Plan on about 9 h 39 min of driving for the 418-mile (673 km) trip from Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 390.
- 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 418 mi (673 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-470 → ERS-446 → ERS-122 → ERS-240 → BR-116 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 390, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Punta del Diablo
The route crosses at about mile 390, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. 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.
Driving Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo: the shape of the trip
BR-471 (137 mi) and BR-116 (113 mi) carry about 60% of the 418 miles. The first 390 miles are in Brazil; the last 28 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-470 | 1–10 | 9 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-446 | 10–19 | 9 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-122 | 19–43 | 24 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-240 | 43–52 | 9 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 52–165 | 113 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 165–225 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 225–227 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 227–253 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 253–390 | 137 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 390–418 | 28 | Rocha |
- Mile 390 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Bento Gonçalves and Punta del Diablo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 65), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 166)
- Nature and outdoors: Salto Ventoso (mile 17)
- Museums and history: Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante (mile 53), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 65), Farol Santander Porto Alegre (mile 73), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 166), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 231), Museu da Baronesa (mile 231)
Salto Ventoso
Salto Ventoso is a waterfall in Farroupilha, Brazil, and a tourist attraction of regional importance.
Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante
The Casa da Feitoria in São Leopoldo, in the Rio dos Sinos valley, housed a royal hemp-linen farm from 1788 until March 1824 and is also known as the Casa do Imigrante.
Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas
Canoas's history museum and archive keeps photos, newspapers, maps, documents, audiovisual material and objects that tell the story of the city in Rio Grande do Sul.
Observatory of university federal of Rio Grande do Sul
Part of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, this astronomical observatory in Porto Alegre works as a scientific institution, a museum and a teaching unit.
Farol Santander Porto Alegre
Formerly Santander Cultural, Farol Santander Porto Alegre is a cultural center run by Banco Santander in a historic building on Alfândega Square.
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Catedral São Francisco de Paula
Seat of the Archdiocese of Pelotas, the Catedral Metropolitana de Pelotas is a Catholic church in Rio Grande do Sul dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola.
Museu da Baronesa
Opened in 1982 and run by the Pelotas city culture department, Museu da Baronesa occupies a building listed as municipal heritage in 1985.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
In Punta del Diablo itself
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
More drives to Punta del Diablo
- La Paloma to Punta del Diablo
- Nueva Helvecia to Punta del Diablo
- Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Diablo
- Tacuarembó to Punta del Diablo
- Rivera to Punta del Diablo
- Salto to Punta del Diablo
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 does it take to drive from Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 9 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 418 miles.
What is the driving distance from Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 418 miles (673 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 Punta del Diablo drive cross the border?
At about mile 390, 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo drive?
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.
What roads does the drive from Bento Gonçalves to Punta del Diablo use?
In order: BR-470, ERS-446, ERS-122, ERS-240, BR-116, BR-392 and BR-471. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Bento Gonçalves and Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 65, 0.2 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 166, 0.5 mi from the route); Catedral São Francisco de Paula (cathedral, mile 231, 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.