long days, but they are the two destinations people remember. If the day is genuinely short, the Asuncion city tour plus the missions does not fit: pick one.
We build the route with you
Tell us what you want to see and how many days you have. We send back the route with real driving times and a fixed price, with no surprises on the way.
Price per vehicle · 30% deposit · the interior is quoted by route.