Asuncion & Iguazu Falls Uruguay Tour

Day 1: Asunción
Arrival at the international airport Silvio Petirossi in Asunción and transfer to your hotel, where you have time to refresh after the long trip. In the afternoon we will start our journey with the city tour in Asunción. We will visits sites from the beginning in 1537, the foundation of Asunción, The Independence 1811, rules of President Lopez and today. We will visit the house where the Independence got proclaimed "Casa de la independencia", the cathedral, the train station, the oldest in whole South America and the national pantheon. You also have the chance to try one of the typical foods, the empanadas in one of the most famous restaurants in Asunción the "Lido".
At the end of our tour we will stop at the market Silvio Petirossi which is a typical market for Latin America.

Day 2: Asunción - "Golden Roundtrip" - Asunción
Today we will explore the surrounding areas of Asunción. Beginning in Yaguaron where we will visit the oldest church of Paraguay, built by Franciscan monks in the 18th century. Then we will drive to Paraguarí with its colonial buildings via Piribebuy to get to Caacupe which is known as the Lourdes of South America. On the way back to Asunción we will stop in San Bernadino, the first German colony, in Aregua that is known for its ceramic art crafts and finishing with Luque the capital of silver jewelry. In the evening we will be back in Asunción where you have time to try one of the numerous meat restaurants.

Day 3: Asunción - Chaco / Filadelfia
We will leave Asunción in the morning driving direction Filadelfia, the capital of the department Boqurón. The Chaco starts after passing one of the two bridges that connect the east and the west of the country. During the travel we will stop a few times so you have the chance to get an impression of the bio-reserve Chaco. We will arrive in Filadelfia in the afternoon. After a little repose we will explore the city and visit the Jakob Unger museum, which tells the story about the beginning of the Mennonite colonies Filadelfia, Loma Plata, Neuland and Menno. We will also visit the diary oft he Mennonites. From here the Mennonites attend the whole country with creamery products.

Day 4: Filadelfia
Today we will spend the day by visiting the salt lakes of Loma Plata, there we also visit the stock farming station of the Mennonites. After this we will hit the way to one of the numerous Estancias where you can show your abilities as a real Gaucho, by milking the cows or throwing the lasso for example. In the afternoon we will drive back to Filadelfia where we spend the night.

Day 5: Filadelfia - Concepción
After breakfast we will first visit Boquerón. One of the places of the Chaco war which happened between Paraguay and Bolivia in1932-35. After the visit we will drive direction Concepción our next destination. We always have time for short stops that you have time to enjoy the nature and the tranquility of the Chaco. We will arrive Concepción in the late afternoon where we will explore the city and it's cafes to have a drink. after a stop in the hotel.

Day 6: Concepción
Today we will change transportation. We will drive in a little motor boat to the north on one of the numerous rivers nearby Concepción. This area has a wide variety of animals. With a little luck we might see a caiman, a capybara or perhaps a nandu. You also have the chance to fish one of the most dangerous fishes, a Piranha, which the kitchen in our hotel will prepare us to try. In the evening you have time to explore the city by your own and see the nearly 300 hundred year old buildings.

Day 7: Concepción - Ciudad del Este - Foz do Iguazu
After breakfast we will leave Concepción heading direction north. We will pass Yau and take the Route 6 driving to the south again. On the way we are going to stop at one of the cigar manufacture and learn about the Paraguayan cigar industry. Here the cigars are still rolled by hand like they did 100 years ago. Try your fortune and roll one. After the visit our next destination will be Ciudad Del Este, the border town to Brazil. We will cross the bridge of the friendship to get to our hotel in Foz do Iguacu where we spend the night.

Day 8: Foz do Iguazu
Our program today is visiting the falls of Iguacu. With more then 275 falls on a length of more then 4 km and a height of 90m the water falls into the deep. On different ways you have the possibility to explore the falls and the national park to take photos. You will be surrounded by thousands of butterflies, Iguanas and lizards during your walk in this unique wonder of nature. In evening you might eventually like to eat at the restaurant Rafain. This Churrasqerria (barbeque) offers its guests a typical show with a Brazilian barbeque (This show is not included). After the show we will hit back to our hotel.
Optionals today:
Show Rafain: a folk festival with BBQ / Assado.
Macuco Safari: Sail straight in to falls and experiment the intense power of nature.
Parque de las Aves: In the entrance of Iguassu National Park. Along of 1 kilometer trip where you can find around 150 species of birds.

Day 9: Ciudad del Este - Bella Vista
In the morning we cross the border to Paraguay again to visit Itaipu one of the eight wonder of the world in modern time. Itaipu means The singing stone in the language of the Guaraní, which comes before the construction of Itaipu. Right next to it there is the national park Tati Yupi and the museum "Tierra de los Guarani", which we are going to visit. Our trip will take us down to the south to get to the ruins of the Jesuit reductions Trindad and Jesús. Those reductions were founded in the beginning of the 18th century and gave more then 4000 people a home. The Jesuit padres showed the Guaraní Indians how to live in organized communities and how to agriculture. They also taught them a lot about arts like music, painting and sculpture. In 1767 the Jesuits were banished by the Spanish kingdom and they had to leave South America. The reductions were abandoned and the Indians went back to the forests. During the visit you may get an impression about this missionary work the Jesuits left for the history. From the ruins it is not very far to our hotel where we are going to spend the night.

Day 10: Bella Vista - Trinidad - Asunción
This is the last day of our journey, but first we will stop in Obligado where we are going to visit one of the biggest factory for the yerba mate. The Yerba Mate it the national drink of Paraguay you will see that the people are sitting everywhere with there thermos flask drinking there Yerba. In winter times they drink it hot and in summer cold, then it's called Terere. We will follow the Route 1 to San Ignacio where we visit the most important museum about the Jesuit time. Our last stop before arriving Asunción will be Yaguaron with the oldest church of Paraguay. In the late afternoon we will be back in Asunción where we will drop you off at your hotel and the journey ends.

Day 11: Asunción
After breakfast transfer to the airport Silvio Petirossi