Skip to content
wheretotravel.info
Paraguay

Paraguay travel guide

A Spanish- and Guarani-speaking corner of South America, best visited from May to August

Best: May, Jun, Jul, Aug

Photo: Axel Torres / Pexels

Capital
Asunción
Languages
Guarani, Spanish
Currency
Paraguayan guaraní
Time zone
UTC-04:00
Plugs
Type C · 220 V
Driving
On the right
Emergency
911

Why visit Paraguay

Paraguay suits independent travellers who like a slow, city-to-city trip. Start in Asunción, the capital, then move on to Encarnación, Ciudad del Este or the small town of Filadelfia. The best months to go are May, June, July and August. Spanish and Guarani are the main languages, so some Spanish will help you get around. One honest limitation: this is not a beach trip. None of the main cities is on the coast.

  • A clear best season

    Our data ranks July, June, August and May as the best months to visit Paraguay. That gives you a simple 4-month window, May to August, to plan around. Outside it, conditions are rated less favourable, so check the weather before booking.

  • Two languages, one country

    Paraguay uses 2 languages side by side: Spanish and Guarani. Hearing an Indigenous language in everyday use makes the country feel different from its neighbours. Some Spanish will help you get around.

  • A capital of manageable size

    Asunción, the capital, has about 462,241 people. That is small for a South American capital, so it is easier to find your way around than in the region's larger cities.

  • Space and few people

    Paraguay covers 406,752 km² but has only about 6,109,644 people. Its largest city, Asunción, is under half a million. If you want a South American country without mass tourism, this is one to consider.

  • Cities of very different sizes

    You can move from Asunción (462,241 people) to Ciudad del Este (350,000) and Encarnación (106,842), then on to Filadelfia, a town of just 18,210. A route through all 4 gives you both city life and small-town Paraguay.

Is Paraguay right for you?

Great for

  • Cooler-season trips in June, July and August, with highs of about 25–28°C
  • Travellers who want drier days: July averages 42 mm of rain and about 5 rain days
  • Spanish speakers, and anyone curious to hear Guarani, the other official language
  • City-hoppers who like smaller capitals: Asunción has about 462241 people
  • Sun lovers who can handle heat: January averages 11.4 sun hours a day

Less ideal for

  • Beach holidays: none of the main cities listed is on the coast
  • Heat-sensitive travellers in December to February, with highs of 33–34°C and lows near 24–25°C
  • Trips in October to December, the wettest stretch, with 145–175 mm of rain a month

Paraguay right now: October

4.6/10
Avg high
32°C
Avg low
22°C
Rain days
12

Averages for Paraguay.

Weather by month

This climate data covers Paraguay as a whole for 2015–2024, not one named city, and the best months are May to August, when highs are around 25–28°C and July has only 4.9 rain days and 42 mm of rain. Avoid November to March, when highs reach 33.9°C in January and December brings the most rain, at 175 mm.

Average highs and lows in Paraguay by month January: high 34°C, low 25°C , 14 rain days . February: high 33°C, low 24°C , 13 rain days . March: high 32°C, low 23°C , 12 rain days . April: high 30°C, low 21°C , 9 rain days . May: high 26°C, low 18°C , 11 rain days . June: high 25°C, low 17°C , 6 rain days . July: high 26°C, low 16°C , 5 rain days . August: high 28°C, low 18°C , 6 rain days . September: high 31°C, low 20°C , 6 rain days . October: high 32°C, low 22°C , 12 rain days . November: high 33°C, low 22°C , 11 rain days . December: high 33°C, low 24°C , 13 rain days . 34°C 25°C JAN 14d 33°C 24°C FEB 13d 32°C 23°C MAR 12d 30°C 21°C APR 9d 26°C 18°C MAY 11d 25°C 17°C JUN 6d 26°C 16°C JUL 5d 28°C 18°C AUG 6d 31°C 20°C SEP 6d 32°C 22°C OCT 12d 33°C 22°C NOV 11d 33°C 24°C DEC 13d
Best months Other months (low–high) Nd = rain days

Paraguay (country average) · averages 2015–2024

Best time to visit Paraguay: month-by-month weather →

Sample itineraries

7 days

Capital and two southern-border cities

  1. Day 1–3

    Asunción

    Start in the capital, the largest city on this list with 462,241 people. Settle in, get Paraguayan guaraní cash, and listen for both Guarani and Spanish on the street.

  2. Day 4–5

    Encarnación

    Move on to Encarnación, a city of 106,842 people. It is much smaller than the capital, so plan slower days and explore the centre on foot at your own pace.

  3. Day 6–7

    Ciudad del Este

    End in Ciudad del Este, home to 350,000 people. Keep your last day free for the trip home. None of these cities is on the coast, so don't plan a beach break.

10 days

Paraguay's four main cities at an easy pace

  1. Day 1–3

    Asunción

    Begin in Asunción, the capital, with 462,241 people. Use these days to recover from your flight, sort out local cash in guaraní, and get used to a country that speaks Guarani and Spanish.

  2. Day 4–6

    Filadelfia

    Filadelfia is by far the smallest stop, with 18,210 people. Go if you want quiet small-town days. Skip it and add time elsewhere if you prefer city life.

  3. Day 7–8

    Encarnación

    Spend 2 days in Encarnación, a mid-sized city of 106,842 people. It is a calmer base than the capital for walking and slow afternoons.

  4. Day 9–10

    Ciudad del Este

    Finish in Ciudad del Este, a city of 350,000 people. Leave your final day open for travel home, and bring a type C plug adapter for 220 V power.

Food to try in Paraguay

Tereré

Tereré is yerba mate served with cold water, often mixed with herbs. People drink it all day, especially in hot weather, and share it from one cup and metal straw with friends.

Chipa

Chipa is a small, chewy bread made from cassava starch, cheese and egg. Street sellers offer it on corners and buses, and it is a common breakfast or snack.

Sopa paraguaya

Despite its name, sopa paraguaya is not a soup. It is a solid, savoury cornbread with cheese and onion, often served beside grilled meat at family meals and parties.

Mbejú

Mbejú is a flat, pan-cooked cake of cassava starch and cheese. Paraguayans often eat it for breakfast or in the afternoon with a hot drink.

Vori vori

Vori vori is a thick chicken soup with small balls of cornmeal and cheese. It is a filling home-style dish, popular on cooler days.

Cocido

Cocido is a hot drink of yerba mate toasted with sugar, then brewed and often mixed with milk. It is usually drunk at breakfast, often with chipa or mbejú.

Know before you go

  • Plugs and voltage: Paraguay uses type C plugs with two round pins. The supply is 220 V. Bring an adapter if your plugs are different, and check that your chargers accept 220 V before plugging in.
  • Driving side: Traffic drives on the right in Paraguay. If you come from a country that drives on the left, take extra care at junctions and roundabouts during your first days.
  • Emergency number: Call 911 in an emergency. Save it in your phone before you arrive so you can find it quickly.
  • Currency: The local currency is the Paraguayan guaraní. Check the current exchange rate before you travel so you can judge prices and spot a bad deal when changing money.
  • Languages: Spanish and Guarani are the languages of Paraguay. Learning a few basic Spanish phrases will help with everyday tasks like ordering food, asking directions and buying tickets.
  • Time zone: Paraguay is on UTC-04:00. Check the time difference from home before you book connecting flights or plan calls.
  • Phone calls: The country calling code for Paraguay is +595. Use it when you give your hotel or tour company a number from abroad, or when someone calls you on a local number.

Paraguay: frequently asked questions

When is the best time to visit Paraguay?

May to August is the best time to visit Paraguay. July scores highest at 9 out of 10, with highs of 25.9°C, lows of 16°C and only 4.9 rain days. June scores 8.7, with 50 mm of rain. These figures are country-wide averages for 2015–2024, so conditions in each region may differ.

Is Paraguay good to visit in January?

No, January is a month to avoid, with a score of 1.8 out of 10. Highs average 33.9°C and nights stay around 25°C. It is also wet, with 13.7 rain days and 133 mm of rain. February scores even lower at 1.5, and December scores 2.2.

What is the rainiest month in Paraguay?

December is the wettest month, with 175 mm of rain, closely followed by October at 174 mm. January has the most rain days, at 13.7. The driest month is July, with 42 mm over 4.9 days. Rain rises sharply after September, from 77 mm to 174 mm in October.

Is September a good month to visit Paraguay?

Yes, September is rated good, with a score of 6.4 out of 10. It has 6.1 rain days and 77 mm of rain, but it is warmer than winter, with highs of 30.7°C. October drops to ok at 4.6, as rain more than doubles to 174 mm.

What plugs and voltage does Paraguay use?

Paraguay uses type C plugs and 220 V electricity. Bring an adapter if your devices use a different plug type. Check that your chargers work at 220 V. Other basics: the emergency number is 911, the calling code is +595, and cars drive on the right.

What language and currency are used in Paraguay?

Paraguay has 2 official languages, Spanish and Guarani, and its currency is the Paraguayan guaraní. The whole country uses one time zone, UTC-04:00. The capital and largest city is Asunción, with a population of about 462,241.

Similar destinations

Countries with a year of weather much like Paraguay.