The Wayro route from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno, Uruguay is 518 miles (833 km), about 11 h 20 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 319.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance by road | 518 mi (833 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 20 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-470 → RSC-453 → RSC-287 → BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 319, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 319, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Uruguay (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Uruguay | You can drive on your U.S. license. |
| 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. |
| 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, Uruguay (updated August 13, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno
BR-158 (134 mi) and RSC-287 (95 mi) carry about 44% of the 518 miles. The first 319 miles are in Brazil; the last 199 are in Uruguay. It runs through 4 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-470 | 1–7 | 6 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 7–67 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 67–162 | 95 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 162–167 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 167–171 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 171–242 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 242–256 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 256–319 | 63 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 319–320 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 320–518 | 198 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
- Mile 319 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 369 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 478 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Durazno
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 169), Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 169), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 387), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 389)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 414)
- Museums and history: St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul (mile 81), Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum (mile 105), Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (mile 169), Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (mile 169), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 389)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 387)
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul
Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.
Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum
In the town of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aristides Carlos Rodrigues Museum is part of the Paleorrota Geopark and offers information about the region.
Aqueduto de Candelária
In Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul, the Aqueduto de Candelária stands in the Linha Curitiba area. It was commissioned by João Kochenborger, one of the first German immigrants to reach the municipality, in 1862.
Planetário Professor José Mariano da Rocha Filho
Founded in 1971 at the Federal University of Santa Maria, this planetarium seats 120 people and has used a Digistar 4 digital projector since 2011.
Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción
Seat of the Archdiocese of Santa Maria in Rio Grande do Sul, this eclectic cathedral mixes neo-Baroque and neoclassical styles; construction started in 1902 under parish priest Caetano Pagliuca, and it opened in 1909.
Educational Museum Gama D'Eça
The Gama D'Eça Educational Museum sits at Rua do Acampamento 81 in central Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul.
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar
The Museo del Indio y del Gaucho, a museum of the Indigenous people and the gaucho, is located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Once you reach Durazno
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
More drives to Durazno
- Montevideo to Durazno
- Maldonado to Durazno
- Artigas to Durazno
- Buenos Aires to Durazno, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Durazno, Uruguay
- Mar del Plata to Durazno, Uruguay
More drives from Bento Gonçalves
- Bento Gonçalves to Guaíra
- Bento Gonçalves to Tubarão
- Bento Gonçalves to Santana do Livramento
- Bento Gonçalves to Chuí
- Bento Gonçalves to Mercedes, Argentina
- Bento Gonçalves to Maldonado, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno, Uruguay?
About 11 h 20 min of driving without stops, over 518 miles.
How far is Durazno, Uruguay from Bento Gonçalves by car?
About 518 miles (833 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 Bento Gonçalves to Durazno drive cross the border?
At about mile 319, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Bento Gonçalves into Uruguay?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. You can drive on your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 13, 2026.)
Is it safe to drive from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno?
In order: BR-470, RSC-453, RSC-287, BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Bento Gonçalves to Durazno?
Closest to the road: Educational Museum Gama D'Eça (didactic museum, mile 169, 0.4 mi from the route); Catedral de Nuestra Señora de la Concepción (cathedral, mile 169, 0.5 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 387, 0.1 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.