In this guide
From Villarrica you have three short trips that fit easily into a day: Itapé and its beach on the Tebicuarymí river (half a day), Colonia Independencia with the Salto Suizo waterfall and Cerro Akatí (full day), and Caazapá with the Ykua Bolaños spring (full day). The trick is to leave early, drive the dirt roads in daylight and head back with time to spare before dark.
Rules of the day: heat, dirt roads and a return buffer
- Heat: Villarrica hit 37 °C in December 2017 and its record is 40.4 °C (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Paraguay's Health Ministry advises outdoor activity before 10:00 or after 17:00 (MSPBS (opens in a new tab)): hikes in the morning, water and shade at midday.
- Rain: September and October are the wettest months (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). The roads to Salto Suizo and Cerro Akatí are unpaved; after heavy rain, switch to Itapé or Caazapá, which are on asphalt.
- Return buffer: plan to come down the dirt road in daylight. Winter days are short, so start earlier.
- Before you go: fill the tank and take cash in Villarrica; the parks in Independencia take cash. If anyone is drinking, someone else drives: Paraguay has zero tolerance for alcohol at the wheel (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)).
Half day: Itapé and Ysoró beach
Itapé is about 20 km away; the paved road via Loma Hovy is about 23 km and is the one to use after rain (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)).
- Playa Ysoró: on the Tebicuarymí river, packed in the hot season (ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). Arrive mid-morning with a cool box, an umbrella and a flask.
- Santuario de la Virgen del Paso: in town. Its feast on 18 December draws more than 60,000 people (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)); that day, leave before dawn or pick another date.
- Return: it's close, so you can stay until late afternoon and still be back in Villarrica before nightfall.
Full day: Colonia Independencia and the Ybytyruzú hills
Independencia borders Villarrica to the west, in the Ybytyruzú range (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab); ABC Color, 2026 (opens in a new tab)). Its attractions sit close together, so you can combine several in one trip (La Nación, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). Pick two, not five:
- Cerro Akatí (morning). The road starts in Melgarejo and is dirt with loose stone; ABC recommends a 4x4, and there's paid parking about 2 km below the summit, from where you walk (ABC Color, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). Visitors reported a G. 40,000 per person entry fee in March 2026 (TripAdvisor (opens in a new tab)). Bring water and food. More in our Cerro Akatí day trip.
- Salto Suizo (midday). 38 km from Villarrica; the last 8 km from Melgarejo are unpaved, and in December 2023 entry was G. 25,000 per person (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). The final 300 m are on foot over streams and rocks (La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)). The water cools you down right in the hottest hours.
- Salto Mirian Mabel (alternative). In Cerro León, with an accessible viewpoint and a ramped trail (Última Hora, 2019 (opens in a new tab); La Nación, 2020 (opens in a new tab)). The pick if someone in the group has limited mobility.
- Castillo Echauri (afternoon). A stone-and-brick fortress with a tower of about 20 m, now a theme park (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). When it opened in 2021 it opened to visitors on Saturdays and Sundays, with G. 30,000 adult entry (Infonegocios, 2021 (opens in a new tab); La Nación, 2021 (opens in a new tab)). Message them on social media for current hours.
- San Vicente de Paul church: built in 1939 with stones carried by hand from the Tacuaras stream (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). A quick stop on the way out.
Dates that fill the town: Chopp Fest in early November and the patron saint's day on 27 September; on festive dates occupancy hits 90-100% (La Nación, 2024 (opens in a new tab)). Book a bed or plan to sleep back in Villarrica.
Full day: Caazapá down Route PY08
Caazapá is 50 km from Villarrica on the PY08 (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)), all paved, which makes it the rainy-day option.
- Ykua Bolaños (09:00): the spring tied to the legend of Friar Luis Bolaños, 1 km from the urban area (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Start here while it's cool.
- San Pablo church and Museo Fray Juan Bernardo: the Franciscan altarpiece that survived a fire, and the museum opposite, which ABC suggests giving about two hours (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)). Your midday shelter.
- Oratorio San Roque: an 18th-century chapel inside the cemetery, with a Franciscan altarpiece (ABC Color, 2023 (opens in a new tab)).
Leave Villarrica at 08:00 and you're back by mid-afternoon. The full plan is in our Caazapá day trip.
What if you start in Asunción?
Villarrica is 172 km from the capital (Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)). Itapé and Caazapá can be done in a day from Asunción if you leave before dawn, but they're long days on the road; Independencia with Cerro Akatí runs past 400 km round trip. The comfortable way is to sleep in Villarrica and treat these as day trips from there.
FAQ
What day trips are there near Villarrica?
Itapé and Ysoró beach (half day), Colonia Independencia with Salto Suizo and Cerro Akatí, and Caazapá with the Ykua Bolaños spring and San Pablo church (full day).
How much does Salto Suizo cost?
In December 2023 entry was G. 25,000 per person, according to ABC Color. Bring cash.
What if it has rained?
Skip Salto Suizo and Cerro Akatí, which have dirt access roads, and choose Itapé via the paved Loma Hovy road or Caazapá on the PY08.
Can I do Cerro Akatí as a day trip from Asunción?
Yes, but it's a very long day: over 400 km round trip, with an unpaved stretch. Sleeping in Villarrica is the better plan.
