Paraguay and Iguazu Falls: Christmas at 35°C and mixed impressions of Asunción

On the morning we leave Encarnación, we load the bikes and head north. We have a date with Chef Cédric, a Frenchman living in Paraguay who runs a guesthouse-restaurant, where we plan to celebrate Christmas. Leaving the city surprises us: urbanization stretches for kilometers with shops and gas stations almost every five hundred meters — no risk of running out of fuel here! And above all, the roads are covered in that characteristic red earth of the country, which even coats the road signs.

We stop at the ruins of Santísima Trinidad de Paraná, a UNESCO site of an old Jesuit mission. Under stifling humid heat, we visit while sweating profusely. During the tour, we get chased off by a protective bird guarding its nest! The break is nice, even if we enjoy getting some air back on the bike. We grab a quick lunch and continue the route, dodging rain for most of the day. We arrive at the guesthouse in the late afternoon and end the evening with a Savoyard fondue while chatting with two Bretons who arrived just before us and have been traveling in their van for four months.

Tropical Christmas

The next day, it’s Christmas at 35°C with humidity that’s hard to bear. Cédric has prepared a special menu with charcuterie, barbecue, and dessert. The atmosphere is pleasant with the other French guests, but with Cédric we get the feeling everything is business-oriented, and at 50 € per person, we expected more… In short, we still have a good time cooling off in the pool, then plan our excursion to Iguazu Falls. We finally decide to go on the Himalayan together, which will be the simplest way to make the trip and cross the border.

The magical day at Iguazu Falls

Wake-up at 6 a.m. The planned barge isn’t running on December 26th — darn… we have to make a big detour, going through Brazil and then Argentina by road to reach the falls. We cross Ciudad del Este and handle the borders by explaining we’re doing a day round trip without a TIP. Apparently the customs officers here are used to it. The border crossings are still chaotic: motorcycle slalom, waiting, and a real comedy show at the exit where local small bikes overtake us at full speed on the narrow shoulder.

Once there, the heat is overwhelming. We follow the lower and upper circuits, then take the free train to the Garganta del Diablo. The spectacle is mind-blowing: water crashing with incredible force, mist, noise… it’s truly hypnotic and the landscape is paradise-like. We head back in the late afternoon, cross both borders without too much trouble (even if the return ride on the bike is sporty), and end the day exhausted but thrilled to have experienced this moment.

Monotonous road and meeting Loki

After this beautiful day, we leave Cédric’s guesthouse. The road west is straight and rather uninteresting. We stop at a charming little hotel in Coronel Oviedo where we enjoy a beer on the terrace and a sweet traditional drink offered by the owner. We also discover that Guarani is the main language here, which explains our communication difficulties.

The following day, we reach a campsite run by a German couple near Caacupé, with a pool, hammocks, and a friendly atmosphere. Chris, the owner, even offers to take us grocery shopping! That’s where we meet Loki, the house monkey. At first, we find it funny: he climbs on Thomas, eats from his plate, puts on a show. Quickly, it becomes tiring — he won’t leave him alone for two days. As soon as he spots us… he comes running, impossible to shake off!

Mechanical troubles at the campsite

We stay two days at the campsite to get the Himalayan repaired. It’s nothing major, just a leaking oil seal, but the mechanics turn into a nightmare: a tool broken inside a screw by the previous garage, a wheel axle tightened brutally… we face one problem after another and keep breaking tools. Chris helps as much as he can by looking for wrenches and staying available. Despite the frustration and the heat, we have a really nice convivial time and the bike finally gets fixed. We can leave relieved.

Asunción, an empty and puzzling capital

On December 31st, we arrive in Asunción. The city surprises us with its calm: there’s almost no one in the streets for New Year’s. It turns out that in Paraguay, New Year’s is a quiet family celebration, very different from what we imagined. So we spend the evening with a group of young French people we met online on the Costanera. While we’re mostly alone for a good part of the evening, around 11 p.m. Paraguayans start appearing, setting off firecrackers, and at midnight we witness a spectacular display of fireworks over the beach!

The following days, we discover a strangely deserted capital during the holidays. The streets are empty, shops closed, and we struggle to feel the soul of the city. We visit the Palacio de los López and a few buildings, but overall we find it quite run-down and lacking charm. We attempt a trip to Lake Ypacaraí near San Bernardino, but it’s a nightmare: crushing heat and traffic jams, as apparently everyone left the city to come here. Once there, we realize it’s impossible to access the lake, and we head back frustrated after narrowly avoiding an accident — yes, driving here is pretty loose! To top it off, we realize we forgot to buy our Paraguay stickers. Some days are like that…

We also come out disappointed from the modern malls that feel like American versions. We did, however, have a great Bitcoiners meet-up evening thanks to Ernesto, founder of EEscuelita Bitcoin.

The contrast between the wild red Paraguay and this capital that seems built for expats is striking.

We would have loved to discover more of Paraguay in depth, especially the north, but unfortunately, because of the rain, the red dirt roads are too difficult and slippery for the motorcycle, so we choose not to dive into that hassle: we have other wonders to discover.

A contrasting Paraguay

These ten days were intense. We keep beautiful memories of the Jesuit ruins, the power of Iguazu Falls, and Chris’s kindness at the campsite. But we also take with us the fatigue from the humid heat, the mechanical troubles, and mixed feelings about Asunción. Paraguay showed us several faces: authentic and colorful on the roads, more commercial or impersonal in some places. We head back south with the desire to continue the adventure, hoping the rest holds new beautiful surprises.