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Voykit pocket guide · Paraguay
Mariscal Estigarribia
Stop here only if you are crossing the Chaco by car or bus: one night to refuel, restock and see the base, then move on.
Mariscal Estigarribia (locals say Mariscal) is a frontier town on the Transchaco Highway, 520 km northwest of Asunción and 231 km from Bolivia. It is the last place with fuel, supermarkets, a bed and an ATM before the deep Chaco, and the base for guided trips to the national parks and private reserves of the central and northern Chaco. There is little to see in town itself: the military base, two churches and the indigenous neighbourhood of Santa Teresita. Come for the crossing, the Areté Guazú festival or the Transchaco Rally, not for a holiday.
- Country
- Paraguay
- Best months
- May–Sep (dry, cooler)
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (up to 45 °C), late Sep–early Oct if you dislike rally crowdsNov–Mar (up to 113 °F), late Sep–early Oct if you dislike rally crowds
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- PYG
- Money
- Currency is the Paraguayan guaraní (PYG, ₲). About ₲7,000–8,000 per US dollar in 2026 — check. Cash dominates outside hotels, malls and larger restaurants in Asunción.
- Daily spend
- Budget ₲150,000–250,000 excl. bed · Mid ₲250,000–450,000 excl. bed · High ₲450,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Tigo, Personal and Claro; prepaid SIMs with a passport at shops and malls, or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Ambulance 141 · Fire 132
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit most sockets.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: About 10% if not included.; Taxi / app: Round up.; Guide: US$5–10 a day.
- Water
- Tap water is treated in Asunción but many drink bottled; bottled outside the city.
- Toilets
- Use malls, restaurants and bus terminals; carry tissues.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or snack at a gas station | ₲10,000–25,000 |
| Simple set meal | ₲30,000–60,000 |
| Beer, bar or shop | ₲15,000–30,000 |
| Bottled water, 1.5 L | ₲5,000–10,000 |
| Indigenous craft (bag, carpet, palo santo carving) | ₲50,000–300,000 |
| Fuel, per litre | ₲7,000–9,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- unknown · Aeropuerto Dr. Luis María Argaña (military airfield)
- 3.8 km runway inside the base; no scheduled passenger service — check before counting on it2.4 mi runway inside the base; no scheduled passenger service — check before counting on it
Typical fares
- Asunción → Mariscal, bus
- about ₲150,000, 7–9 h (check)
- Mariscal → Filadelfia, bus
- about ₲30,000–50,000, 1.5 h (check)
- Taxi across town
- ₲20,000–40,000 (check)
Get around
The town is a long string of blocks along the Transchaco. West of the road: military quarters, old cathedral, water reservoir. East: businesses and the new cathedral. The Municipalidad is the practical centre. No local bus network worth using; you walk, take a taxi or drive. Distances between the centre, the base and Santa Teresita are 1–3 km.The town is a long string of blocks along the Transchaco. West of the road: military quarters, old cathedral, water reservoir. East: businesses and the new cathedral. The Municipalidad is the practical centre. No local bus network worth using; you walk, take a taxi or drive. Distances between the centre, the base and Santa Teresita are 0.6–1.9 mi.
See and do
Known for
- Transchaco Highway supply stop
- Military base and unused 3.8 km runway
- Santa Teresita indigenous community and Areté Guazú
- Transchaco Rally stages
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Filadelfia | Bus or car southeast on the Transchaco | About 1.5 h |
| Loma Plata | Bus or car southeast on the Transchaco | About 1.5–2 h |
| Neuland | Car or bus via the colony roads | About 2 h |
| Chaco national parks and reserves | Guided 4x4 tour arranged in town | 1–3 days |
Sleep
- Town centre along the Transchaco
- Supermarkets, shops, the Municipalidad and most beds; walkable but spread out.
- Military base (Hotel Aeropuerto)
- Inside the compound; you must ask permission at the gate to reach the hotel. Call ahead.
- Santa Teresita
- Indigenous neighbourhood 3 km south on the Transchaco; community church, crafts, no hotel strip.Indigenous neighbourhood 1.9 mi south on the Transchaco; community church, crafts, no hotel strip.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Mba'éichapamba-ey-cha-pa |
| Thank you | Aguyjea-guy-je |
| How much is it? | Mba'épa hepy?mba-e-pa he-pu |
| Where is the bus terminal? | Moõpa oĩ bus terminal?mo-om-pa o-im bus terminal |
| I need water | Aikotevẽ yai-ko-te-ven u |
| Help | Pytyvõpu-tu-vom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake, or a cheek kiss among women and friends; avoid: Skipping 'buenos días'
- Tereré circle: Say thank you when you want to stop; avoid: Wiping the straw
- Language: Try a Guaraní word (aguyje = thanks); avoid: Calling Guaraní a dialect
- Time: Expect relaxed punctuality (hora paraguaya); avoid: Getting visibly impatient
Scams and watch-outs
- Severe heat Nov–Mar, up to 45 °C: hat, sunscreen, water, shade at midday.
- Cold nights possible in Jul–Aug; the Chaco swings hard between day and night.
- Cash only in most shops; one ATM at the roundabout by the military quarters.
- Fuel up and buy water here before heading further west or north.
- Do not enter the Chaco interior alone: go with a guide, 1–3 day tours.
- Rally week (late Sep–early Oct) fills every bed in the central Chaco; book or avoid.
Low crime, high exposure: the real risks are heat, dehydration, unsealed roads and driving after dark. Carry cash, water and a full tank; tell someone your route before entering the Chaco interior.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mariscal Estigarribia yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Transchaco Highway supply stop
- Military base and unused 3.8 km runway
- Santa Teresita indigenous community and Areté Guazú
- Transchaco Rally stages
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Secretaría Nacional de Turismo (SENATUR), Paraguay: www.senatur.gov.py/
- Municipalidad de Mariscal Estigarribia: www.mme.gov.py/
- Wikivoyage: Mariscal Estigarribia, revision 5202730 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5202730
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Mariscal Estigarribia
Ko dirección-pe, ikatúpa
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in Mariscal; most are in Asunción. Consular help for a breakdown or lost passport means a call to Asunción first.
Cash, water, fuel and a full tank before you leave town.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/mariscal-estigarribia). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.