In this guide
Mariscal Estigarribia is the last sizeable town on the Transchaco highway before Bolivia, about 520 km from Asunción. The things worth your time are the Guaraní community of Santa Teresita, the old church and the new cathedral with its small museum, and, if your dates allow, the Areté Guasu carnival or Transchaco Rally week. Otherwise the town works best as a base or a stop on the road.
What to see in town
The town is a long strip of blocks along the Transchaco: the army barracks, old church and water tower to the west; the new cathedral and most shops to the east. The Municipalidad (town hall) in the middle is the landmark everyone uses (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
- Samu'u avenues: the mostly unpaved streets are lined with samu'u (bottle trees) and run through the military, civilian and indigenous parts of town (SENATUR (opens in a new tab)). A walk at sunset is the best way to see them.
- Old church and the Pa'i Pukú's tomb: inside the military compound is a red-brick church holding the tomb of Bishop Pedro Shaw, known as the Pa'i Pukú, who died in 1984. Show your ID at the gate and say you are a tourist (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
- Dr. Luis María Argaña Airport: also inside the military area, with a 3.8 km runway reached along a samu'u-lined avenue (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Army engineers built it between 1977 and 1986 (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- New cathedral and museum: built in 2000, with a carved wooden Virgin and an adjoining museum of Nivaclé crafts, old household objects and Chaco War bullets (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Ask at the parish when it is open.
Santa Teresita and the Areté Guasu
Santa Teresita is the Guaraní community right next to town, to the south along the Transchaco (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab); La Nación (opens in a new tab)). You can see traditional customs, dress and celebrations there (SENATUR (opens in a new tab)) and buy crafts such as rugs, bags and palo santo carvings (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
The Areté Guasu is the Chaco Guaraní carnival: three days in late February or early March of circle dances to flutes and drums, ancestor masks, the bull-and-jaguar dance, maize chicha and a final procession to the cemetery (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). It is held in Santa Teresita, in Mariscal itself and in other Chaco communities (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
Visiting respectfully, from La Nación's report (2022) (opens in a new tab):
- The festival is open and free, but ask the community leaders for permission before you walk in.
- Bring food for the shared pot: the women cook and everyone eats together.
- If you are offered chicha, it is hospitality and usually not refused (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
- Dress for heat and dust, with a hat and water.
Transchaco Rally: when the town fills up
The area around Mariscal hosts the Transchaco Rally, Paraguay's biggest motor race (SENATUR (opens in a new tab)). For the 2023 edition, which started on 30 June, Chaco hotels were practically fully booked and many fans camped or stayed in private homes (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). The date changes every year: the 51st edition, in 2026, runs from 30 October to 1 November, again based in Mariscal (ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). If you come for it, book months ahead or bring camping gear.
Getting there and around
- By car: Mariscal is on the Transchaco, about 520 km and roughly 7 hours' drive from Asunción, and 231 km from the Bolivian border (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
- By bus: NASA-Golondrina runs a daily service from Asunción via Filadelfia and Loma Plata (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)); the company has a terminal on Avenida Hindenburg in Filadelfia (Trip.com (opens in a new tab)). Mariscal's bus terminal is at the entrance to town, beside the highway.
- From Filadelfia: about 2 hours by bus (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)), so it pairs well with a day in the Mennonite museums.
- On to Bolivia: Paraguay's customs and immigration office is in Mariscal, where you get your exit stamp. The Asunción–Santa Cruz bus comes through in the small hours, and the border itself is another 6 to 7 hours on (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)).
Before you go: heat, cash and health
- Heat: from November to March it can reach 45 °C with low humidity (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). In November 2023 the town recorded a 34 °C overnight low, the highest minimum ever measured in South America (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Walk early or at dusk. July and August nights can be cold.
- Cash: few shops take cards and there is a single ATM, at the roundabout near the barracks (Wikivoyage (opens in a new tab)). Get cash in Filadelfia or Loma Plata first.
- Health: the Hospital Regional de Mariscal Estigarribia is in Barrio Santa María (Ministry of Health (opens in a new tab)).
Beyond town: the Chaco national parks
Mariscal is the gateway to the northern protected areas. A 177 km road runs from Mariscal to General Pablo Colman, on the way to Defensores del Chaco, Paraguay's largest park at 720,000 hectares. Teniente Agripino Enciso National Park has Chaco War trenches you can visit with park rangers, and it is also the rangers' base for Médanos del Chaco, the park of dunes and guanacos (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). These are multi-day trips on isolated roads; arrange them before you set off.
FAQ
What is there to do in Mariscal Estigarribia?
Walk the samu'u avenues, see the old church with the Pa'i Pukú's tomb and the cathedral museum, and visit the Guaraní community of Santa Teresita, home to the Areté Guasu carnival.
How far is Mariscal Estigarribia from Asunción?
About 520 km on the Transchaco, roughly 7 hours by car. NASA-Golondrina runs a daily bus via Filadelfia and Loma Plata.
When is the Areté Guasu?
It lasts three days in late February or early March, during carnival. It is open and free, but ask the community leaders for permission first.
Is Mariscal Estigarribia the exit point for Bolivia?
Yes. Paraguay's customs and immigration office is in Mariscal, where you get your exit stamp; the border is another 6 to 7 hours away.
