Nature and Culture Tour

Includes: Lodging for 10 nights Land transportation Breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day Guided tour of Asuncion Tour of historically and culturally significant villages All Entrance and Activity Fees (Iguazu Falls, Museums, Boat Ride, etc.

Sample Itinerary

The itinerary outlined is only a sample. We many change the order of events or revise activities based on the interests of participants, weather, or if we believe that it would be advisable for any reason.

Day 1

Arrive to Asuncion. Transfer to Caacupe, Paraguay’s most important religious center and the site of an annual pilgrimage.  Settle in to hotel or cabins surrounded by palm trees and lush vegetation. Review itinerary over merienda (tea time). Explore the town of Caacupe in the afternoon.  Return to the camp for a hearty, fresh home-cooked dinner.

Day 2

After breakfast, take a scenic tour through rural Paraguay. Visit a nearby village, Tobati, to visit the woodcarving workshops of internationally recognized Paraguayan artisans. Travel to scenic Paikokue, a village on top of a hill where the traditional clay waterjugs are made. Waterjugs are still used today in homes that do not have running water. We will explain how the women soften, mold, paint and fire the clay waterjugs before they take them to market. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure. You may want to take advantage of the pools at the camp or take a walk and explore the flor and fauna of surrounding woods.

Day 3

Day tour thru the "Central Circuit" of Paraguay.

We will visit enchanting villages that have historical, artistic or cultural significance. You may take a guided tour of each village or explore on your own:

• The church of Caacupe to learn more about the Virgin of Caacupe and her significance to the people of Paraguay
• the ceramists in Ita that handcraft clay into figurines of people and animals
• the historic church in Yaguaron
• the colonial town of Paraguari
• the National weaving capital Itagua, where the famous nanduti or spiders web lace is made
• the picturesque vacation spot Chololo where we will lunch along the crystal waters of the river
• the natural waterfalls in Piratera
• the museum of Pirebebuey, the capital of Paraguay prior to the Triple Alliance War
• vacation spot San Bernardino on Lago Ypacari, this lake inspired the song "Ypacarai", the most famous romantic folk song from Paraguay – learn the song if you like!

Day 4

Breakfast in Caacupe. Visit the Jesuit Ruins of San Ignacio de las Misiones, boasts the a museum of the missions in Paraguay, and Trinidad, the last of the reducciones built by the Jesuits, which was declared part of Humanity's Heritage program in 1993 and offers some of the most complete remains. The Jesuit Ruins of Paraguay reflect a period of missionary activity that lasted from 1609 to 1767.  The Jesuits' mission in the Americas was twofold - to bring Christianity to the native inhabitants and to provide for their education and welfare.  The Jesuits protected the Guarani from the Brazilian-based slave traders and kept the culture of the Guarani people alive.  Under the Jesuits, the Guarani learned to build churches and cathedrals, to carve images of the saints, to paint murals, and to play the guitar and harp.  The harp has now become the national folk instrument of Paraguay.  (We recommend that you watch the movie "The Mission" before the trip!)   In the evening, have dinner at hotel, surrounded by the sub-tropical rainforest.

Day 5

Breakfast at hotel.  Travel through the region of Misiones Argentina with a stop at the impressive Jesuit Museum at the ruins of San Ignacio, Argentina.  Visit remote waterfalls and hike through the subtropical forests in Misiones, Argentina en route to  hotel in Iguazu Falls, Argentina.

Day 6

Breakfast at hotel. Visit Iguazu Falls from Argentina and Brazil.  Iguazú Falls refers to the spectacular canyon of waterfalls fed by the Río Iguazú. Declared a World Heritage Area by UNESCO in 1984, these 275 waterfalls were shaped by 120 million years of geological history and form one of earth's most unforgettable sights. There are excellent walking circuits on both the Argentine and Brazilian sides.  Spend night at hotel in Ciudad del Este.

Day 7

Breakfast at hotel. Visit the impressive Itaipu Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, which generates much of the energy for the MercoSur and contributes substantially to the Paraguayan economy.  Transfer back to tranquil Caacupe for an evening of rest and relaxation.

Day 8

This day is reserved for activities that are of interest to each individual group. Optional activities: Visit a local estancia (ranch) for horseback riding, rest and relax under the shade of the mangos, do volunteer work at the camp, or take a hiking trip to enjoy the view from the top of Cerro Cristo Rey, enjoy the swimming pools, etc.

In the evening, we will visit Abuela Roga’s simple country hut. Abuela Roga has invited us to eat chipa (delicious bread with melted cheese) that she has just baked in her rustic outdoor dome-shaped oven and to drink mate (a popular Paraguayan tea) with her. She may even have us gather around the bon fire for stories.  Experience a typical countryside social gathering and enjoy the hospitality of the Paraguayan people.

Day 9

Tour of Asuncion, including:

• The National Pantheon
• The Cathedral which dates from 1687 and has an enormous gilded altar and many 18th- and 19th-century religious statues and paintings.
• Casa de Cultura Paraguaya
• Casa de la Independencia, Asuncion’s oldest building (1772) which was once the secret meeting place of revolutionaries plotting to break away from Spain. Relics from the May 1811 revolution, which achieved Paraguay's independence, are now displayed here.
• Casa Viola, one of the few surviving colonial buildings which has been restored and now serves as a museum
• Centro de Artes Visuales, Museo de Barro, a non profit museum aimed to show the popular art, the indigenous art and the urban art of the Paraguay
• The River Port which is important to Paraguay’s economy and history.
• Instituto Municipal de Arte (Municipal Institute of Arts)
• Various art schools and galleries
• Visit to typical harp makers workshop to see how harp and guitars are handcrafted.
• Museo Etnografico Andres Barbero, which features a collection of indigenous artwork
• Plaza Uruguaya, a busy plaza and marketplace near the former railway station. In the terminal you can see a well-preserved, though no longer used, old steam locomotive.
• Plaza de los Heroes provides a good, shady place to rest and people-watch. Guaranís sell feather headdresses, bows and arrows, artisans put their wares on display, and vendors sell anything from chewing gum to knife sharpeners.
• Palma Street to look over the main downtown street full of commerce and hand made craftworks.
• La chacarita, Paraguay's shantytown. Rickety tin, wood, and bare-brick huts along the river front.  Initially a settlement of squatter, it is steadily establishing itself as a permanent community and slowly becoming urbanized with the installation of electricity and a sewage system.
• Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts), which has a collection of paintings and sculpture by both Paraguayan and South American artists and houses some of Paraguay's most important documents.

Evening at leisure (we can recommend shows, clubs, and sporting events).

Day 10

Morning tour to visit the port and last minute shopping at La Recoba market, the most popular Paraguayan handicrafts market. Transfer to airport.