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

February

Carnival month: parade Saturdays at Encarnación's Sambódromo and four nights in Villarrica; in the Chaco, the western Guaraní celebrate Arete Guasu whenever carnival falls. The 3rd is Saint Blaise's feast, the country's patron saint, and the last Saturday marks National Tereré Day. Toward the end of the month, school resumes and the Canindeyú Expo opens the fair season.

Events 8

Jan→ Feb

Encarnación Carnival

Feathers, drum troupes and dance groups in the Sambadrome: Paraguay’s “summer capital” throws the country’s biggest carnival.

CarnivalEncarnación, ItapúaFeaturedJan→ Feb

Misiones Tradition Festival

Rodeo riding, ranch skills, asado a la estaca and music nights in the old Jesuit town of Santiago.

TraditionSantiago, MisionesFeaturedFeb→ Mar

Arete Guasu of the Western Guarani

The Guarani “great festival”: masks, flutes, drums and circle dances that bring together the living and the ancestors.

IndigenousSanta Teresita (Mariscal Estigarribia), BoquerónFeaturedFeb

Guairá Carnival

Dance troupes, carnival royalty and drum bands in the Villarrica sambadrome, one of the most traditional carnivals outside the capital.

CarnivalVillarrica, GuairáFeaturedFeb

National Tereré Day (Bella Vista)

The yerba mate capital celebrates the national drink with a yerba fair, live preparation demos and the Tereré Fest.

TraditionBella Vista, ItapúaFeb→ Mar

Canindeyú Regional Expo

The Rural Association’s livestock and farm fair in Canindeyú, with auctions, barrel racing and an asado contest.

ExpoLa Paloma del Espíritu Santo, CanindeyúFeb→ Mar

Natsumatsuri, Encarnación Japanese Summer Festival

Taiko, dances and Japanese food on a summer night hosted by Encarnación’s Nikkei (Japanese-descendant) community.

Heritage communitiesEncarnación, ItapúaFeb

Saint Blaise, Patron Saint of Paraguay

The patron saint of the Republic and of Ciudad del Este is honored with Masses, processions and festivities in several towns.

ReligiousCiudad del Este, Alto Paraná

Patron-saint festivals 10

2Feb

Virgen de la Candelaria · Areguá

A boat procession carries the Virgin across Lake Ypacaraí on the eve, and the pottery town hosts a fair of artisans and ceramics.

Patron saintAreguá, Central2Feb

Virgen de la Candelaria · Capiatá

Procession around the Candelaria church, a temple of colonial origin, followed by the main Mass and popular festivities on the plaza.

Patron saintCapiatá, Central3Feb

San Blas · Ciudad del Este

A double celebration, patronal and founding, in the country's second city, in honor of Paraguay's patron saint.

Patron saintCiudad del Este, Alto ParanáFeatured3Feb

San Blas · Guayaibí

Patron saintGuayaibí, San Pedro3Feb

San Blas · Itá

One of the most deeply rooted Saint Blaise festivals in the country, held in the city of ceramics and clay water jugs.

Patron saintItá, CentralFeatured3Feb

San Blas · Piribebuy

Mass, a procession and festivals with Paraguayan and international artists in this heroic city of the War of the Triple Alliance.

Patron saintPiribebuy, CordilleraFeatured3Feb

San Blas · Raúl Arsenio Oviedo

Patron saintRaúl Arsenio Oviedo, Caaguazú3Feb

San Blas · Tres de Febrero

Patron saintTres de Febrero, Caaguazú3Feb

San Blas · Vaquería

Patron saintVaquería, Caaguazú11Feb

Nuestra Señora de Lourdes · Nueva Alborada

Patron saintNueva Alborada, Itapúa
Weather, nature and tips for February

Weather

Humid heat. Asunción: highs of 33 °C and lows of 22–23 °C; Central Chaco: highs of 35 °C.

Rain

Asunción: about 145 mm over roughly 7 rainy days. Chaco: about 120 mm; dirt roads get tricky.

Nature

The samu'ũ, or silk floss tree, starts blooming and keeps going through May. Mburukuja (passionflower) is in bloom and fruit. Migratory shorebirds are still in Asunción's bay.

In season

Passionfruit (mburukuja), watermelon and melon.

Tips

Tereré is your best ally against the heat. If you're heading to Arete Guasu, coordinate your visit with the community. Check the forecast — summer storms can cut off roads.

Best regions

MisionesGuairáEste
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.