Cerro Ñemby y su laguna esmeralda

Hill

An extinct volcano some 45 million years old, turned by a quarry into a green-water lagoon.

17 km≈ 15 min from Asunción

2 to 3 hoursDuration

DirectionsSee on map

What it is

Cerro Ñemby (Yvyty Ñemby) is in the Caaguazú neighbourhood, part of the Ybytypanemá range, and is a truncated cone of volcanic origin, made of basalt, about 700 m wide at the base and covering around 70 hectares. Its original height was 206 metres, but quarrying left one side lower: 154 m on the west and 206 m on the east. Stone extraction ended in 2016 and left a pit that filled with water: an emerald-coloured lagoon about 500 m long, 100 m wide and 6 m deep. The south, east and west slopes have dense forest with birds, reptiles and small mammals. The municipality plans tourism development and environmental protection; the hill already has sports facilities and trails.

What to see and do

The emerald-coloured lagoon
Trails and forest on the slopes
The hill's sports facilities
Views over Ñemby from above

Did you know…?

The lagoon is not natural: it formed in 2016 as rainwater collected in the abandoned quarry.

Heights vary depending on which side of the hill is measured, because of the quarrying.

History

These lands were inhabited by the Cario-Guaraníes. The State expropriated the hill in 1962 and the quarry operated from 1963 to 2016, extracting around 10 million tonnes of stone for road works.

Tips

It is a former quarry: respect fences and safety limits near the edges.
Check with the Municipality of Ñemby for current access rules and hours.
There is no confirmation of boating activities on the lagoon (or kayak rental): do not count on it, and ask the municipality before you go.

Check opening hours before you go.

Best time: Cool mornings or late afternoons.