Paraguay Travel Guide
Paraguay and Bolivia are the only landlocked countries in Latin America. The country is rich in natural resources, and it’s home to the world’s second-largest aquifer: the Guaraní Aquifer.
It shares with Brazil the second-largest dam on the planet in terms of hydroelectric production, and it’s the world’s fifth-largest soybean exporter and a well-known meat producer. Despite all this, it’s one of the poorest countries on the continent.
The country doesn’t offer any must-see attraction on the level of the Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia or Machu Picchu in Peru; in fact, even on a long backpacking trip it’s often skipped, and tourism in general isn’t developed at all, which makes some areas that would definitely have potential hard to reach. At the same time, though, the country is still authentic: if you happen to be in this part of the world and have time on your hands, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Quick menu
- Why visit Paraguay
- When to visit Paraguay
- Documents and vaccinations to enter Paraguay
- What to do and see in Paraguay
- Suggested itineraries in Paraguay
- How to get around Paraguay
- Backpacking Paraguay: costs
- Backpacking Paraguay: safety
Santísima Trinidad de Paraná.
Why visit Paraguay
- Paraguayans are incredibly kind, hospitable and generous. Don’t be surprised if you’re invited to drink their beloved tereré (a drink made with yerba mate, ice and water) or even to sleep at their place, as happened to me on my first day in Paraguay.
- The country is really cheap. Especially coming from countries like Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, you notice the difference right away. Here we’re almost at the level of Peru and Bolivia: a typical lunch costs 2-3€, and transport and the cost of living in general are really low. In short, an ideal country for budget travelers.
- Because it’s a unique destination of its kind that few people visit, where everything feels authentic and not like a tourist trap. Sites of absolute beauty like the Santísima Trinidad de Paraná can be visited in peace, far from mass tourism.
When to visit Paraguay
The climate in Paraguay is continental, and it’s basically hot and humid all year round. In summer, which runs from January to March, temperatures can reach and exceed 40 degrees Celsius. Winter, which lasts from July to September, is mild with average temperatures around 20 degrees Celsius. Rainfall is concentrated between October and April, coinciding with the hottest months, so the best time to visit Paraguay is between May and September, but the country can easily be visited all year round.
Documents and vaccinations to enter Paraguay
With an Italian passport, you get a free 90-day tourist visa from the moment you enter the country (the rules change depending on your nationality, so check yours). The visa can be extended for another 90 days. You can’t stay more than 180 days in any 12-month period.
This is the official immigration website.
Paraguay doesn’t require any mandatory vaccinations, but yellow fever and hepatitis A and B are recommended.
For up-to-date information on visas and everything else, I recommend checking your own government’s official travel advice (for example, the UK’s Foreign travel advice).
What to do and see in Paraguay
Most travelers focus on the south of the country as it’s easily accessible from Argentina and Brazil, making a small detour after visiting the famous Iguazu Falls and using Ciudad del Este as an entry point, so I’ll follow this order.
In this guide, prices are expressed in the local currency called “Paraguayan Guaraní,” often abbreviated as “PYG.” The exchange rate is about 1€ = 6450 PYG. For the current exchange rate, I suggest you look at this page.
Ciudad del Este
It’s the city that sits on the triple border with Argentina and Brazil, connected by land with Foz do Iguaçu via a bridge known as the International Friendship Bridge. It’s basically a big shopping center for Argentines and Brazilians; in fact, the entire city is a “tax free” area full of shopping malls.
N.B. If you decide to visit only Ciudad del Este coming from Foz do Iguaçu, or vice versa, there’s no need to go through immigration, as there’s an agreement between the two countries for the area around the bridge up to about 30 km where you can move freely.
What to do and see in Ciudad del Este
As I said, for many people the main activity is shopping – for us Europeans it’s not that cheap, since our online prices for electronics are just as competitive, but around the city there are some great alternatives.
Itaipu Dam
As I said, this dam is the second largest in the world in terms of hydroelectric production. Located halfway between Paraguay and Brazil (Google Maps), it can be visited from both sides. However, I recommend the Paraguayan side as the tour is free. Yes, you read that right—the tour is basically offered by the government and is completely free. It consists of an introductory video about the project, followed by a bus tour of the dam with two stops where you can take some pictures.
It may not be ancient ruins or breathtaking scenery, but the dam is definitely impressive and worth the visit, especially on these terms. There’s one tour every hour, from 8:00 to 16:00, every day.
All buses going to Hernandarias can drop you off at the intersection leading to the dam visitor center (Google Maps). You can get on the bus at the terminal (Google Maps) or just wait along Avenida Mariscal Lopez. Alternatively, take a taxi.
On the way back, just wait on the other side of the road and catch any bus heading to downtown Ciudad del Este.
Itaipu Dam.
Saltos del Monday
It’s an impressive waterfall (Google Maps) about 45 meters high and 120 meters wide that unfortunately takes a back seat given how close it is to Iguazu Falls. It’s only 10 km from downtown Ciudad del Este, and it’s a peaceful place to spend a few hours away from the chaos of the city and the crowds visiting the nearby Iguazu Falls. Inside the mini park there’s also a zip-line, a restaurant and some trails. Entrance for foreigners costs 12$. Official website.
City buses can drop you off about 1 km from the waterfall. They depart from the intersection of Capitan Miranda and Avenida San Blas (Google Maps). Alternatively, you can take a taxi.
Where to stay in Ciudad del Este?
Teko Arte Hostel, a great hostel to spend a night or two in, complete with a pool for those hot Paraguayan days.
How to get to Ciudad del Este?
Buses depart frequently from the Ciudad del Este terminal (Google Maps) to Asunción (5 hours) and Encarnación (4 hours). Local buses shuttling to and from Foz do Iguaçu are really frequent, and from there you’ll find equally frequent buses to Puerto Iguazu in Argentina.
Saltos del Monday.
Trinidad
In this small town about 30 km from Encarnación, you’ll find the only UNESCO site in the entire country: the ruins of former Jesuit missions. Around 30 of these missions were built throughout the area, but the most impressive and best-preserved one is in the town of Trinidad (Google Maps).
The ticket (valid for 3 days) costs 40,000 PYG (updated October 2026) and includes the nearby Jesús de Tavarangue site and two less impressive ones near Encarnación. On top of that, from Wednesday to Sunday at 21:00 in summer and 20:00 in winter you can join a really nice guided reenactment tour, with lights illuminating the ruins and music in the background: really atmospheric and recommended. The best part? In the afternoon there was practically nobody at the ruins, and in the evening there were no more than 20 people.
To reach the nearby ruins of Jesús de Tavarangue (Google Maps), there are usually taxis/colectivos waiting outside the office where you bought your ticket. I shared a taxi with 3 other travelers, but in theory there should also be a minibus shuttling between the two sites, so I suggest asking at the office.
Santísima Trinidad de Paraná during the reenactment tour.
How to get to Trinidad?
Trinidad is located along the road from Ciudad del Este to Encarnación, so buses are really frequent during the day. It’s about 4 hours from Ciudad del Este and 45 minutes from Encarnación.
N.B. If you decide to join the night tour, there are no buses back to Encarnación, so you’ll have to spend the night in Trinidad.
Where to stay in Trinidad?
I spent the night at the Posada Don Paraguay, clean and cheap but there are other similar accommodations in the village. The only hotel is just outside the ruins and is called Hotel a Las Ruinas.
Encarnación
Encarnación sits on the banks of the Paraná River, on the opposite side from Posadas in Argentina, and you can reach it via a bridge across the river. The city isn’t too big and you can easily explore it on foot; the atmosphere is pleasant and relaxed.
What to do and see in Encarnación
The city is mainly used as a base for visiting the nearby Jesuit ruins, but I still recommend taking a walk around Plaza de Armas (Google Maps) and its surroundings if you have some spare time. Another definitely enjoyable thing to do is to walk along Avenida Costanera toward evening and watch the sun set behind the buildings of Posadas, or just head to Playa San José (Google Maps).
If you happen to be around here during carnival, then you should know that one of the best on the continent takes place here: El Carnaval Encarnaceno.
Avenida Costanera.
Where to stay in Encarnación?
La Casa de Pedro Hostel is a great hostel, clean and with a nice back garden where you can even camp if you want. The location, a short distance from the bus station and downtown, is great.
How to get to Encarnación?
From Ciudad del Este via Trinidad it’s about 6 hours, with frequent buses during the day, and the same goes for Asuncion, about 7 hours. To Posadas in Argentina there are local buses marked “Internacional” that leave about every half hour, 7500 PYG; from there you can easily reach any destination in Argentina and continue your trip. The bus station is located here.
Planning your trip? If you still need travel insurance, you can find my guide to the best travel insurance here. Purchasing through the links in the guide supports this site at no additional cost to you.
Asunción
It’s the capital and also the largest city in Paraguay. Located along the banks of the Paraguay River and founded in 1537, it’s one of the oldest cities in all of South America. That’s why it’s also called the “mother of cities,” even though it’s a young city: 65% of its residents are under 30.
What to do and see in Asunción
Asunción is definitely not a spectacular city; actually, to be honest, it gave me the impression of being run-down, but there are still a couple of places worth visiting. These include the Panteón de los Héroes (Google Maps), a monument erected to commemorate those who died in the disastrous War of the Triple Alliance, in which about 70% of the male population at the time lost their lives; the presidential palace (Google Maps) and the Cementerio de la Recoleta (Google Maps).
Other popular destinations include San Bernardino, a resort town on the shores of Lake Ypacarai about 45 minutes from Asuncion, where you can still see some buildings dating back to when it was founded by German immigrants. Another particularly nice town on the opposite side of the lake is Aregua.
The Congress building in Asunción.
Where to stay in Asunción?
El Nomada Hostel was named the best hostel in Paraguay a few years ago. OK, the competition isn’t exactly fierce, but the hostel is really well done, complete with a pool and a great buffet breakfast included in the price.
How to get to Asunción?
Frequent buses from Encarnación and Ciudad del Este, about 7 hours. From Concepción it’s about 6 hours. Filadelfia 9 hours. There are also international departures to Santa Cruz in Bolivia (24 hours, long and winding journey), Buenos Aires (17 hours), São Paulo (21 hours), Montevideo (26 hours) and others.
To reach the center from the bus station take bus 38 (2300 PYG) just outside the station (Google Maps) along Avenida Fernando de la Mora. By taxi it’s about 35000 PYG.
Concepción, Filadelfia and Independencia, some truly off-the-beaten-path destinations
I personally didn’t go that far, but I want to say a few words about these destinations that some friends of mine visited.
Filadelfia is the crossroads for anyone who wants to visit the region called “Gran Chaco,” also known as the last South American frontier. It’s a huge semi-desert area shared with Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina, although most of it is in Paraguay. There are a few natural parks, but to visit them you need to go on a tour or at least have your own vehicle. From here you can continue on to Bolivia.
Concepción definitely isn’t a tourist town either, but from here you can reach Brazil and continue toward the Pantanal by first getting to the border town of Pedro Juan Caballero (4-5 hours by bus). Around here you could take a trip to Cerro Memby and Cerro Corá, which fortunately are located along the main road connecting Concepción to Pedro Juan Caballero, so both are easily reachable.
Meanwhile, in Villarrica del Espiritu Santo you can visit a waterfall – apparently a really nice one – called “Salto Suizo” (Google Maps), Cerro Tres Kandú, the highest peak in the entire country at only 842 meters, and the Sierra del Ybytyruzu. Here you’ll find instructions on how to reach these places starting from Villarrica.
Cerro Memby. Instagram!
All these destinations are really off the beaten path and require a bit of an adventurous spirit, but if you have time on your hands, I’m sure they’re worth it.
Suggested itineraries in Paraguay
In my opinion, the best way to explore Paraguay is to add it to a trip to Argentina or Brazil, entering from Ciudad del Este and doing the following.
N.B. In case you haven’t read everything so far, each stop is briefly described in the itineraries section, but you can find much more information in the “What to do and see in Paraguay” section.
5-day itinerary in Paraguay
This is an itinerary for a brief taste of Paraguay and to visit its most iconic places while trying to make the most of your time. Obviously you could spend much more time there; take what follows as inspiration and change it or create your own itinerary based on your interests and timing.
I strongly recommend planning things so that you’re in Trinidad on any day between Wednesday and Sunday, so you can join the night tour of the ruins.
Ciudad del Este (1 night)
Day 1:
Morning transfer from Foz do Iguaçu or Puerto Iguazu. Afternoon at Saltos del Monday.
Trinidad (1 night)
Day 2:
Visit to the Itaipu Dam in the morning. Transfer to Trinidad in the afternoon. Depending on the time you arrive, you could decide to visit the ruins of Trinidad and those of Jesús de Tavarangue the same day or the following morning. Either way, join the night tour.
Encarnación (1 night)
Day 3:
Short transfer from Trinidad. Explore the small town. Watch the sunset along Avenida Costanera.
Asunción (2 nights)
Day 4:
Transfer to Asunción in the morning. Explore downtown in the afternoon.
Day 5:
Cementerio de la Recoleta and a few museums or a day trip to San Bernardino or Aregua. Night bus to any destination you’re interested in.
One- or two-week itinerary in Paraguay
If you have more time available, once you get to Asunción following the itinerary I just described, you could continue toward Concepción to take a trip to Cerro Memby and Cerro Corá, and then head down toward Villarrica, where you can visit the “Campamento Salto Suizo” waterfall, Cerro Tres Kandú (the highest peak in the entire country at only 842 meters) and the Sierra del Ybytyruzu. From here, head back to Ciudad del Este. The whole thing can be done in 10-15 days.
How to get around Paraguay
Buses in Paraguay
Buses are by far the most common way to get around. During the day, connections are really frequent. Buses are often not of very good quality except for long-distance or international buses. La Encarnacena and NSA are probably the two companies that offer the best service; some of their buses have wifi on board. Lots of companies don’t even have websites and I strongly recommend heading directly to the bus terminal where, especially in large cities, the price for various routes is often negotiable.
Public transport in Asuncion.
Taxis in Paraguay
Taxis are fairly expensive compared to the cost of living in Paraguay. They only use the meter in Asuncion, so in any other case, agree on the price before getting in and remember to bargain, as tourists are often quoted a high price. Maybe ask your hostel/hotel what the right price is for a given route.
Domestic flights in Paraguay
Domestic flights in Paraguay are virtually nonexistent.
Hitchhiking in Paraguay
Hitchhiking is common and safe, especially in rural areas.
Backpacking Paraguay: costs
How much does a trip to Paraguay cost?
If you decide to fly directly to Paraguay, expect to pay around 700/800 euros. Check out my guide to finding cheap flights, because it could be worth using Asuncion as your departure or arrival airport for a trip to Brazil or Argentina, given how close it is.
Paraguay is fairly cheap, and for most backpackers a budget of about 30€ per day should be more than enough.
Cost of transport in Paraguay
Buses are much cheaper than in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay but not as much as in Peru and Bolivia. Long-distance buses cost about 1-2 € per hour. City buses in Asunción, for example, cost only 2300 PYG (30-40 cents).
Cost of food in Paraguay
The food is really cheap. In a typical comedor you can eat for about 15,000 to 25,000 PYG.
Cost of accommodation in Paraguay
The few hostels there are in the various cities are cheap, but I’m sure they could be cheaper if it weren’t for the lack of competition. Expect to pay an average of 50,000 to 70,000 PYG for a dorm bed. Breakfast is almost always included. If you’re looking for cheaper accommodations, local hotels (hospedajes) often offer great value for money, with private rooms that are in some cases cheaper than a dorm bed.
To reduce exchange and withdrawal fees, see my guide to the best travel cards.
Backpacking Paraguay: safety
Is Paraguay dangerous? Generally speaking, no, even though Ciudad del Este doesn’t have a good reputation, as it’s a well-known hub for illegal activities, mainly smuggling, but this shouldn’t affect your safety. Asuncion, like all big cities, can be relatively dangerous in certain areas after a certain hour; use common sense and follow my tips on how to travel safely.
The real threats can be the intense heat, the tap water (not drinkable) and mosquitoes, since dengue fever is present in Paraguay.
Are you planning a trip to Paraguay? Check out these posts:
Do you have any questions? Updated information? Feel free to leave a comment or message me on Instagram!
Since I no longer run ads, if you found this article helpful, please consider purchasing your travel insurance through one of the links on this site. Doing so supports my work at no additional cost to you. For EU and UK residents, I recommend True Traveller. For everyone else, I recommend HeyMondo, which offers a 5% discount. Thank you for your support!
For donations/pizzas and virtual beers 🙂
Did you like the post? Pin it!
