By road, Encarnación and San Bernardino are about 216 miles (347 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 33 min of driving.
Full advisory: Paraguay. Advisory issued: Paraguay August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Paraguay: “Driving or traveling at night is not advisable outside of Asuncion”
| Total distance | 216 mi (347 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | PY01 → D023 → D012 |
| Departments on the route | Itapúa, Misiones, Paraguarí, Central, Cordillera |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 8.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
What the drive from Encarnación to San Bernardino is like
PY01 (187 mi) and D023 (15 mi) carry about 94% of the 216 miles. It runs through 5 departments: Itapúa, Misiones, Paraguarí, Central, Cordillera. Of the 3 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Encarnación and San Bernardino
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Itapúa |
| PY01 | 1–188 | 187 | Itapúa, Misiones, Paraguarí |
| connecting roads | 188–189 | 1 | Paraguarí |
| D023 | 189–204 | 15 | Paraguarí, Central |
| local roads | 204–208 | 4 | Central |
| connecting roads | 208–210 | 2 | Central |
| D012 | 210–215 | 5 | Central, Cordillera |
| local roads | 215–216 | 1 | Cordillera |
- Mile 50 of this route: Itapúa → Misiones (department line)
- Mile 124 of this route: Misiones → Paraguarí (department line)
- Mile 201 of this route: Paraguarí → Central (department line)
- Mile 211 of this route: Central → Cordillera (department line)
- Mile 216 of this route: Cordillera → Central (department line)
Places worth a stop between Encarnación and San Bernardino
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Mission San Ignacio Guazú (mile 87)
- Nature and outdoors: Ypoá National Park (mile 167)
- Museums and history: Mission San Ignacio Guazú (mile 87)
Mission San Ignacio Guazú
San Ignacio Guazú was one of the missions the Society of Jesus founded in the Jesuit province of Paraguay, located in the city of San Ignacio Guazú in Misiones department.
Ypoá National Park
Ypoá National Park is a protected area in Paraguay that takes in Lake Ypoá.
Mbatovi ecoreserve
Mbatoví Ecoreserve (Ecorreserva Mbatoví) is a private protected area in Paraguay, registered as the country's first environmental easement and approved by the national tourism secretariat as an ecological tourist reserve.
Once you reach San Bernardino
Ypacaraí Lake
Roughly 50 km east of Asunción, Ypacaraí Lake is a major body of water in Paraguay that drains northwest through the Salado River into the Paraguay River.
More drives to San Bernardino
From Encarnación to other places in Paraguay
- Encarnación to Filadelfia
- Encarnación to Neuland
- Encarnación to Areguá
- Encarnación to Clorinda, Argentina
- Encarnación to Mercedes, Argentina
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Encarnación to San Bernardino?
About 5 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 216 miles.
What is the driving distance from Encarnación to San Bernardino?
About 216 miles (347 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Encarnación to San Bernardino?
The U.S. State Department rates Paraguay Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Encarnación to San Bernardino use?
In order: PY01, D023 and D012. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Encarnación and San Bernardino?
Closest to the road: Mission San Ignacio Guazú (jesuit mission ruins, mile 87, 0.4 mi from the route); Ypoá National Park (national park, mile 167, 9 mi from the route); Mbatovi ecoreserve (nature area, mile 190, 4 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.