Chipaguasustudios · CC0Mariscal Estigarribia
The “military town” at the heart of the Chaco, a crossroads toward Bolivia and home base of the Transchaco Rally.
What it is
At the junction of the Transchaco and the Bioceanic Corridor (PY15), Mariscal Estigarribia is the last major service center before the Bolivian border and the base for the country's most important car race, the Transchaco Rally. It began life as a fort and still has the feel of a garrison town. Next to the town, the Western Guaraní community of Santa Teresita celebrates Arete Guasu at Carnival, one of the most striking Indigenous festivals in Paraguay. It's an almost obligatory stop for anyone continuing on to Bolivia.
What to see and do
- The Indigenous community of Santa Teresita and its church
- Arete Guasu at Carnival
- The buzz of the Transchaco Rally (October 30 to November 1 in 2026)
- Last stop with full services before Bolivia
Did you know…?
It's the largest municipality in Paraguay: about 52,000 km², even after the district of Boquerón (Neuland) split off in 2021.
On November 13, 2023 it recorded a low of 34 °C, cited as the highest minimum temperature ever measured in South America.
Pope John Paul II met with Indigenous peoples at the Santa Teresita mission on May 17, 1988.
History
Bolivia founded it on June 5, 1931 as Fortín General Eliodoro Camacho. The Paraguayan army captured it on January 9, 1934 (renaming it Fortín Capitán López de Filippis), and on July 31 of that year Estigarribia moved his command post here. On December 18, 1944 it received its current name, in honor of the commander who led Paraguay to victory in the Chaco War, and until 1973 it was run solely by the military.
Tips
- If you're continuing to Bolivia, find out in advance where to get your exit stamp: for years it was done in Mariscal Estigarribia, and according to 2025 reports there is now a Paraguayan immigration post at the border.
- Fill up with fuel and water: farther north, services are very scarce.
- During the Transchaco Rally (October 30 to November 1 in 2026), watch the race only from designated areas; accommodation sells out.
Best time: May to September for the weather; Carnival for Arete Guasu; late October 2026 for the Transchaco Rally. From November to March, the heat is extreme.
Activities
Festivals and events here
Nearby
Mariscal Estigarribia · Boquerón
Iglesia San Miguel de Mariscal Estigarribia
A 1956 brick church of the Apostolic Vicariate of Pilcomayo, within the III Army Corps compound.
Mariscal Estigarribia (comunidad Santa Teresita) · Boquerón
Arete Guasu en Santa Teresita
The great festival of the Western Guaraní: masks, drums and circle dances that bring the living and their ancestors together at Carnival.
Mariscal Estigarribia (zona Laguna Negra) · Boquerón
Fortín Toledo y Proyecto Taguá
A Chaco War fort that is now a refuge for the taguá, the peccary once thought to be extinct.
Filadelfia · Boquerón
Filadelfia (Colonia Fernheim)
The Mennonite capital of the Chaco: wide streets, pioneer and cooperative museums, and the best base for exploring the region.
Filadelfia · Boquerón
Museo Científico Jakob Unger
A Chaco natural history museum with birds, mammals, insects and Indigenous objects, grown from the collection of Jakob Unger and his son.
Filadelfia · Boquerón
Museo Casa de la Colonia (Koloniehaus)
A 1933-1934 building raised by communal effort: it was the administrative seat of the Fernheim colony and is now its history museum.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 11 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.