Paraguay
The quiet heart of South America
Take the less-travelled route through river cities, Jesuit history, Chaco landscapes and a culture built around shared terere.
Ulises Icardi / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Image licence
The honest overview
Get to know Paraguay before fixing the route.
Paraguay is famed for its Jesuit mission ruins, laid-back river towns and the daily ritual of sharing tereré, attracting backpackers stretching a wider Southern Cone loop, culture-focused travellers and the occasional traveller chasing somewhere properly under-visited. Paraguay is known for being one of South America's most overlooked backpacker stops, thanks to sitting wedged between more famous neighbours, a small hostel scene and a travel-guide industry that barely mentions it, making it one of the few places left on the continent where you'll go days without bumping into another backpacker.
Part of the joy of backpacking in Paraguay is deciding what deserves more time. Keep space for weather changes, longer travel days and recommendations from people you meet on the road.
Card acceptance thins out fast once you leave Asunción, so carry Guaraní in cash for buses, markets and smaller towns – ATMs are reliable in cities but scarcer in rural areas.
There's no single fixed route through Paraguay, and it helps to stay flexible since so few backpackers pass through that plans tend to shift around whoever else you meet. Most people arrive as a detour from a wider Argentina/Brazil loop – either crossing from Foz do Iguaçu into Ciudad del Este, or from Posadas into Encarnación – spend a few days in Asunción, then loop out to the Jesuit mission ruins near Encarnación before continuing on to Bolivia or back into Argentina. Travellers with more time occasionally push into the Paraguayan Chaco, though this needs its own planning given how sparse transport gets out there.
Season by season
What each season means for your trip
Paraguay's weather can change sharply by region and elevation. These are planning patterns, not guarantees.
Warmer-season travel
Peak summer, hot and humid with temperatures of 30–38°C and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Asunción regularly tops 35°C; this is the least comfortable stretch for walking cities or ruins.
Wetter travel conditions
Autumn, cooling steadily through the low 20s to high 20s°C with less rain than summer. One of the more comfortable windows to visit, and Semana Santa (Easter week) falls here, drawing crowds to Tañarandy.
Cooler-season travel
Winter, generally mild by day (15–22°C) but prone to sudden cold fronts locally called "friagem," which can drop temperatures close to 0°C for a few days, especially overnight. Driest months of the year overall.
Wetter travel conditions
Spring, warming back up through the 20s°C with rain returning gradually. Along with autumn, this is the pick of the year – comfortable temperatures before the summer heat sets in.
Check the forecast for the exact region and elevation on your route, then leave room to change outdoor plans when conditions move.
Cost of day to day travel
Build a budget around the route
Paraguay is one of the cheapest countries to travel in South America. £18–25 a day covers a hostel dorm, street food or a set-menu lunch, and local buses comfortably in Asunción and the main towns.
Paraguay is one of the cheapest countries to travel in South America. £18–25 a day covers a hostel dorm, street food or a set-menu lunch, and local buses comfortably in Asunción and the main towns.
Long transfers, specialist tours and headline activities can change the daily total quickly.
Card acceptance thins out fast once you leave Asunción, so carry Guaraní in cash for buses, markets and smaller towns – ATMs are reliable in cities but scarcer in rural areas.
Average the full trip rather than forcing every day into the same number. Keep emergency funds separate from daily spending.
Key backpacker routes
Find the route that feels right for you
There is no single route you need to follow. Let your timeframe, interests and season shape the journey through Paraguay.
Start with the natural route Core journey
There's no single fixed route through Paraguay, and it helps to stay flexible since so few backpackers pass through that plans tend to shift around whoever else you meet.
Add the region that earns your time Build depth
Most people arrive as a detour from a wider Argentina/Brazil loop – either crossing from Foz do Iguaçu into Ciudad del Este, or from Posadas into Encarnación – spend a few days in Asunción, then loop out to the Jesuit mission ruins near Encarnación before continuing on to Bolivia or back into Argentina.
Keep the order flexible Adapt as you travel
Travellers with more time occasionally push into the Paraguayan Chaco, though this needs its own planning given how sparse transport gets out there.
Main destinations and attractions
Where to spend your days
Pick a connected group and leave room for hostel friendships and changing plans. Paraguay rewards depth more than a checklist of stops.
Asunción. Photo: Arcadiuš / flickr, BY 2.0.Asunción
South America's oldest capital, with a compact historic centre that rewards a couple of days on foot. Palacio de López and the Costanera riverside walk are the obvious anchors, and Recoleta Cemetery is worth an hour for the elaborate mausoleums alone.
Encarnación and the Jesuit Missions. Photo: Rodrigo_Soldon / flickr, BY-ND 2.0.Encarnación and the Jesuit Missions
Encarnación itself is a pleasant enough river city, best known for hosting Carnaval Encarnaceno each February, but the real draw is a short trip out to the UNESCO-listed ruins of Trinidad and Jesús de Tavarangue – two of the best-preserved Jesuit reduction sites in South America, and strikingly empty of other tourists compared to Argentina's equivalents.
Ciudad del Este and the Triple Frontier. Photo: Nicolas Solop / flickr, BY-SA 2.0.Ciudad del Este and the Triple Frontier
A chaotic duty-free shopping town on the Brazilian border, mostly useful to backpackers as a base for day trips: the Itaipu Dam (one of the largest hydroelectric dams on Earth) and the Brazilian or Argentine side of Iguazú Falls are both within reach from here.
The Paraguayan Chaco. Photo: ER's Eyes - Our planet is beautiful. / flickr, BY-NC-SA 2.0.The Paraguayan Chaco
A vast, sparsely populated wilderness of scrubland and Mennonite farming colonies (Filadelfia is the main hub), with wildlife-watching and a remote feel that's rare this accessible in South America.
Concepción and the river towns. Photo: szeke / flickr, BY-NC-SA 2.0.Concepción and the river towns
A slower-paced, colonial river town on the Río Paraguay, sometimes visited by backpackers heading north. Worth knowing the FCDO flags increased risk in the departments bordering Brazil and Bolivia further north and east of here (see Safety and Common Scams) – it doesn't rule Concepción itself out, but it's worth checking current advice before planning a route further into that region.
Call out jaguar spotting under the relevant header For a feel of the cities before diving in, a Guruwalk-style tip-based walking tour is worth booking in Asunción if one's running. Our Outpacker chatbot can help you build the rest of the route around whichever of these fits your dates.
Getting around
Compare time, comfort and cost
Buses are the default way to move around Paraguay and are affordable, though there's no dedicated regional booking aggregator equivalent to 12Go for this part of South America – tickets are generally bought direct at the terminal or through the operator's own site.
Taxi/Rideshare
Uber and Bolt both operate in Asunción and are the easiest way around the capital; elsewhere, ask your hostel for a trusted local taxi rather than hailing on the street.
Bus
The Terminal de Ómnibus in Asunción is the hub for long-distance routes to Encarnación, Ciudad del Este and beyond.
Border crossings
The Ciudad del Este–Foz do Iguaçu bridge and the Encarnación–Posadas bridge are the two main land crossings backpackers use.
Plane
Domestic flights are limited, mostly routing through Asunción's Silvio Pettirossi International Airport; useful for reaching the Chaco quickly but not really needed on the standard circuit.
Set up an eSIM or data plan before arriving, and download offline maps for Asunción and Encarnación – signal thins out fast once you're off the main roads.
Culture and events
Events worth knowing about
Dates can shift, so verify the current programme before building a trip around an event in Paraguay.
A carnival festival with samba-school-style parades, costumes and floats along Encarnación's Costanera. Likely one of the larger carnival celebrations in South America outside Brazil, though exact rankings vary by source – worth checking current dates and scale before building a trip around it.
A religious festival built around Good Friday, best experienced in the small town of Tañarandy near San Ignacio, where locals lay out elaborate candlelit art installations and processions through the streets after dark.
A national holiday marking independence from Spain, with parades and events centred on Asunción.
A traditional harvest-season festival blending Catholic and Guaraní folk traditions, with bonfires, fire-walking and traditional games held in towns and rural communities across the country.
A major religious pilgrimage to the Basilica in Caacupé, drawing hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from across the country and neighbouring Argentina and Brazil.
Confirm the official programme, accommodation pressure and transport changes before committing non-refundable plans.
Paraguayan food
Discover the flavours that make Paraguay memorable
Mercado 4 in Asunción is the easiest place to sample a broad spread of this in one visit.
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Paraguayan food leans heavily on corn, cassava (mandioca) and beef, with tererécold yerba mate sipped through a metal bombilla from a shared guampa – as much a daily social ritual as a drink.Photo: Nicola since 1972 / flickr, BY 2.0 -
Sopa Paraguayaa dense, savoury cornbread that despite the name isn't a soup at all.Photo: Gabriela Ruellan / flickr, CC0 1.0 -
Chipacassava-and-cheese bread rolls, sold everywhere from bakeries to bus-window vendors.Photo: Nicola since 1972 / flickr, BY 2.0 -
AsadoParaguayan barbecue, usually a slow Sunday family affair rather than a quick meal.Photo: Magalie L'Abbé / flickr, BY-NC 2.0 -
Mbejua cassava-starch flatbread, crisp outside and chewy inside.Photo: Magalie L'Abbé / flickr, BY-NC 2.0 -
Bori Boria chicken soup with small cornmeal dumplings, good comfort food on a cooler day.Photo: Overkill53 / wikimedia, BY-SA 4.0 -
Tereréless a dish than a ritual: cold yerba mate passed round a circle from one guampa, refilled and shared rather than drunk alone.Photo: Overkill53 / wikimedia, BY-SA 4.0
Visible turnover is a useful guide. Explain allergies carefully and carry a translated note when an ingredient could cause a serious reaction.
Hostels
Choose the atmosphere, not just the bed
The hostel scene here is small and stays that way – a handful of solid options in Asunción, one useful one in Ciudad del Este, and not much beyond that.
El Nómada Hostel Asunción
Asuncion, ParaguayProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Teko Arte Hostel & Bar
Ciudad del Este, ParaguayProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →Mandioca Hostel
Asuncion, ParaguayProperty image from Hostelworld's official HOSCAR record.View photos and details →La Casita Del Viajero
Asuncion, ParaguayIncluded because Paraguay has fewer than four properties on Hostelworld's 2026 HOSCAR winners page. This highly rated backpacker-focused stay is known for a social atmosphere, organised excursions and a welcoming base in Asuncion. Check the current listing and recent reviews before booking.
Property image from the linked Hostelworld listing.View photos and details →What you need to pack
Pack for the route, not every possibility
Run your dates through our trip planner chatbot and it'll build a kit list around exactly where and when you're going.
Climate and clothing
Paraguay's real packing challenge is the swing between seasons rather than one fixed climate: summer heat and humidity call for the same logic as anywhere tropical, but winter's occasional "friagem" cold fronts catch people out who've packed only for South American heat, so a warm layer for evenings between June and August is worth having even if the days look mild.
- DEET mosquito spray – dengue is present, particularly in warmer months; cover up and spray up.
- Padlocks – for hostel lockers, which aren't universal outside the bigger cities.
Rain and terrain
Choose footwear and weather protection for the terrain and season on your route.
- A universal travel adapter and a power bank – Paraguay runs on Type C sockets at 220V.
- A basic first aid kit – plasters, rehydration sachets and something for an upset stomach.
Hostels and travel days
Hostel and local laundrettes are cheap and easy to find in Asunción and Encarnación, less so in smaller towns, so plan around that if you're heading into the Chaco or river towns for a stretch.
- A reusable water bottle with a filter – tap water in Asunción is generally treated, but a filter is a sensible extra outside the capital (we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking locally).
- A money belt or cash pouch – card acceptance drops off fast outside Asunción, so you'll be carrying more cash than in most countries on a similar budget.
Activities and health
Add specialist equipment only for booked activities and current health guidance.
- A dry bag – handy for river trips near Concepción or Chaco excursions where dust and water both come up.
Language
A few local phrases go a long way
Spanish and Guaraní are both official languages, and unlike most of Latin America, Guaraní is the majority home language rather than a minority one – most Paraguayans speak a day-to-day mix of the two known as Jopará.
Spanish
| English | Say it in Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hola | OH-lah |
| Goodbye | Adiós | ah-dee-OHS |
| Yes / No | Sí (see) / No | noh |
| How much? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | KWAN-toh KWES-tah |
| How are you? | ¿Cómo estás? | KOH-moh es-TAHS |
| Please | Por favor | por fah-VOR |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Hablás inglés? | ah-BLAHS een-GLES |
| Help, please | Ayuda, por favor | ah-YOO-dah por fah-VOR |
| Where are you from? | ¿De dónde sos? | deh DOHN-deh sos |
| What is your name? / My name is... | ¿Cómo te llamás? / Me llamo... | KOH-moh teh yah-MAHS / meh YAH-moh |
| Thank you | Gracias | grah-syahs |
Guaraní
| English | Say it in Guaraní | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Mba'éichapa | mba-AY-cha-pah |
| Goodbye | Jajotopáta | ha-ho-toh-PA-tah |
| Yes / No | Heẽ (heh-EH) / Nahániri | na-HA-nee-ree |
| How much? | Mboýpa | mboy-PAH |
| How are you? | Mba'éichapa | same as hello – it doubles as both |
| Please | often just borrowed from Spanish as "por favor" in everyday Jopará speech | we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking with a native speaker |
| Do you speak English? | Reñe'ẽkuaápa inglés-pe? | we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking |
| Help, please | Chepytyvõ, ikatúpa | we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking |
| Where are you from? | Mamóguipa nde? | we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking |
| What is your name? / My name is... | Mba'éichapa nde réra? / Che réra... | we believe this is accurate, worth double-checking |
| Thank you | Aguyje | ah-gwee-yeh |
A quirk worth flagging: most day-to-day speech isn't pure Guaraní at all but Jopará, a running mix of the two – don't be surprised to hear a sentence swap languages mid-way.
Visa requirements
Check the rule for your passport
Entry rules depend on nationality, journey and length of stay. Confirm the current rule before booking, then check it again shortly before departure.
Check your exact requirements
Use Sherpa to review entry requirements for your passport and journey. Also confirm passport validity, permitted stay, proof of onward travel and any current arrival-form requirements.
Vaccinations
Make the advice fit your route
Vaccination and health advice depends on your route, duration, medical history and activities.
Review current CDC guidance
Read the current CDC Paraguay traveller guidance, then discuss personal recommendations with a qualified clinician.
Arrange appropriate travel insurance and keep policy details available offline. Consider the practical risks created by climate, altitude, insects, animals, water activities and road travel on your specific route.
Safety and common scams
Standard caution, specific habits
Paraguay is a reasonably relaxed country to travel independently, and elaborate tourist-scam culture isn't really a feature here the way it is in some neighbouring countries – most safety concerns are the everyday South American basics rather than anything engineered for tourists.
Bag-snatching and pickpocketing on public transport
The most common issue by far, particularly on buses in Asunción. Keep bags on your lap or between your feet, not on the floor or an overhead rack out of sight.
Opportunistic street mugging
Occasionally armed, and more likely if you're visibly carrying cash or valuables. Avoid isolated or poorly lit areas at night, including in downtown areas of major cities, and use a licensed taxi or Uber rather than walking after dark.
Fake or unofficial currency exchange
Counterfeit notes circulate informally; change money at registered banks or bureaux de change rather than with anyone offering rates on the street or at the airport.
Regional border risk (Brazil and Bolivia border departments)
The FCDO flags increased risk of drug trafficking and, in parts of San Pedro and Concepción departments, a small armed group operating in rural areas away from the standard tourist route. This doesn't affect the usual Asunción–Encarnación–Ciudad del Este circuit, but it's worth checking current gov.uk advice before travelling further into these border regions.
Mention in Ascuncion to not accidentally walk into the Barrio Ricardo Brugada Favela (commonly known as La Chacarita). It is in the centre of the city and google maps will sometimes take you through if you are at the seafront. Look out for a notable change in building structure and conditions. None of this should put you off – Paraguay is straightforward by the standards of the wider region, it's just worth the same everyday awareness you'd bring to any city.
Sources and feedback
Help us keep this guide useful
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