Cmasi · CC BY-SA 4.0Navegación por el río Paraguay desde Concepción
Days of river, herons and fishing: the Paraguay upstream, bound for the Chaco and the Pantanal.
What it is
Concepción is the last major port before the Paraguay River pushes into the vastness of the Chaco and the Pantanal. There are short launch trips across to the Chaco shore and, for those who want more, a floating hotel that sails from the port with sport-fishing or nature-watching groups for three nights: sunrises over the water, flocks of birds along the side channels and dinners on deck. Upstream lie Vallemí and, deep in the Pantanal, Fuerte Olimpo and Bahía Negra. River trips depend on the water level and on which operators are running each season.
What to see and do
- A sunset launch ride in front of the Puerto Viejo
- Crossing to Chaco'i / Isla Bonita on the Chaco shore
- A three-night voyage on a floating hotel, fishing or birdwatching
- Sport fishing for dorado, surubí and pacú outside the closed season
Did you know…?
The Aquidabán sailed for over 40 years as the north's 'floating market'; it docked in Concepción for the last time on December 31, 2023.
Siete Cabrillas, a floating hotel for up to 18 guests, runs no fishing trips in November and December, the closed-season months.
Upstream, the Paraguay is joined by the Apa, the natural border with Brazil, near San Lázaro.
History
For more than four decades (since 1980, according to its owners) the riverboat Aquidabán linked Concepción with Bahía Negra as a floating market, carrying passengers, supplies and goods to Puerto Casado, Vallemí and Fuerte Olimpo. It made its final voyage in December 2023, a casualty of falling passenger numbers and fuel costs, and in 2025 it sank while moored at a Concepción shipyard. Today there is no equivalent regular passenger service: river tourism carries on with private boats and floating hotels.
Tips
- There has been no regular passenger boat to Bahía Negra since the Aquidabán retired, and the historic Crucero Paraguay shows no current departures (its website is offline): longer voyages are booked with private operators. Check before you go.
- Siete Cabrillas publishes per-person rates for chartering the whole boat (2027 reference, low season January-July: from ₲ 1,722,000 per person with 18 passengers, in the option where the group brings its own food and drink); fishing license extra. Check before you go.
- Bring insect repellent, a hat and sunscreen: the glare off the water burns.
- A fishing license is mandatory; respect minimum sizes and the closed season.
Departures arranged with each operator; check before you go.
Best time: March to October for fishing and sailing in bearable temperatures; spring (September-November) for birds. The fishing ban applies in November and December: nature trips only.
What to try
- Pira caldo, the fish soup of Paraguay's riverside towns
- Freshly caught surubí or pacú on the grill
Activities
Where to stay
Festivals and events here
Concepción Expo (formerly Expo Norte)
The north’s great livestock and trade fair, on the banks of the Paraguay River, relaunched in 2026 as Expo Concepción.
ExpoConcepción, Concepción8DecInmaculada 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, ConcepciónFeaturedNearby
Concepción · Concepción
Concepción
The Pearl of the North: grand old mansions, a port with fiery sunsets and a gateway to the Paraguay River.
Belén · Concepción
Belén
The 'City of the Payé', where the Tropic of Capricorn passes through and the Ypané offers white-sand beaches.
Horqueta · Concepción
Horqueta
Capital of ka'a he'ẽ (stevia) and fine leatherwork: saddles, belts and beaches on the Aquidabán.
San Alfredo · Concepción
Arroyos Tagatiyá
Turquoise water over a limestone bed: the 'Paraguayan Bonito', where you float among the fish.
San Pedro del Ycuamandiyú · San Pedro
San Pedro del Ycuamandiyú
Colonial mansions, a Franciscan cathedral and beaches on the Jejuí River, with Puerto Antequera just next door.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 8 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.