Paraguay: Ruta del Mate
A 25-Day Exploration of Local Traditions, Nature, and Service in Rural Paraguay
Project Overview
Experience Paraguay through community life, cultural exchange, conservation, and travel. Begin with a homestay in a rural community, sharing daily life, practicing Spanish, connecting with local youth, and joining service activities alongside community members.
Then, journey with your group and Paraguayan youth leaders to the Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve. Explore the region’s biodiversity, learn about yerba mate, take part in hands‑on conservation projects, and spend time with students who live and study in the reserve.
The program closes in eastern Paraguay with excursions to Iguazú Falls in Brazil and the Itaipú Hydroelectric Plant on the Paraguay‑Brazil border.
Training & Preparation
Start Strong, Stay Confident.
Explore projects offer a guided experience with support, so training equips you to engage respectfully and safely with your host community.
National Volunteers:
3–5 hour self‑paced online course (about one month before departure)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Local Chapter Volunteers:
In‑person chapter training (Feb–May)
Short online concept quiz (mid‑May)
Project Information (PIP) Webinar
Family member attends Health & Safety Webinar
Ready to lead, ready to explore! Once you land, you’ll spend 3-4 days getting grounded. Orientation introduces you to local culture, daily life, and your community assignment. Project staff lead sessions on health, safety, and project activities and expectations so you feel confident and prepared before diving into the local community.
Closing strong, Carrying forward! In your final two nights, you’ll come together with fellow volunteers to reflect, celebrate, and prepare for the journey home. Debriefing helps you process your experience, navigate reverse culture shock, and wrap up travel logistics. It’s a supportive space to share growth and learn how to tell your story to family and friends.
What to Expect
Experience More, Discover Yourself.
AMIGOS projects are designed to challenge and inspire. You’ll dive into hands‑on activities, connect with local communities, live with a host family, and experience life tech‑free. Every moment builds connection, leadership, and friendships that last far beyond the program.
A look at what volunteers do in the Ruta del Mate project.
- SERVICE
- Develop and implement a service project in your community with the Local Youth Leaders (LYLs) and community members.
- Facilitate fun and educational activities, Recreos, for kids 5 days a week with the LYLs.
- CONNECTION & IMMERSION
- See your AMIGOS peers every day and share the experience together.
- Join fun activities and games with local youth.
- Help clean rivers and streams and support efforts to control invasive species.
- Take part in workshops to learn about Paraguay’s environmental conservation.
- Travel to one of the Seven Wonders of the World — Iguazú Falls — and visit the Itaipú Dam.
Volunteers develop connections with the people who make each project possible: host families, local youth, community members, partner organizations, AMIGOS staff, and fellow volunteers. These relationships are central to the AMIGOS experience, creating space for cultural exchange, shared learning, and collaborative service.
Living with a host family moves volunteers past the tourist experience, offering a genuine sense of belonging in the community. It’s the ultimate way to rapidly improve Spanish skills and build cross-cultural relationships that often last a lifetime. With 60 years of experience, AMIGOS strictly vets every household through in-person home visits, interviews, and mandatory health and safety training. Staff supervisors conduct regular check-ins and provide 24/7 emergency support.
“My host sister Sophia taught me so much about Paraguayan culture and Guaraní. We connected really well as friends and felt just like sisters.”
Over the years, we have observed that volunteers who choose a full digital detox report higher satisfaction, stronger community bonds, and fewer instances of homesickness or emotional distress. Our experience, supported by emerging research on technology use and mental health, demonstrates that disconnecting from devices allows volunteers to connect more deeply with themselves, their peers, and their host communities.
Full Technology PolicyCurious about the daily experience? Explore a sample itinerary for this trip.
Safety and Support
With AMIGOS, you’ll receive pre-departure training either with your local chapter or online in cultural understanding, health and safety, community development practices, leadership, and team building. Our training curriculum prepares students to manage projects, organize community members, solve problems, accept responsibility, and learn from others. You’ll get hands-on experience to gain skills necessary to succeed in our projects.
Once you arrive abroad, you’ll spend a few days in what we call “briefing.” This is a chance to meet everyone on your project. This part of your journey is led by your in-country staff team, who will introduce you to the specifics of your country and your project, as well as prepare you to live in your host community.
Cost and Financial Aid
Program fees covers all essential costs, including lodging with host families, local meals, in-country transportation, group excursions, and a 24/7 emergency support network. What’s included:
- 25 days of immersive programming and activities
- All meals and accommodations
- In-country transportation
- 24/7 safety and support system
- Pre-departure and training, online or in-person
What’s not included: flights, travel protection, gear.
More About Fees & FundingOur transparent, all-inclusive pricing and flexible financial aid and fundraising options maximize value for your family.
Participant Voices
Frequently Asked Questions
Ruta del Mate is perfect for students who want variety in their experience. You’ll build relationships with a host family and community while also traveling, living closely with your group, spending time outdoors, and trying new activities.
This project is especially suited for students who are curious about different cultures, interested in nature and sustainability, and comfortable learning by doing. If you’re excited to practice Spanish, experience Guaraní culture, connect with Paraguayan youth leaders, and explore different parts of the country as part of a team, Ruta del Mate offers that balance.
Ruta del Mate combines community immersion with environmental learning and youth exchange in a way no other project does. You’ll experience everyday rural life with host families, then shift to the Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve — one of Paraguay’s most important natural landscapes — where conservation, biodiversity, and yerba mate cultivation come to life. Service in the garden and work on invasive species are paired with cultural activities and time alongside Paraguayan students, creating a balance of hands‑on impact and cross‑cultural connection.
The journey closes with two unforgettable contrasts: the natural wonder of Iguazú Falls and the engineering marvel of the Itaipú Dam. Each setting adds a new perspective on Paraguay, making Ruta del Mate a uniquely multifaceted experience.
AMIGOS began its work in Paraguay in 1972 in partnership with the Ministry of Health, focusing on immunizations and community sanitation. In 1993, these initiatives expanded into separate projects — one based in Asunción and another in nearby regions.
By 2011, our work shifted toward youth leadership and extracurricular education, reflecting a broader organizational focus. AMIGOS ran open‑enrollment summer programs in Paraguay through 2017 and proudly relaunched in 2024, continuing a legacy of community partnership and youth empowerment.
Yes! Receive college credit for joining this project! Learn more here.
You can earn 60 service hours on this program.
Home away from home
You’ll experience both group and family living. At the beginning, during Camp, and at the end of the project, the whole group stays together in dorm‑style lodging. For most of the program, volunteers are split into groups of up to six and placed with host families — either independently or with one partner. An AMIGOS staff member is regularly present in the communities, ensuring support while you immerse yourself in daily life.
Most food will be home‑cooked, typical Paraguayan dishes featuring staples like meat, corn, and rice. You’ll get to try local favorites such as:
Borí Borí — corn flour and cheese dumplings served in a fresh vegetable or chicken broth.
Chipa — a savory, cheesy scone.
Sopa Paraguaya — a unique cornmeal‑based bread.
This project is best suited for volunteers who eat meat, as vegetarian diets cannot be accommodated by host families.
In Paraguay’s winter, daytime temperatures range from 50°F to 77°F, with occasional warmer days in the mid‑80s and cold snaps dropping into the 40s at night. Humidity and rain are common, and homes often feel colder indoors without heating. Communities are near urban areas but remain small and close‑knit, with flat red‑dirt roads that are easy to walk. The region is more forested, shaped by nearby natural reserves.
Jopara (Yopará): A blend of Guaraní and Spanish, widely spoken in the region.
Tranquilopa / Tranquilo nomá: A local phrase meaning “it’s all good, relax, don’t worry” — the Paraguayan version of hakuna matata.
Tereré: The cold version of mate, Paraguay’s national herbal drink, shared socially throughout the day.
Guapo / Guapa: A compliment for being hardworking — if someone calls you guapo or guapa, you’re on their good side!
AMIGOS uses an Asset‑Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, meaning service activities respond to the priorities of each community. For Explore programs, AMIGOS works with partner agencies and local leaders in advance to identify needs. Volunteers then join to support these efforts through hands‑on service and connection.
Past service activities have included:
Cleaning and revamping partner agency headquarters
Community clean‑ups
Beautification projects (painting, planting, signage)
Working in community gardens
Reforestation and environmental conservation activities
Because service activities are prepared ahead of time, volunteers focus on participation and teamwork, building relationships with local youth while contributing to meaningful community efforts.
Ideal for volunteers who want variety, the Paraguay: Ruta del Mate project combines rural community life, environmental learning, and youth exchange. Volunteers live with host families, collaborate with local youth on service projects, explore the Mbaracayú Forest Nature Reserve, and experience Paraguayan traditions from Guaraní culture to yerba mate.
- Meet the health criteria for AMIGOS participation
- Receive required immunizations
- Be age 15–19 on the project start date
- 1 year of Spanish or equivalent
- Passport valid 6 months after project start date
- Complete pre-departure training, online or in-person
