A Kaleidoscope of Hard-to-match Landscapes

PARAGUAY IS A COUNTRY MANY SEE SMALL, NOT KNOWING ITS BORDERS ENGULF A HISTORY AS LONG AND A GEOGRAPHY AS VAST AND DIVERSE AS ANYONE COULD FIND ELSEWHERE IN THE CONTINENT

Amaze of regions and people, formerly called the Giant Province of the Indies, which was in its time the main route of the Spaniards for the exploration and conquest of other areas of the continent. Rivers abound and its entire geography is of vast dimensions, with immense valleys, dense forests, and aggressive and steep hills, which are still the same scenarios seen by the first conquistadors.

Since Paraguay has 406,752 km2 and a population with great concentration in Asuncion -the nation's capitaland a few other cities, it still looks like a country waiting for time to come and hoping to be discovered. That is why it has increasingly climbed among the best destinations in the Western Hemisphere as far as nature and adventure tourism are concerned, let alone many other themes and attractions that are also worth enjoying, living and feeling.

The extraordinary richness and variety of Paraguay's geography can be unearthed even in the tree-lined avenues and streets of its urban settlements, boasting wide gardens and amazing flowery; but it is truly explosive in the countryside, with more isolated areas and reserves that result in a rich compilation of South America's flora and wildlife. Linked to the binational hydroelectric complexes of Itaipu and Yacyreta, special systems of environmental protection have been established that today account for trailing options for visitors, such as the Tati Tupi Biological Refuge, the Itabó and Limoy Biological Reserves, the Atinguy Wildlife Safe Haven and the Yabebyry Wildlife Refuge, with access to their surroundings and open trails for guided walks that allow visitors to take a closer look at plants and animals in their unaltered and millennial-old habitat.

The extraordinary richness and variety of Paraguayan geography is discovered in the tree-lined avenues and streets of its urban settlements, always decked out with gardens, wide and flowery; although it is truly explosive in the open countryside

Paraguay is a territory of vast dimensions, with immense valleys, dense forests and aggressive and steep hills, which are still the same scenarios seen by the first conquistadors

Sites such as Mbaracayú, Cerro Corá, Defensores del Chaco and Ybyturuzú are essential in this section, as well as the Pantanal, a region bordering Brazil, whose capital, Fort Olimpo, is an unbeatable base for moving around, as it is a beautiful historical city with an interesting architectural heritage, excellent hotels and good cuisine, which due to its location is especially advantageous as it gives access to the most impressive natural areas of northern Paraguay, featuring lands irrigated by the immense like-name river, without the need for strenuous travel and with the warranty of a comfortable outback.

The diverse and challenging topography, coupled with the hydrographic network that is a vital part of the so-called Guarani Aquifer -one of the most important fresh water reserves on the planet- pave the way for the development of attractive adventure tourism and sports options with more and more followers with each passing year. One of the longest traditions is the practice of sport fishing in the Paraguay, Paraná and Tebicuary rivers, as well as rappelling, rafting, horseback riding and potholing, with places that are now too hard to pass up in terms of the offers made by travel agents and tour operators operating in this country. Good cases in point are the Tagatiyá River, the Mbaracayú forest, the Ybytyruzú mountain range and the Vallemí caves.

These are possibilities at hand in any of the Paraguayan departments - Alto Paraguay, Alto Paraná, Amambay, Boquerón, Caaguazú, Caazapá, Canindeyú, Central, Concepción, Guairá, Itapúa, Cordillera, Misiones, Ñeembucú, Paraguari, Presidente Hayes and San Pedro-, together with the experience of the so-called rural and experience tourism, whose nitty-gritty character or uniqueness consists of spending a few days in Paraguayan farmhouses and estates, sharing the daily life of their owners, the farm work, their meals, rodeos and celebrations.

This is the deep and enigmatic Paraguay that anyone should get to know in an adventurous ride through a kaleidoscope of regions, areas and landscapes too hard to match, of hardworking and kindhearted people; a country that many imagine small, without knowing that its borders engulf a history so vast and a geography as diverse and extensive as those you can find in a whole continent.