Paraguay is a landlocked country surrounded by Argentina, Bolivia and Brazil.  The River Paraguay, a tributary of the River Paraná, divides the country into two widely differing regions.

To the east, the Paraná forms a natural border with Brazil, with rolling hills, fertile plains, grasslands and heavily wooded areas.  In the west, the scarcely populated Chaco area consists mainly of empty plains and forests, providing a habitat for hundreds of wildlife and bird species.  Apart from a few scattered military outposts, the main centres of habitation are the Memmonite communities in the Middle Chaco.  After the Amazon, this is America's second largest forest area, whose national parks and biological reserves are popular among enthusiasts of ecotourism.

The remains of the Mission settlements built by Jesuits near the banks of the Río Paraná are testimony to one of the major social experiments on the continent.  The indigenous language, Guarani, is officially recognised, and still taught in schools today.   

Asunción, the capital, is situated on the Bay of Asunción, an inlet off the Paraguay River in a former estate of the Lopez family.  The parrilladas or open-air restaurants offer by far the best atmosphere, especially in Asunción.

Paraguay's university is in San Lorenzo, founded in 1775. In Asunción there are numerous bars, casinos and discotheques.

Situated along the country's eastern border with Brazil, just north of Iguassu, The Itaipú Hydroelectric Power Plant is the largest development of its kind in operation in the world.  Built in a joint development between the Brazil and Paraguay, Itaipú was listed is one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World, according to a worldwide survey conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers.  Cuidad del Este is the town closest to the location of the Iguassu Falls.

Whilst it is possible to visit Iguassu Falls from Paraguay, we normally organise for our groups to take the Great Adventure Trip from the Argentinian side, or as part of an excursion to a Brazilian Rafain show and to see the Falls from Brazil. 

Paraguay is a bit of an anomaly. It is a land-locked country despite having one of the world's most famous falls on its border. As there are no direct scheduled services to the capital, Asuncion, from Europe, you have to fly via a South American city.

• Aerolineas Argentinas ~ From London Gatwick, via Madrid and Buenos Aires, then on to Asuncion, daily.
• TAM ~ From London Heathrow via Sao Paolo then on to Asuncion, daily.
• Iberia ~ From London Heathrow via Madrid and Sao Paolo then on to Asuncion, daily.

As Paraguay will always be incorporated as part of an South American tour featuring other countries, the most cost effective way to travel will be with a South American airline, if you are going to Asuncion, or flying into Iguassu and then using a bus from there to get you to Asuncion - it is a journey of about 4 hours by air-conditioned bus.

With the falls being an integral part of your South American itinerary, the alternative would be to fly with Aerolineas Argentinas into Buenos Aires and connect from there to Asuncion. You then travel by bus down to the falls where you can pick up the Aerolineas domestic services back to Buenos Aires.

Amazingly, we have had quite a number of successful tours to this country, plauying in both Asuncion and Iguacu.  Our first tour was Windsor Boys Grammar in 1985. Since then, we had had many visitors who have really enjoyed going to this landlocked country.  We've even arranged for one of their clubs to tour the UK, and a very colourful occasion that was.  The tourist still retains, as one of his prime refereeing possessions, the huge sombrero he was provided with after a game he refereed. A little different from the customary tie!

Whilst the main sports are football and rugby, we have also arranged for girls to play hockey in Paraguay. 

With the increase in popularity of South America as a destination, probably because so many of our customers have been everywhere else, lesser toured destinations like Paraguay and Uruguay have become more popular.  Sport is played through the clubs and not through the schools.

Whilst we maintain regular communications with our contacts in Asuncion, on a pan-South American tour, it is more efficient for us to use Hernan Vidou from our South American co-ordinators at Interfly in Buenos Aires.  Paraguay will always be a part of an overall South American tour. 

Bob Rees, our Operations Manager, went to Paraguay in 1986 and met the then President of the Paraguay Rugby Union, Danny Burt.   The following year, Danny brought CURDA to the UK for a 7-match tour and our sporting relationship with his son, Esteban, began in earnest.   Bob has kept in touch with Esteban and through him ~ and more recently his CURDA colleague Cesar Marsal ~ we have continued to send tours to Paraguay.  They are very welcoming and very keen to take what we can send them.   Esteban is now the current President of CURDA Rugby Club.    

• a private bathroom
• air-conditioning
• Cable TV and telephone with direct international access
• Free mini bar

You can upgrade to a higher standard hotel for the same price you would pay for a lesser grade hotel elsewhere.

• Itaipú ~ A huge hydro-electric project close to Cuidad del Este (see above).  Guided tours available.
• The Monday Falls ~ The falls where the Rio Monday drops into the Paraná Gorge are worth seeing.
• Flora y Fauna Itaipú Binacional Zoo and Museum ~ With animals and plants  approx. 2 kms from Cuidad del Este.
• Boat trips ~ Lago Itaipú to Puerto Guaraní, where there is a museum.
• Biological Refuges ~ Tatí Yupí, Itabó and Limoy, situated close to the Itaipú Dam.
• Cuidad del Este ~ The fastest-growing city in the country with the building of the Dam close-by, and described as the biggest shopping centre in Latin America, especially for cut-price, cheap imports.
• Iguazzu Falls ~ See comments in Destination Information above.