Asunción CityParaguay travel guide

What's on

Paraguay month by month

Patron-saint festivals, fairs, carnivals and the weather of every month. Pick when you travel and we will tell you what is on and where to go.

Summer

December

On December 8th, Caacupé welcomes hundreds of thousands of pilgrims, and Itacuá draws the faithful from the south. There's the Ao Po'i Expo in Yataity, the Fruit Expo in La Colmena, Agrodinámica in Hohenau, and the National Chipá Festival in Coronel Bogado. Christmas and New Year are celebrated with family, with nativity scenes, sopa paraguaya, clericó punch and fireworks, and summer vacation begins.

Events 6

Nov→ Dec

Our Lady of Caacupé: Novena and December 8 Pilgrimage

The country’s greatest display of faith: thousands of pilgrims walk from Asunción and all over Paraguay to the Basilica of Caacupé.

ReligiousCaacupé, CordilleraFeaturedDec

Colonias Unidas Agrodinámica Expo

The Colonias Unidas cooperative’s big farming showcase: machinery, crops and technology, with free entry.

ExpoHohenau, ItapúaDec

Yataity Ao Po’i Expo

The town of ao po’i shows off its hand-embroidered fabrics with fashion shows, an embroidery contest and loom demonstrations.

FairYataity, GuairáDec

La Colmena Fruit Fair

Grapes, melons, watermelons and plums in the town founded by Japanese immigrants, with a fruit auction and Nikkei cooking.

FairLa Colmena, ParaguaríDec

Coronel Bogado National Chipa Festival

The “national chipa capital” celebrates its cassava bread with chipas of every kind, butifarra sausages and big shows.

FoodCoronel Bogado, ItapúaDec

Feast of Our Lady of Itacuá

The shrine on the banks of the Paraná welcomes thousands of the faithful from southern Paraguay on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.

ReligiousEncarnación, Itapúa

Patron-saint festivals 17

3Dec

San Francisco Javier · La Colmena

Patron saintLa Colmena, Paraguarí8Dec

Virgen de los Milagros de Caacupé (Inmaculada Concepción) · Caacupé

The country's largest pilgrimage: thousands walk from Asunción and all over Paraguay to the basilica of the nation's spiritual patroness.

Patron saintCaacupé, CordilleraFeatured8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Caaguazú

Patron saintCaaguazú, Caaguazú8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Carapeguá

Patron saintCarapeguá, Paraguarí8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Concepción

A serenade to the Immaculate Conception, main Mass and a procession of vehicles through the neighborhoods of the «Pearl of the North».

Patron saintConcepción, ConcepciónFeatured8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Guazú Cuá

Patron saintGuazú Cuá, Ñeembucú8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Itacurubí del Rosario

Patron saintItacurubí del Rosario, San Pedro8Dec

Virgen de Caacupé · Itanará

Patron saintItanará, Canindeyú8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Mbocayaty del Guairá

A procession of the patroness and Paraguayan-style bullfights during the December festivities.

Patron saintMbocayaty del Guairá, Guairá8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Tobatí

An old indigenous mission town next to Caacupé, known for its potters and woodcarvers; it celebrates the Immaculate Conception on the same day as the national shrine.

Patron saintTobatí, Cordillera8Dec

Inmaculada Concepción · Villa Florida

A festival right at the start of the beach season on the Tebicuary River.

Patron saintVilla Florida, Misiones10Dec

Virgen de Loreto · Loreto

Patron saintLoreto, Concepción17Dec

San Lázaro · San Lázaro

Jineteadas (bronc riding) for both women and men in the Vallemí district, on the banks of the Paraguay River.

Patron saintSan Lázaro, Concepción18Dec

Virgen del Paso · Itapé

Guairá's largest religious festival: tens of thousands of pilgrims fulfilling vows travel to the shrine of the Virgen del Paso, whose new church was inaugurated in December 2025.

Patron saintItapé, GuairáFeatured21Dec

Santo Tomás Apóstol · Paraguarí

The «Cradle of Bullfighters»: procession, Mass and Paraguayan-style bullfights in which the bull is never killed.

Patron saintParaguarí, ParaguaríFeatured25Dec

Niño Jesús · Nueva Londres

Patron saintNueva Londres, Caaguazú25Dec

Niño Jesús · Primero de Marzo

Patron saintPrimero de Marzo, Cordillera
Weather, nature and tips for December

Weather

Summer. Asunción: highs of 33 °C and lows of 22 °C; Central Chaco: highs of 36 °C and lows of 23 °C.

Rain

Asunción: about 175 mm over 8 stormy days. Chaco: about 115 mm.

Nature

The yvyra pytã tree blooms yellow. Rivers and streams are ready for swimming. The fishing ban usually runs through the 20th in most waters (2025–2026 cycle).

In season

Mango, guavirá, watermelon, melon, pineapple, and grapes from La Colmena and Independencia.

Tips

Avoid route PY02 on December 7th and 8th. Book ahead for the holidays and summer swimming spots.

Best regions

CordilleraMisionesGuairá
See on map

Seasons

Dec · Jan · Feb

Summer

Asunción: average highs of 33–34 °C and lows of 22–23 °C; Central Chaco: highs of 35–36 °C. Heat waves can push past 40 °C.

Intense, humid heat in the eastern region, with heavy but short-lived afternoon storms and about 130 to 180 mm of rain a month in Asunción. The Chaco gets somewhat less rain, but the heat is extreme and dirt roads turn to mud. It’s the season of school holidays, carnivals, river beaches and swimming holes in the streams.

Best for

  • Paraná River beaches in Encarnación and Ayolas
  • The carnivals of Encarnación and Villarrica
  • Streams and swimming spots in Cordillera and Guairá
  • Summer festivals in the interior (Ykua Bolaños, Hawaiian Party, Misiones Tradition)

Keep in mind

The Chaco and the Pantanal (extreme heat, roads cut off by rain), and hiking or outdoor sightseeing between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. The fishing ban (veda) runs through November and December and, in waters shared with Brazil, until the end of January.

What to pack

Lightweight cotton or linen clothingA hat and high-SPF sunscreenMosquito repellentA reusable water bottleA light umbrella for the stormsSandals for rivers and streams

Mar · Apr · May

Autumn

Asunción: from highs of 32 °C and lows of 21 °C in March to highs of 25 °C and lows of 15 °C in May. Central Chaco: highs from 34 °C down to 27 °C.

The heat eases off gradually. March still feels like summer; April and May bring mild days, clear skies between rainy fronts (April is one of Asunción’s wettest months) and cool nights. In the Chaco, rainfall drops sharply from May and the ideal season for a visit begins.

Best for

  • Holy Week in Misiones and Cordillera
  • Cities and Jesuit reductions in pleasant temperatures
  • Hiking in Cordillera and the Ybytyruzú hills
  • Expos in the Chaco and the east (Neuland, Santa Rita, Pioneros)

Keep in mind

In March, the still-fierce midday heat. During Holy Week, highways and accommodation in the interior are overwhelmed: book weeks ahead.

What to pack

Light clothing plus a light jacket for the eveningComfortable walking shoesSunscreenInsect repellentAn umbrella or rain jacket

Jun · Jul · Aug

Winter

Asunción: average highs of 22–26 °C and lows of 13–15 °C, with cold fronts that can drop below 5 °C and occasional frost. Central Chaco: days of 26–30 °C and nights of 12–15 °C.

The dry season: Asunción gets less than 50 mm of rain in July and August, and the Chaco almost none. Sunny, mild days alternate with cold snaps, especially in June and July; homes usually have no central heating. It’s the best time for the Chaco, city sightseeing and hiking, and the season of San Juan, the Expo and the lapacho trees in bloom.

Best for

  • The Central Chaco, salt lagoons with flamingos, and the Pantanal
  • San Juan festivals and Kamba Ra’anga
  • The Mariano Roque Alonso Expo and Areguá’s Strawberry Fair
  • Pink lapachos in bloom from July
  • Walking Asunción and the historic towns

Keep in mind

Swimming in rivers and streams (the water is cold). In dry years, fires and smoke increase between August and October in the Chaco, the Pantanal and the north: check before you go.

What to pack

Real warm clothes for cold fronts (jacket, sweater, scarf)Layers: afternoons can be warmSunscreen and sunglassesMoisturizer and lip balm for the dry airA flashlight for nighttime festivals

Sep · Oct · Nov

Spring

Asunción: from highs of 28 °C and lows of 16–17 °C in September to highs of 31 °C and lows of 20 °C in November. Central Chaco: highs of 33 °C to 35 °C.

The heat returns and, with October, the rains: October and November are Asunción’s wettest months, with intense thunderstorms. September is usually dry, bright and full of flowers. It’s the season of the yellow lapachos, the arrival of migratory birds, the beer festivals of the German colonies and the big cultural festivals.

Best for

  • Lapachos and blossoms in cities and along highways
  • Migratory birdwatching
  • Oktoberfest and the colonies’ Choppfests
  • The Lake and Ñandutí festivals
  • The Transchaco Rally

Keep in mind

Dirt roads after storms (the Chaco, the north and rural areas). From November 2 the fishing ban (veda) is in force: this is not sport-fishing season.

What to pack

Light clothing and a thin jacket for September nightsAn umbrella or raincoatMosquito repellentBinoculars for birdingSunscreen

Public holidays

Paraguay has used UTC-3 year-round since October 2024 (Law 7354/2024, which repealed the daylight-saving system set out in Law 7115/2023): clocks no longer change. It's the same time as Buenos Aires, Montevideo and São Paulo, and one hour ahead of Bolivia (UTC-4).

1 JanNew Year’s Day
Fixed holiday. New Year’s Eve on the 31st is celebrated with family, with cider, clericó (a wine-and-fruit punch) and fireworks.
1 MarHeroes’ Day
Commemorates the death of Marshal Francisco Solano López at Cerro Corá (1870). It can be moved by decree to the preceding or following Monday: in 2026 it was moved to Monday, March 2.
25 MarHoly Thursday
Movable date (Holy Week). 2026: April 2; 2027: March 25. Cannot be moved.
26 MarGood Friday
Movable date (Holy Week). 2026: April 3; 2027: March 26. A day for chipa and the Tañarandy procession. Cannot be moved.
1 MayLabor Day
Fixed holiday.
14 MayNational Independence Day
Fixed holiday; the first day of the patriotic celebrations.
15 MayNational Independence Day and Mother’s Day
Fixed holiday. Restaurants are packed for Mother’s Day.
12 JunChaco Peace Day
End of the Chaco War (1935). Can be moved to the preceding or following Monday; in 2026 it fell on a Friday and stayed put.
20 JunSwearing-in of the National Constitution
A new holiday since 2026 (Law 7544/2025). In 2026 it fell on a Saturday and the Executive moved it by decree to Monday, June 22. The same law allows the Executive to declare up to three additional holidays a year (in 2026, Tuesday, June 30, after the national team’s World Cup win over Germany).
15 AugFounding of Asunción
Fixed holiday; also the feast of Our Lady of the Assumption, patron saint of the capital.
29 SepVictory of Boquerón
Chaco War battle (1932). Movable: in 2026 it was moved by decree to Monday, September 28.
8 DecOur Lady of Caacupé (Immaculate Conception)
Fixed holiday; the main day of the pilgrimage to Caacupé. Highways toward Cordillera are heavily congested.
25 DecChristmas Day
Fixed holiday. Christmas Eve on the 24th is the big family dinner.
The fishing ban is set annually by the Ministry of the Environment (MADES) through a resolution. For the 2025–2026 cycle (Resolution 523/2025): from November 2 to December 20, 2025 on the Paraguay River south of the Apa, on the Pilcomayo, on the Paraná downstream of the Yguazú, and on the rest of the country's rivers, streams and lagoons; from November 2, 2025 to January 31, 2026 on the Paraguay River between the Negro and Apa rivers, on the Apa River, and on the Paraná between Saltos del Guairá and the Yguazú. During the ban, sport and commercial fishing are prohibited; only subsistence fishing by riverside anglers is allowed, from the shore, using a hook, handline or rod, up to 5 kg of mixed catch per person (excluding surubí catfish, manguruyú, dorado and pacú). Dates for the 2026–2027 cycle are published in a new resolution, usually in late October — check before you go.
Official 2026 calendar (Ministry of Education, Resolution 2065/2025): classes began on Monday, February 23, and winter break ran from Monday, July 13 to Friday, July 24. Classes end on November 30, and the school year officially closes on Friday, December 11 (teachers' last working day); December through February is summer vacation, the high season for beaches, streams and domestic tourism. Holy Week and long weekends also drive a lot of domestic travel.