In this guide
The part of the Chaco you can see in a day from Asunción is the Lower Chaco, just across the river: Villa Hayes, about 30 km away, with its Chaco War museum, the Madame Lynch stairway and the riverfront, plus, if you leave very early, the Pa'i Puku school out on the Transchaco. The Mennonite colonies of the Central Chaco (Filadelfia, Loma Plata) and Mariscal Estigarribia are 450–520 km and about 7 hours' drive away (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab); Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)): that is not a day trip but a journey of at least two nights.
How to cross into the Chaco from Asunción
- Héroes del Chaco bridge: it starts at the Costanera roundabout and crosses to Nueva Asunción, formerly Chaco'i; it opened in March 2024 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)) and makes Villa Hayes easier to reach (La Nación, 2024 (opens in a new tab)).
- Remanso bridge: the classic route, about 1,500 m long and opened in 1978, linking Mariano Roque Alonso with the Chaco (La Nación, 2018 (opens in a new tab)). On the far side you join Route PY09, the Transchaco (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- By bus: Line 44 (Empresa Villa Hayes) and Line 5 (La Chaqueña) run to Villa Hayes (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
Morning: historic Villa Hayes
Villa Hayes sits on the Paraguay River about 30 km from Asunción (La Nación, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). Everything below is walkable in a morning:
- Salvador Garozzo Museum: opened in 1997 in an old building facing the river, with more than 3,000 pieces: Chaco War uniforms, weapons, documents and photos, stuffed Chaco wildlife, religious art and old photos of the town (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab); La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)). No hours are published, so go mid-morning and ask at the town hall if it is closed.
- Madame Lynch stairway: it climbs to a chapel that Eliza Lynch had built as a birthday present for Francisco Solano López, using materials shipped from Europe (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
- Dr. Pablo Contessi riverfront: at its centre stands the 1904 monument to Benjamín Aceval, between two period cannons (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)). Nearby are the river viewpoint pier and the Nueva Burdeos plaque, which marks the arrival of about 120 French families in 1855 (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)).
- Paraguay's first cobbled road: it climbs from the riverbank into town and was built around 1872 with stone from Tacumbú (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)). When the river is low, look for Itá Cajón, a stone path that only shows at low water.
- Church of the Virgen de la Victoria: on Avenida Laudo Hayes, built between 1947 and 1960 (La Nación, 2025 (opens in a new tab)).
Lunch: river fish at Remanso
If you return over the Remanso bridge, eat at the riverside eateries of barrio San Rafael in Mariano Roque Alonso: surubí broth, fish milanesas, chupín and fish empanadas, daily from 7:00 to 17:00 (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Watch for the fishing ban that starts in early November (2 November in 2025, ABC Color (opens in a new tab)): while it lasts, the eateries stop selling fish (La Nación, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
Full day: the Pa'i Puku school, deeper up the Transchaco
To see the Chaco's scrub forest and palm savanna without staying overnight, head for the Pa'i Puku school, officially the María Medianera Comprehensive Training Centre, running since June 1965 at km 156 of the Transchaco in the Benjamín Aceval district (Pelago (opens in a new tab); Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). It is named after its founder, the priest Pedro Shaw, the same Pa'i Pukú buried in Mariscal Estigarribia.
- What a visit looks like: tours leave Asunción between 5:30 and 6:00, stop at the Villa Hayes riverfront, continue north with wildlife stops, reach the school around midday and head back at 15:00; about 7 hours in all (Pelago (opens in a new tab)).
- On your own: contact the school first; it is a boarding school with students, not an open park.
River alternative: El Peñón
El Peñón is a rocky outcrop in the middle of the Paraguay River between Villa Hayes and Limpio; canoeists from Limpio take visitors out (La Nación, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). A lighthouse built in 1932 stands on the rock (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). It makes a good half day if you prefer water to tarmac.
Heat and what to bring
Summer highs in Villa Hayes reach 44 °C (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). On 35–40 °C days, Paraguay's Ministry of Health advises exercising between 6:00 and 10:00 or 18:00 and 22:00 (La Nación, 2022 (opens in a new tab)), so walk the old town early and spend the hottest hours on the road. Bring water, a hat, insect repellent and cash.
If you still want the Central Chaco, the overnight bus leaves Asunción at 21:00 and reaches the colonies at dawn (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)); plan at least two nights there.
FAQ
Can you see the Chaco on a day trip from Asunción?
Only the Lower Chaco: Villa Hayes, about 30 km away, and with an early start the Pa'i Puku school at km 156 of the Transchaco. Filadelfia and Loma Plata are about 7 hours away and need at least two nights.
What is there to see in Villa Hayes?
The Salvador Garozzo Museum with more than 3,000 pieces, the Madame Lynch stairway, the riverfront with the Benjamín Aceval monument and the Virgen de la Victoria church.
How do I get to Villa Hayes from Asunción?
By car over the Héroes del Chaco bridge, or over the Remanso bridge and up the Transchaco. By bus, take Line 44 or Line 5.
Can you visit the Pa'i Puku school?
Yes, on full-day tours from Asunción lasting about 7 hours, or by arranging it beforehand with the school, which is a boarding school.
