What to do in Paraguay with kids? Paraguay is one of the least visited countries in South America and that is because there are not very big attractions in the country. Because of this, tourists often don’t visit the country, but this ensures that you won’t find mass tourism here yet. The country is also a lot less touristy and therefore you can still observe the real South American culture here. In this blog we put a nice travel route through Paraguay on paper and we also give tips for a nice trip to Paraguay with kids.
Best travel time Paraguay with kids
You can visit Paraguay with kids year-round. The best travel time to visit Paraguay is from March through September when temperatures are not as high as in the summer months (November through February). There is also a lot less rainfall during this period. In November through February, temperatures reach above 30 degrees and then it can be too hot to visit the country with kids.
Transportation in Paraguay
The best way to travel around Paraguay is by rental car. The country is not super big, but still, these relatively short distances quickly take you quite a while. Most families with kids arrive by plane in Paraguay’s capital Asuncion. At this airport you can easily rent a car through the organization Sunny Cars. With the cars from Sunny Cars, we usually go abroad with our family.
They have an extremely good insurance package and also very fine terms regarding canceling the booking and the deductible. Look online for car rentals at Asuncion airport. You can also use public transportation to travel around Paraguay with kids. There are buses between major cities, but often this is not very ideal with kids. You are often on the road a lot longer than traveling by car.
In the cities themselves, you can use either public transportation or cabs just fine. You can use the various cab apps in the different cities of Paraguay just fine. Just make sure you buy a SIM card at Asuncion airport so you can have coverage throughout the country and order a cab.
Travel tips Paraguay
When traveling to Paraguay with children, you and the kids often need passports. Check this before you travel to the country. For most countries, you don’t need a visa for Paraguay if you don’t stay there for more than 90 days. In Paraguay, they pay with the Guaraní or the U.S. dollar. Be sure to use debit cards in the major cities, as it is difficult to get cash in many places in the country.
The mains power in Paraguay is 220 volts and they often use the same outlets as in Western European countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany. When you look at costs, Paraguay is still a relatively inexpensive country compared to many of the other South American countries. It is also relatively safe in the country, although of course in South America you should always be on your guard.
Also check in advance exactly what vaccinations you need for the country. If you are traveling to Paraguay and you are coming from a country with yellow fever, you must be vaccinated for this. In addition, vaccinations against DTP and Hepatitis A are recommended. Before traveling to Paraguay with kids, seek medical advice on what you need to travel to the country.
Travel route Paraguay with kids
You can see quite a bit of Paraguay in 1 week with kids. We list below some destinations you can visit during a tour of Paraguay with kids.
Asuncion
Asuncion is the capital of Paraguay and this is usually the first destination that families with kids visit when touring Paraguay. Asuncion has a beautiful historic center, where it is fun to walk around. You also have a lot of street art in the center of this city that you can check out.
With kids, it is fun to go to the zoo in Asuncion. Besides this zoo, you also have a botanical garden here, where you can also go for a nice walk with kids. Asuncion also has an artificial beach and especially in the hot summer months you can go to the beach with kids. In 2 days you can already see a lot in this city.
If you’re looking for family-friendly accommodations, the options below are recommended.
Budget accommodation: SBS Hotel & Spa
Mid-range accommodation: Hotel Cecilia
Luxury Accommodation: Esplendor by Wyndham Asuncion
Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Asunción.
Ciudad del Este
This is the second largest city in Paraguay and it is located near the border with Brazil and Argentina. From Asuncion it is about 4.5 hours away by car to this city. Ciudad del Este is the starting point to go to see the Iguazu Falls. These falls are located in Argentina and Brazil, but you are at a sort of tri-border point here, making these falls great to visit from this city.
For these waterfalls, you can easily set aside 3 to 5 days. You should take a day anyway to see the falls in Brazil and a day to see the falls in Argentina. Besides the waterfalls, you have a nice bird park located here with all kinds of tropical birds and also a nice water park for kids.
Another attraction has also been created around the tri-border point where you can go. We wrote about this area the blog Iguazu with kids, where you can find all the information about this area. You can spend a great night in Ciudad del Esta with the family at the following accommodations.
Budget accommodation: Los Monges Aparthotel
Mid-range accommodations: Howard Johnson Ciudad del Este
Luxury Accommodation: Hotel Casino Acaray
Also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Ciudad del Este.
Encarnación
From Ciudad del Este you can then travel on to southern Paraguay in 4 hours and the town of Encarnacón is a good option. Encarnación was founded by the Jesuits and the city is located on the water. In the city they have built a beach, so you can also spend a few hours on the beach here with kids during the summer months. Near the beach are also the letters of the city, which of course is always fun to take a picture with.
Most tourists who visit Encarnación do so because of the Jesuit ruins. These ruins are also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These ruins look extraordinary and you pay a small entrance fee for the ruins. If you do not have a car at your disposal, you can reach these ruins by bus or cab. In Encarnación you can stay 2 days and then you have seen it.
You have some family-friendly accommodations in Encarnación that are well-reviewed and these are the following accommodations.
Budget accommodation: De La Costa Hotel
Middle-class accommodation: 25 homeApart
Luxury accommodation: Milord Hotel
KIjk also check out the entire list of family-friendly accommodations in Encarnación.
With a visit to the cities described above, you can make a tour of Paraguay and this itinerary through the country takes a little longer than a week. You can also visit the west of Paraguay with kids, but there is not much to do here. This part of the country is much less discovered by tourists and therefore a lot less crowded.
A famous city located in the north is Concepción and this city is located on the river. It is even possible to visit this city by boat. You also have more than 10 different national parks located in the country, so you can also visit nature in Paraguay with kids. So you can still put together a nice itinerary and have a unique adventure with the family. You really do go off the beaten path in Paraguay.
