20 days/ 19 nights.

Birds and Fauna of Paraguay, Wildlife in the Heart of South America.

PBNPY1_20 days/19 nights.

This 20-days tour covers almost all of Paraguay and focuses on observing the fantastic birds and wildlife in the Heart of South America, encompasses the vast majority of ecosystems, ranging from the Humid Chaco, the Dry Chaco, the Cerrado, the Mesopotamian Grassland and the Atlantic Forest endemic and is rich in species. We will have the opportunity to search to put many specialties on our list. Like the "Targets 10" of Chaco - Chaco Owl, Quebracho Crested Tinamou, Brushland Tinamou, Chaco Chachalaca, Scimitar-billed Woodcreeper, Crested Gallito, Black-bodied Woodpecker, Black-legged Seriema, Chaco Earthcreeper and Spot-winged Falconet, besides other exceptional species, among them the world-threatened White-winged Nightjar, of which only 4 spots are known in the world, 2 of them in Paraguay! The Helmeted Woodpecker, Stranged-tailed and Cock-tailed Tyrants, plus a number of interesting and rare doraditos and seedeater, including the recently described new species; the Ibera Seedeater. This trip offers you to go to the heart of South America, continent of the birds!, and in addition to the great diversity of birds, Paraguay is probably the country where you have the possibility of seeing the largest amount of mammals of the neotropic, with the 2 spectacular species of anteaters (Giant and Tamandua), 8 feline species, including Puma and Jaguar, the three South American peccaries, the Lowland Tapir, the Maned Wolf and several species of deer, armadillos, monkeys and rodents. And of course an innumerable amount of fabulous reptiles, amphibians, insects, forests, orchids, bromeliads, ferns and the geography and fantastic ecosystems where they live and accompany us throughout this small piece of Paradise!

Tour details

  • Length: 20 days
  • Species in the trip: 690 Number of Species Expected of Bird: 370 – 420
  • Tour Pace & Walking: Some long drives, mostly relaxed with some night drives and walks.
  • Focus: Bird and Wildlife observation
  • Recommended season: From July to November*.
  • Suggested extensions: Depending on the number of additional days you have of time and the species of your interest, we suggest you to observe our list of Regional Tours that are easy to connect. (link our locals and regionals tours)

Ecoregions visited in this tour

Go to our Photo Gallery
Azara's Night Monkey_© John Sterling
Azara's Night Monkey_© John Sterling
Blond-crested Woodpecker_© John Sterling
Blond-crested Woodpecker_© John Sterling
Swallow Tanager_© John Sterling
Swallow Tanager_© John Sterling
Hairy Armadillo_© John Sterling
Hairy Armadillo_© John Sterling
Robust Woodpecker_© John Sterling
Robust Woodpecker_© John Sterling
Purple-crowned Plovercrest_© John Sterling
Purple-crowned Plovercrest_© John Sterling

Top species of Birds

Brushland & Quebracho Crested Tinamou, Lesser & Chacho Nothura, Chaco Chachalaca, Black-fronted Piping Guan, Black-capped Screech Owl, Rusty-barred, Chaco & Black-banded Owl, Little, White-winged, Scissor-tailed, Rufous & Silky-tailed Nightjar, Ocellated Poorwill, Great Dusky Swift, Buff-bellied Hermit, Surucua Trogon, Rufous-capped Motmot, Saffron & Spot-billed Toucanet, Green-billed & Toco Toucan, White-fronted, Blond-crested, Helmeted, Black-bodied, Robust & Cream-backed Woodpecker, Spot-winged Falconet, Maroon-bellied Parakeet, Pileated & Scaly-headed Parrot, Turquoise-fronted & Vinaceous-breasted Amazon, Chaco Earthcreeper, Crested Hornero, Short-billed Canastero, Lark-like Brushrunner, Brown Cacholote, Scimitar-billed & Great Rufous Woodcreeper, Red-billed Scythebill, Spot-backed, Tufted, Great & Rufous-winged Antshrike, Stripe-backed Antbird, Rusty-backed Antwren, White-shouldered Fire-eye, Short-tailed Antthrush, Crested Gallito, Collared & Olive-crowned Crescentchest, Suiriri Flycatcher, Bearded Tachuri, Dinelli’s & Crested Doradito, Tawny-crowned Pygmy Tyrant, Plain Inezia, Sharp-tailed Grass Tyrant, Russet-winged Spadebill, Cinereous Tyrant, White-rumped Monjita, White-headed Marsh Tyrant, Cock-tailed & Strange-tailed Tyrant, Sibilant Sirystes, Bare-throated Bellbird, Red-ruffed Fruitcrow, Helmeted Manakin, Sharpbill, Curl-crested & Plush-crested Jay, Creamy-bellied Gnatcatcher, Ochre-breasted Pipit, Chestnut-bellied Euphonia, Blue-naped Chlorophonia, White-rimmed Warbler, Red-rumped Cacique, Orange-backed Troupial, Saffron-cowled Blackbird, Stripe-capped Sparrow, Yellow-billed Cardinal, White-rumped, Black-goggled, White-lined, Green-headed & Burnished-buff Tanager, Many-colored Chaco Finch, Black-masked Finch, Red Pileated Finch, Long-tailed Reed Finch, Black-capped Warbling Finch, Wedge-tailed & Lesser Grass Finch, Pampa Finch, Buffy-fronted, Temminck’s, Plumbeous, Rusty-collared, White-bellied, Copper, Tawny-bellied, Rufous-rumped, Dark-throated, Marsh & Chestnut Seedeater, Black-backed Grosbeak, Black-throated Saltator

Top species of Mammals

Puma, Jaguar, Ocellot, Little Spotted & Geoffroy’s Cat, Jaguarundi, Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Crab-eating and Pampas Fox, Maned Wolf, Lowland Tapir, Chaco Peccary, Marsh Deer, Grey Brocket, Azara’s Night Monkey, Brown Capuchin Monkey, Plains Viscacha, Capybara, Azara’s Agouti, Nine, Six and Three banded Armadillo.

Bird list of Top Hotspots

Tour Map

Program Summary

Day 1 – ARRIVAL IN ASUNCIÓN. Please book flights to arrive in Asunción during this day. If time allows, we will visit the wetlands and shores of the Bahia Asunción. Overnight in Asunción.

Day 2 – ASUNCIÓN, ARROYOS Y ESTEROS BIRDING ON TO CERRADO OF RIO VERDE. Early in the morning, we will go birding in the Arroyos y Esteros area, hoping for many waterbirds but also some rare and unusual flycatchers. The target bird is the Strange-tailed Tyrant. We will continue to Reserva Natural Rio Verde after lunch, and we certainly will try for our first specialties such as: Cook-tailed Tyrant, White-rumped Tanager, White-banded Tanager, Sharp-tailed Tyrant, Giant Snipe and White-winged Nightjar among others. Overnight in Santa Rosa del Aguaray.

Day 3 – RESERVA NATURAL RIO VERDE – MBARACAYÚ RESERVE. We have other chances during this morning in this fantastic reserve. We will drive during the afternoon in order to maximize our time at the Mbaracayu Reserve. Lunch on the way to Mbaracayu Reserve. Overnight in Mbaracayu Reserve.

Day 4 – TO MBARACAYÚ RESERVE. We will take the trails near the Lodge, which usually hold great surprises. Overnight in Mbaracayu Reserve. Early in the morning we will go to the center of the reserve, the place is known as Lagunita and then we will walk on the trail called Moroti Stream, we will take a picnic lunch, and then we will go to the Cerrado Area called Aguara Ñu, we will be all afternoon and part of the night looking for the specialties of the place, this will be our second chance to look for the White-winged Nightjar. Overnight in Mbaracayu Reserve.

Day 5 – MBARACAYÚ RESERVE. In the morning we will go to the northeast of the reserve, The Carapa Falls is a spectacular falls in the jungle; you will never forget this magical place . Overnight in Mbaracayu Reserve.

Day 6 – MBARACAYÚ RESERVE AND DRIVE TO SAN RAFAEL NATIONAL PARK.  The drive to San Rafael will take all day. We will leave early and have lunch on the road. If at all possible, we will look for birds once we arrive in the afternoon. Overnight in San Rafael.

Day 7 – ESTANCIA NUEVA GAMBACH; PARQUE NACIONAL SAN RAFAEL. Birding in the forests and grasslands of San Rafael. Overnight in San Rafael.

Day 8 – ESTACIÓN KANGUERY GRASSLANDS. We will concentrate on grassland birding today, hoping for Cook-tailed Tyrant and Saffron-cowled Blackbirds as well as after dark Giant Snipe and some very interesting owls. Overnight in San Rafael.

Day 9 – ESTANCIA NUEVA GAMBACH. We will spend the day on other trails of the reserve. Overnight in San Rafael.

Day 10 – ESTANCIA NUEVA GAMBACH TO YACYRETA ISLAND. After some morning birding, depending on what species we have yet to see, we will depart for Ayolas. Overnight in Ayolas

Day 11 – YACYRETA ISLAND  TO YBYCUI NATIONAL PARK. Early in the morning we will take the Aguti Trail on the Island and then we will start to go to the Ybycui National Park. Overnight in Ybycui

Day 12 – YBYCUI NATIONAL PARK TO ASUNCION. We will spend a day in this very interesting National Park. Overnight in Asuncion.

Day 13 – HUMID CHACO. We will cross the Paraguay River and begin our drive west towards the region of Loma Plata, known for its history as a settlement of Russian Mennonites fleeing the Soviet Union in the 1930s. This is also the gateway to the Gran Chaco. We will bird our way through the humid Chaco on our way to the west. Overnight in Loma Plata.

Day 14 – LAGUNA CAPITAN AND CHACO LODGE PRIVATE RESERVE. Our birding of the Dry Chaco begins today. We will visit some saline lakes as well as Chaco woodlands and will make sure to try some mammal-watching at night. Overnight in Loma Plata.

Day 15 – FORTIN TOLEDO, PARQUE NACIONAL TENIENTE ENCISO. We will have a full day to bird and visit a breeding facility for the Chaco Peccary today. Overnight in Proyecto Tagua – Fortin Toledo.  

Day 16 – TENIENTE ENCISO NATIONAL PARK. A final full day of birding in the Dry Chaco. Overnight in Teniente Enciso National Park. Early in the morning, if we have not found most of our Chaco specialties by now, Teniente Enciso National Park will hopefully make up the difference as this is a key place for the rarer Chaco birds. Overnight in  Teniente Enciso National Park.

Day 17 – TENIENTE ENCISO NATIONAL PARK, RETURN TO NEULAND. This gives us a chance to move at a more leisurely pace and hopefully find the last of the Chaco specialties. Overnight in Neuland.

Day 18 –  NEULAND. Early in the morning we will go to the Selva Serena Reserve to have another chance to see the specialties of the chaco . Overnight in Neuland.

Day 19 – RETURN TO ASUNCIÓN.  We will have a day to make our way back towards the southeast and we will make sure to stop and enjoy some birding and scenery as we head to Asunción for our final dinner together. Overnight in Asunción.

Day 20 – END OF YOUR TOUR EXPERIENCE. Final departure.

More information of the tour, contact us!

If you are interested in the tour and want more details, write to our e-mail and we will gladly help you build your ideal tour. Do not forget that all our tours are ready to be adapted to your needs (Examples: more or less tour days, special species that you want to observe, emphasis on the group of animals or plants of your preference, add cultural and / or anthropological content, type of lodgings, level of meals, etc.).

Important Notes

This Tour includes*:

  • All meals from lunch on second day to breakfast on the penultimate day of the program (depending on the tour that you choose);
  • Bottled drinking water;
  • All lodgings, from the second night of second day  until the penultimate  night of the tour mentioned in the program;
  • Ground transportation;
  • Reserve entrance fees; and
  • All guiding services (not including tips for local guides and services).

The tour fee does not include:

  • Visa fees;
  • ANY flights (see above);
  • Passenger insurance (we recommend taking passenger insurance for trips to Paraguay and the region);
  • Any alcoholic drinks;
  • Special gratuities; and
  • Telephone calls, laundry and other items of a personal nature and other items not mentioned as expressly included.
*: Likewise all services included and not included will be clearly stipulated in our travel agreement according to the characteristics of the tour and your needs.

To see more details of terms and conditions of our tours click here.