Plan on about 11 h 32 min of driving for the 537-mile (864 km) trip from Maringá to San Ignacio, Paraguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Paraguay at about mile 256.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. This drive passes within 100 miles of the border with Paraguay.
- Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution in Paraguay: Departments of Alto Paraná, Amambay, Canindeyú, Concepcion, and San Pedro.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Brazil, Paraguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Paraguay August 19, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Paraguay: “Driving or traveling at night is not advisable outside of Asuncion”
| Distance by road | 537 mi (864 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | PR-317 → BR-158 → BR-369 → BR-277 → PY02 → D010 → PY01 |
| Border crossing | about mile 256, Brazil → Paraguay |
| Regions on the route | Paraná, Alto Paraná, Caaguazú, Cordillera, Paraguarí, Misiones |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Getting across the Brazil–Paraguay border
The route crosses at about mile 256, from Paraná into Alto Paraná. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Paraguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Paraguay | You need a valid U.S. license and a valid International Driving Permit. |
| Entering Brazil (U.S. citizens) | Visa required: apply and get approved before you travel; travelers without visas can't enter. Passport: must be valid for one month at entry, with a blank page for each stamp. |
| Driving in Brazil | If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. |
| The car, entering Paraguay | The State Department notes that Paraguay doesn't require vehicle insurance. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Paraguay (updated September 17, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
The Maringá–San Ignacio drive in a few lines
PY02 (151 mi) and BR-369 (101 mi) carry about 47% of the 537 miles. The first 256 miles are in Brazil; the last 281 are in Paraguay. It runs through 6 regions: Paraná, Alto Paraná, Caaguazú, Cordillera, Paraguarí, Misiones. Of the 5 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Maringá to San Ignacio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Paraná |
| PR-317 | 3–43 | 40 | Paraná |
| BR-158 | 43–64 | 21 | Paraná |
| BR-369 | 64–165 | 101 | Paraná |
| BR-277 | 165–256 | 91 | Paraná |
| PY02 | 256–407 | 151 | Alto Paraná, Caaguazú, Cordillera |
| connecting roads | 407–408 | 1 | Cordillera |
| local roads | 408–418 | 10 | Cordillera |
| D010 | 418–434 | 16 | Cordillera, Paraguarí |
| connecting roads | 434–436 | 2 | Paraguarí |
| PY01 | 436–537 | 101 | Paraguarí, Misiones |
- Mile 256 of this route: Paraná → Alto Paraná (international border)
- Mile 306 of this route: Alto Paraná → Caaguazú (region line)
- Mile 401 of this route: Caaguazú → Cordillera (region line)
- Mile 423 of this route: Cordillera → Paraguarí (region line)
- Mile 500 of this route: Paraguarí → Misiones (region line)
Stops between Maringá and San Ignacio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Mbatovi ecoreserve (mile 429)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual Lago Azul (mile 59), Saltos del Monday (mile 257), Ypoá National Park (mile 457)
- Museums and history: Our Lady of Apparition Cathedral, Cascavel (mile 168)
Parque Estadual Lago Azul
Covering about 1,749 hectares in Campo Mourão, Paraná, Parque Estadual Lago Azul is a protected area built around a lake holding 70 million cubic meters of water.
Our Lady of Apparition Cathedral, Cascavel
Cascavel's Metropolitan Cathedral of Our Lady of Apparition is the Catholic cathedral of the Archdiocese of Cascavel in Paraná; the parish dates from June 10, 1952.
Saltos del Monday
The Monday Falls drop roughly 45 meters over a front about 120 meters wide inside a municipal park in Presidente Franco District, Alto Paraná, Paraguay.
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.
Ypoá National Park
Ypoá National Park is a protected area in Paraguay that takes in Lake Ypoá.
In San Ignacio itself
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.
More drives to San Ignacio
- Pedro Juan Caballero to San Ignacio, Paraguay
- Areguá to San Ignacio, Paraguay
- Clorinda to San Ignacio, Paraguay
- Cascavel to San Ignacio, Paraguay
- Umuarama to San Ignacio, Paraguay
More drives from Maringá
- Maringá to Barretos
- Maringá to Uberaba
- Maringá to Bragança Paulista
- Maringá to Paranapiacaba
- Maringá to Cubatão
- Maringá to São Vicente
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Maringá to San Ignacio, Paraguay?
About 11 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 537 miles.
How far is San Ignacio, Paraguay from Maringá by car?
About 537 miles (864 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.
Where does the Maringá to San Ignacio drive cross the border?
At about mile 256, from Brazil into Paraguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Maringá into Paraguay?
No visa needed for stays of up to 90 days. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You need a valid U.S. license and a valid International Driving Permit. (U.S. State Department, updated September 17, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Maringá to San Ignacio, Paraguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Paraguay Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Maringá to San Ignacio?
In order: PR-317, BR-158, BR-369, BR-277, PY02, D010 and PY01. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Maringá to San Ignacio?
Closest to the road: Parque Estadual Lago Azul (state park, mile 59, 3 mi from the route); Our Lady of Apparition Cathedral, Cascavel (cathedral, mile 168, 2 mi from the route); Mbatovi ecoreserve (nature area, mile 429, 0.2 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.