Ulises Icardi · CC BY-SA 4.0Vallemí y sus cavernas
Paraguay's cement capital hides more than 50 limestone caves, with stalactites and macaw-filled forests.
What it is
Vallemí lives off cement and limestone, and that same stone has carved more than 50 caves beneath its hills. With local guides you explore galleries hung with stalactites several meters long, chambers where the temperature drops to around 18-20 °C, and passages where you sometimes have to crawl. Caverna 54, with a vertical entrance more than 5 m deep, can be descended by rappel; the Peñón de Kamba Hopo, a rocky outcrop with its own cave, can only be reached by launch along the Paraguay River, about 2 km from the port. Back outside, the town looks out over the river, with beaches on the Paraguay and the Apa, red macaws in the hills and a Guaná Indigenous community on the banks of the Apa.
What to see and do
- Caverna 14 de Julio, in Tres Cerros: about 300 m of galleries
- Santa Caverna and its geological formations
- Caverna 54, with a vertical entrance and the option to rappel
- Peñón de Kamba Hopo, reached by launch along the Paraguay River
- The Jacarandá circuit by river to the mouth of the Apa
- The riverside promenade on the Paraguay at sunset
Did you know…?
In Santa Caverna you climb down about 6 m by stairs, and a stalactite more than 6 m long hangs from the ceiling, formed over thousands of years.
Streets and houses were built with local cement, which is why it's known as 'the cement capital'.
The gua'a pytã (red-and-green macaw) is one of the star birds of the nature circuits.
History
Cement production began in the mid-20th century (SENATUR gives 1949) and is now run by the state-owned Industria Nacional del Cemento (INC), which owns the land around several caves. In 2012, Law 4577 declared several areas of the San Lázaro district protected natural monuments, among them the Camba Hopo cave, the Tres Cerros hills with Santa Caverna, and the Ykua Pa'i cave. The first local caving guides were trained in 2004.
Tips
- Entry is only with registered guides: book them before you travel (helmets and flashlights are usually included).
- Wear closed shoes with good grip and clothes you don't mind getting muddy; some stretches require stooping or crawling.
- There are buses from Concepción, with limited timetables; by car it's about 150 km on PY22, so set off early.
- Don't touch the formations: a stalactite takes centuries to grow.
Guided visits by prior booking only. 2026 reference prices: 14 de Julio ₲ 100,000 per person, Santa Caverna ₲ 150,000, Caverna 54 ₲ 90,000 without rappel, Kamba Hopo ₲ 250,000 per boat of 4-5 people; Jacarandá circuit ₲ 450,000 per person. Check before you go.
Best time: April to September: cooler days for walking among hills and caves. In summer the heat is intense (the cement amplifies it), so head out at dawn; after heavy rain some access roads get difficult.
What to try
- Fish from the Paraguay and Apa rivers, in soup or grilled
- Chipa and cocido for an early start on the excursions
Activities
Where to stay
Nearby
Puerto Casado · Alto Paraguay
Puerto Casado (Puerto La Victoria)
A tannin town on the Paraguay River, with the old Carlos Casado factory and the railway that opened up the Chaco.
Puerto Pinasco · Presidente Hayes
Puerto Pinasco
A former tannin port on the Paraguay River, where the idea for Friendship Day on July 30 was born.
San Carlos del Apa · Concepción
Parque Nacional Serranía San Luis
Limestone hills, cerrado and forest where blue and red macaws take flight.
San Alfredo · Concepción
Arroyos Tagatiyá
Turquoise water over a limestone bed: the 'Paraguayan Bonito', where you float among the fish.
Researched and reviewed in September 2026 with 6 sources. A second reviewer checked dates, coordinates and lodging. Hours and prices may change.