Puerto Casado

Puerto Casado is a historic town in southern Alto Paraguay department, located on the Paraguay River. It was once a major centre of the tannin (quebracho extract) industry, with a large English-owned factory that operated until the mid-20th century. The company built a railway into the Chaco to bring quebracho logs to the port, and remnants of this industrial past remain visible. Today it is a quiet river town with a population far smaller than its heyday, but the history of the tannin boom gives it a unique character. The climate is tropical; the dry season (May–September) is the best time to visit.

By Plane

The nearest airport is Mariscal Francisco Solano López Airport (CIO) in Concepción, about 150 km southeast.

By Train

No passenger rail. The industrial railway is defunct.

By Car / Road

Puerto Casado is accessible via unpaved road from Concepción (150 km, 3–4 hr by 4WD) or from the Transchaco Highway via a long track. 4WD essential.

By Boat

The Aquidabán cargo ferry from Concepción to Bahía Negra stops at Puerto Casado.

Walkable.

• Industrial ruins – Remains of the tannin factory, including large brick buildings, pipes, and machinery.

• Port area – The river port where quebracho logs were loaded onto ships.

• Historic railway – The abandoned railway bed and a few surviving locomotives.

• History walk – Explore the ruins of the tannin industry, which shaped the region's development.

• River views – The Paraguay River at a historically significant port.

• Comedor Casado – Simple meals, GS.12,000–20,000.

Local kiosks.

• Budget: Basic hospedaje, GS.40,000–50,000.

Basic provisions.

• Capitán Carmelo Peralta (50 km north) – River port.
• Fuerte Olimpo (110 km north) – Historic fort.
• Concepción (150 km southeast) – Pearl of the North.