Paraguay Tours & Vacations

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Paraguay experiences two distinct seasons, hot and cool. Humid and rainy days are distributed fairly evenly between the two seasons although as a general rule, the east of the country gets substantial rainfall throughout the year while the semi-arid far west receives hardly any at all.

The hot season in the summer runs from October to April with average daily highs of around 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) and typically muggy, cloudy weather. Northwestern Paraguay has a tropical climate with wetter, hotter summers than the rest of the country. January is usually the hottest month of the year.

The winter season is from May to September with cooler, changeable weather. Cold polar air blows in from Antarctica and lowers the air temperature to averages of between 6 and 21 degrees Celsius (42 - 71 degrees Fahrenheit). July is the coldest month of the year. 

Since the heat in summer can be intense, the best time to visit is between May and September when the weather is more temperate and pleasant. Partygoers should also look at visiting in February when the country erupts into Carnival.

Canada: Yes, required in advance

New Zealand: Yes, required in advance

USA: Yes, required in advance

United Kingdom: Yes, required in advance

Australia: Yes, required in advance

France: Yes, required in advance

Citizens from the EU, Andorra, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Lichtenstein, Mexico, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Peru, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay, and Venezuela do not need visas for stays of less than 90 days with valid passports. 

Citizens of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the United States can apply for a 90-day visa on arrival at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport. If arriving at a different airport, visas must be arranged in advance. A reciprocity fee applies and varies according to nationality. 

Visitors from other countries must obtain a visa prior to travel. 

Contact your nearest Embassy or Consulate of Paraguay to determine if you are eligible for a visa and for up-to-date visa information. To learn more about visas, visit the official website of the Paraguayan government at mre.gov.py

While tipping isn't mandatory in Paraguay, it's customary to add spare change or to round up your restaurant bills. Although some restaurants and bars may already include a 10% service charge within the bill, feel free to add more if the service is good. Taxi drivers generally don't expect tips.

Internet cafes can be found in large cities and towns frequented by tourists. Internet availability is less widespread in rural and remote areas, so be prepared to disconnect for a while when travelling out of the city.

You should be able to use your mobile phone in Paraguay's cities, but prepare for less coverage in remote or mountainous areas. Ensure you have global roaming enabled before leaving your home country.

Public toilets aren’t always readily available in Paraguay and, when they are, you will often be required to pay a fee to use them. Most bus terminals will charge around USD 0.25 for access and a small supply of paper. It’s advisable that you use the toilets in restaurants and hotels when you can. It’s important to remember that you do not flush the toilet paper as plumbing systems are still rather antiquated. There is a bin beside the toilet to dispose of paper. Most buses will have an on-board toilet, however budget services (or services in remote areas) may not. It's a good idea to carry your own toilet paper and hand sanitiser, as these aren't always provided.

• Hour ride on the bus = USD 1.80 
• Hour of Internet use in a cyber café = USD 0.50
• 1kg of laundry at a public Laundromat = USD 2.15
• Bottle of beer = USD 0.89
• Simple lunch = USD 4.45

Drinking tap water in Paraguay is not recommended. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Instead, fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water – ask your leader where this can be found. In rural areas where it’s not possible to buy bottled water, it is recommended that water be treated before drinking. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and peel fruit and vegetables before eating.

Credit cards are widely accepted in Paraguay’s large cities and towns, especially VISA and Mastercard, and can be used at most top-end hotels, restaurants, shops and other tourist establishments. Keep in mind that credit cards may not be accepted so readily in small towns and rural areas, so always have alternative payment methods available.

ATMs can be found in most of Paraguay's major cities and tourist areas. ATMs are far less common in rural areas and small villages so ensure you have enough cash to cover purchases when traveling away from the larger cities.

From Australia?

Go to: https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

From Canada?

Go to: https://travel.gc.ca/

From the UK?

Go to: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

From New Zealand?

Go to: https://www.safetravel.govt.nz/

From the US?

Go to: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

1 January: New Year's Day

1 March: Heroes' Day

13 April: Maundy Thursday

14 April: Good Friday

16 March: Easter Sunday

1 May: Labor Day

14 May: Independence Day

12 June: Chaco Armistice Day

15 August: Founding of Asunción

29 September: Boqueron Battel Victory Day

8 December: Immaculate Conception

25 December: Christmas Day

For a current list of public holidays in Paraguay go to:  

World Travel Guide Paraguay public holidays

It is generally advised that LGBTQI-travelers should exercise caution while traveling in Paraguay. While homosexuality is legal and LGBTQI recognition is growing, the country remains conservative and homosexuality is not yet widely accepted. The Paraguayan government has no plans to recognize same-sex marriage in the near future. There is a small gay bar scene in Asuncion. 

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex or Smartraveller before you travel.