Lodging
Eiruzu Hotel A large option in the center of the city with a funky 70’s vibe. Grounds are nice and include a small pool. Tel: 0336 272 435, Corner of Avenida Mariscal Lopez and Mariscal Estigarribia, www.hoteleiruzu.blogspot.com, Singles: Gs. 165,00, Doubles Gs. 300,000, Triples: 400,000, Wi-Fi, TV, A/C, pool
Money Exchange
Multi Cambios Tel: 0336 73 888, Mariscal Lopez 1460 almost at 14 de Mayo, www.multicambiossa.com, Mon-Fri 8am-5pm, Sat 8am-12pm
Getting There
Pedro Juan can be reached from Asuncion one of three ways. The fastest is to drive north along Route 3 and then head east on Route 5 at Yby Yau. Both roads are completely paved and in very good condition. Another option is to head east on Route 2 and then north at Coronel Oviedo, connecting to Route 3 in San Estanislao (though there is no particular benefit to this route). If you want to pass by Concepcion you can drive north along the Trans Chaco highway and then head east at Pozo Colorado.
The bus ride between Pedro Juan Caballero and Asuncion takes between six and seven hours. Nasa (Tel: 0336 273 835), La Santaniana (Tel: 0336 2 72 152, 0336 2 72 708), and Cometa del Amambay (Tel: 0336 273 555, 0336 273 247) run daily buses from Asuncion’s terminal for Gs. 70,000. Nasa and Cometa del Amambay also run daily buses from Concepcion, a journey which takes about four to five hours and costs Gs. 30,000. The bus terminal is located opposite the Laguna Ponta Pora at the corner of Avenida Teniente Herero and Jose Martinez.
Nearby Attractions
Parque Nacional Cerro Cora
This 12,000 hectare park is one of Paraguay’s most visited national parks. The park is important both for its conservation of the Cerrado ecosystem as well as its historical significance. On March 1 st 1870 Mariscal Lopez met his death at the hands of the Brazilian Army, which effectively brought the disastrous Triple Alliance War to an end. The country’s fallen leader is commemorated throughout the park with monuments, statues and an enormous white cross. Visitors can learn more about the park’s history as well as its flora and fauna through displays in the small visitor’s center museum Walking paths lead down to the edges of the Aquidaban Nigui River as well as to the Cerro Muralla, a natural terrace. From this lookout point you can see Amambay’s characteristic rock formations jutting up all around. Many of these formations, known as cerros, have ancient petro glyphs etched into the walls, rumored by locals to have been left by Vikings. Cerro Cora is an easy day trip from
both Concepcion and Pedro Juan Caballero (the former being a cheaper base of operations). Those who wish to stay overnight can sleep in a small guest house or camp. Parque Nacional Cerro Cora is located about forty kilometers and an hour’s ride from Pedro Juan Caballero. Buses that run between Concepcion and Pedro Juan Caballero (as well as Asuncion and Pedro Juan Caballero) will drop passengers off at the turn off to the park. From the turn off, which is on the right-hand side if coming from Pedro Juan Caballero, it is about one kilometer to the park entrance.
Ojo del Mar
A hundred-meter wide lagoon in the middle of dense tropical vegetation, this curious site is said to be the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. The source of the formation’s water is unknown as is its depth. Adding to the mystery is the remote location (120 kilometers north of Pedro Juan Caballero) and rumors of a monster hiding in the depths of the greenish waters. Due to the poor roads and security risks of traveling unaccompanied in Amambay, it is best to visit Ojo de Mar with a tour operator. The site is approximately fifty kilometers to the west of the city of Bella Vista del Norte which is an official border crossing with Brazil’s Bela Vista.
