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WINGS Birding Tours – Information

Paraguay

Tour Information

ENTERING AND LEAVING PARAGUAY:  U.S. citizens entering Paraguay will need a passport valid on the date of entry and with at least one blank page for an entry stamp.

There are no inoculations required unless you are coming directly from a country where Yellow Fever is endemic; in that case you may be asked to show proof of a valid Yellow Fever vaccination. 

COUNTRY INFORMATION: You can review the U.S. Department of State Country Specific Travel Information for Paraguay at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/country/paraguay.html  Review foreign travel advice from the UK government here: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice and travel advice and advisories from the Government of Canada here: https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/advisories.

PACE OF THE TOUR: We will be making early starts most days (04.00-06.00) in order to be out in the field for the first few hours of the day when birds are most active. We will normally have very early breakfasts at our lodging. Although we walk at a slow to moderate pace we’ll bird for hours at a time on most mornings. Be aware that you will not be able to return to the lodge or vehicle on your own if you become tired. Participants should be able to walk at a slow to moderate pace for four to five hours. 

As there are many range-restricted nocturnal species, we will arrange for a night walk/drive whenever there is an opportunity to look for owls, potoos and nightjars. These outings normally last two hours and may be taken after an earlier dinner or before a late dinner. Please be prepared to be flexible with regards these species and associated logistical arrangements. 

HEALTH: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations. These include measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, varicella (chickenpox) vaccine, polio vaccine, and your yearly flu shot. 

They further recommend that most travelers have protection against Hepatitis A and Typhoid. Please contact your doctor well in advance of your tour’s departure as some medications must be initiated weeks before the period of possible exposure. 

The most current information about travelers’ health recommendations can be found on the CDC’s Travel Health website at http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/paraguay . 

Yellow Fever: The CDC advises that Yellow Fever is possible in certain parts of Paraguay. Please consult your physician. 

Malaria: Paraguay is the first country in South America to be declared malaria free.

Dengue Fever: Present at low levels mainly in urban areas, so it is wise to use precautionary measures to avoid getting bitten by mosquitos.

Miscellaneous: Paraguay is quite a clean country, and we will be exploring places that have been visited by tourists for some time. We avoid tap water unless advised otherwise, but mineral water is readily available.

Bring a good insect repellent for mosquitoes and other insects that we’ll occasionally encounter. 

Smoking:  Smoking is prohibited in the vehicles or when the group is gathered for meals, checklists, etc. If you are sharing a room with a nonsmoker, please do not smoke in the room. If you smoke in the field, do so well away and downwind from the group. If any location where the group is gathered has a stricter policy than the WINGS policy, that stricter policy will prevail. 

CLIMATE: The climate of Paraguay is subtropical in the eastern (Oriental) region and tropical in the Chaco. Humidity is high in the east, but higher temperatures are usually experienced in the dry Chaco region. We visit during the Southern Hemisphere spring when rain may be possible and temperatures can vary from extremely hot to sudden cold snaps. Prepare for all eventualities.

ACCOMMODATION: The accommodation varies considerably on this tour. There are some places where the only option available is basic, with shared bathroom facilities. While the accommodation may be well below our normal standard at some places, this is compensated by the location and the birding opportunities it presents. Because some locations have a limited number of rooms, single rooms cannot be guaranteed throughout the tour for large groups. If a group is large enough that you are unable to have a single room at all locations you will be charged the single supplement only for the nights that you are able to use one.

Internet Access: Internet access by Wi-Fi is available throughout the tour, but signal strength varies in more remote areas. 

FOOD:The food is varied and very good, with home cooked dinners served buffet style. Vegetarians can be catered for if we are informed in advance of the tour. Free bottled water is constantly available as are juice drinks at meal times. 

Drinks: Bottled water, a soft drink or a beer (or wine if appropriate) are provided at meals, as is coffee or tea. In addition we keep a supply of bottled water on the tour vehicles, so bring a receptacle to keep filling up.

Food Allergies / Requirements: We cannot guarantee that all food allergies can be accommodated at every destination. Participants with significant food allergies or special dietary requirements should bring appropriate foods with them for those times when their needs cannot be met. Announced meal times are always approximate depending on how the day unfolds. Participants who need to eat according to a fixed schedule should bring supplemental food. Please contact the WINGS office if you have any questions.

TRANSPORTATION: Transport is in air-conditioned 4x4 vehicles, required to reach some of the more remote locations where road access is poor (especially during rains). Some roads may be quite bumpy. A rotational system will be used in the vehicle to allow everyone the opportunity to experience the most (and least) comfortable seats.

Updated: 12 October 2022