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Filadelfia

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The Mennonite town at the centre of the Paraguayan Chaco, 462 km by road from Asunción, with its colony museums, the forts of the Chaco War and salt lagoons where flamingos gather from July to September.

Fly to Filadelfia All of Paraguay
Arrival
Silvio Pettirossi International, Asunción · ASU
To the town
462 km by road from Asunción
Private jets
Gravel strip in town; ASU for jets
Best time
April to September

The city

A colony town in the dry Chaco.

Mennonite settlers founded Colonia Fernheim in 1930 and made Filadelfia its main town, which is also the seat of the Cooperativa Fernheim. Two more colonies lie close by, Menno at Loma Plata, 20 km away, and Neuland about 40 km off. Between them they keep more than ten small museums, from the Jakob Unger science museum to the old colony house.

Further out, the Chaco opens up. Forts from the war of 1932 to 1935 are scattered across it, from Fortín Trébol 5 km out to Boquerón at 50 to 60 km. Salt lagoons such as Campo María draw flamingos, usually from July to September, though access has to be arranged beforehand. A car of your own is the practical way to see it all.

  • Fortín Boquerón A Chaco War fort some 50 to 60 km from Filadelfia, open every day.
  • The salt lagoons Capitán, Campo María and their neighbours, visited by arrangement; flamingos are usually there from July to September.
  • Museo Jakob Unger The Museo Científico, one of more than ten museums in the Fernheim colony.

Arriving

Into the Chaco from Asunción.

The nearest scheduled flights land at Asunción, about 410 km to the south-east in a straight line and 462 km by road. Filadelfia has its own aerodrome, with a gravel runway and no airline service.

Business & First Class Scheduled flights Air Europa flies nonstop between Madrid and Asunción. Copa, LATAM and Gol connect it with Panama City and São Paulo, and several airlines with Buenos Aires. Business & First fares Private Jet Private aircraft Jets arrive at Asunción, where AC-U-KWIK lists two FBOs and customs. About 70 km north-west of Filadelfia, Mariscal Estigarribia has a concrete runway of about 3,500 metres, the longest in Paraguay, used mostly by the military; we check access to it or to the town strip for each flight. Charter a jet
Approximate flying time by midsize jet
  • São Paulo 2 h 10
  • Punta del Este 2 h 15
  • Lima 3 h 05
  • Palm Beach 7 h 55 long-range jet
  • Ibiza 12 h 20 long-range jet

When to go

April to September.

In December and January the Chaco reaches 35 °C. The southern winter is far kinder: from May to August highs stay between 25 and 28 °C and the rain almost stops, with 6 mm in August. April and September, around 30 °C, close the season.

  1. 35° J 102
  2. 34° F 89
  3. 33° M 74
  4. 30° A 78
  5. 27° M 39
  6. 25° J 27
  7. 26° J 19
  8. 28° A 6
  9. 31° S 27
  10. 33° O 76
  11. 34° N 78
  12. 35° D 95
Best months weather2travel.com, long-term averages

Elsewhere in Paraguay

More reasons to come.

All of Paraguay

Flying to Filadelfia?

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A Business or First Class seat on a scheduled airline, or an aircraft of your own. Tell us the date and how many are travelling, and we reply with one final price, our margin included.

Business & First Private Jet