Routes · 5 days

Mennonite Chaco and the Chaco War

Five days through the Central Chaco, about 450 km from Asunción via the Transchaco highway. The Mennonite colonies of Filadelfia, Loma Plata, and Neuland show how immigrants who arrived starting in 1927 built towns in the dry scrubland. The forts of Toledo, Boquerón, and Isla Po'i tell the story of the Chaco War (1932–1935) through trenches and museums. And the salt lagoons offer flamingos, coscoroba swans, and star-filled nights.

Travelers curious about 20th-century history, Mennonite culture, and wide-open landscapes; also students and families on winter break.May to September: mild days, dry roads, and flamingos on the lagoons. From November to March, the heat often tops 40°C.Your own or a rental car (a high-clearance vehicle helps on the dirt roads). There are overnight buses to Filadelfia and Loma Plata, but the forts call for a car or a tour.

The Transchaco highway to Filadelfia

≈ 462 km

Leave at dawn: past the Remanso Bridge, the Transchaco highway crosses groves of karanda'y palms and wetlands full of herons and jabiru storks. Pozo Colorado is the spot to fuel up and have lunch. Just before Filadelfia, the Gran Chaco Americano Interpretation Center (Wednesday to Sunday) covers the region's history, wildlife, and Indigenous peoples. About 460 km and 6.5 to 7 hours of driving, all paved.

Overnight: Overnight in Filadelfia: there is lodging of every kind in town.

Filadelfia and Fortín Toledo

≈ 88 km

Morning in Filadelfia, capital of the Fernheim Colony: wide streets, a cooperative, and pioneer museums (book through the tourism office, closed Sundays). In the afternoon, Fortín Toledo, the site of 1933 battles and now home to the Taguá Project, which breeds the Chacoan peccary once thought extinct by science. About 90 km, partly unpaved.

Overnight: Overnight in Filadelfia: there is lodging of every kind in town.

Neuland, Boquerón, and Isla Po'i

≈ 142 km

Pass through Neuland, the youngest colony, then continue on unpaved road to Fortín Boquerón: trenches, a cemetery, and a museum dedicated to the September 1932 battle (call ahead to confirm hours). In the afternoon, Fortín Isla Po'i, the great Paraguayan headquarters of the war, now an interactive museum. Finish in Loma Plata. About 140 km, largely unpaved: avoid rainy days.

Overnight: Overnight in Loma Plata: there is lodging of every kind in town.

Loma Plata and the salt lagoons

≈ 34 km

Morning in Loma Plata, the oldest Mennonite colony in the Chaco: the Menno Colony museum and the Trébol dairy cooperative. In the afternoon, on to Laguna Capitán: flamingos, southern screamers, wood storks, and coscoroba swans on the salt lagoons, with walking trails. Stay overnight for sunset and a starry sky free of light pollution. About 35 km.

Overnight: Campsite at the Laguna Capitán Reserve (reservation required). Or overnight in Loma Plata.

Sunrise with the birds and the return to Asunción

≈ 434 km

Get up early to watch the birds at the lagoon in the first light, the best time of day. Then, head back through Loma Plata and the Transchaco highway, stopping in Pozo Colorado. It's a full day on the road: about 435 km and 6.5 to 7.5 hours of driving. Leave early to reach Asunción while it's still light.

Overnight: Overnight in Asunción: there is lodging of every kind in town.

Tips

September 29 is Boquerón Victory Day, a public holiday marked with ceremonies at the fort; in August, the Expo Rodeo Trébol livens up Loma Plata.
Book Fortín Toledo, the Mennonite museums, and Campamento Laguna Capitán well in advance.
Bring water, a hat, sunscreen, and insect repellent; fill up on fuel at every colony.
The flamingos depend on each year's water levels: check ahead if seeing them is your main goal.