Plan on about 9 h 24 min of driving for the 432-mile (696 km) trip from Maldonado to Artigas, before any stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 432 mi (696 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 24 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Maldonado to Artigas drive plays out
I-B (18 mi) carries about 4% of the 432 miles. It runs through 8 departments: Maldonado, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Maldonado to Artigas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–9 | 9 | Maldonado |
| I-B | 9–27 | 18 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 27–28 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 28–44 | 16 | Maldonado, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 44–45 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 45–56 | 11 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 56–57 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 57–89 | 32 | Canelones |
| connecting roads | 89–91 | 2 | Canelones |
| local roads | 91–432 | 341 | Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera, Salto, Artigas |
- Mile 34 of this route: Maldonado → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Canelones → Florida (department line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Florida → Durazno (department line)
- Mile 217 of this route: Durazno → Tacuarembó (department line)
- Mile 325 of this route: Tacuarembó → Rivera (department line)
- Mile 375 of this route: Rivera → Salto (department line)
- Mile 387 of this route: Salto → Artigas (department line)
What to see on the way from Maldonado to Artigas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 91), Piedra Alta (mile 122), Cathedral of Florida (mile 122), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 177), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 306), Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 308)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 19), Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 56), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 91), Piedra Alta (mile 122), Cathedral of Florida (mile 122), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 177), Cathedral of Tacuarembó (mile 306)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 308)
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
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.
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.
Cathedral of Tacuarembó
Saint Fructuosus Cathedral is the main Catholic church of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the local diocese since 1960.
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.
More drives to Artigas
- Paysandú to Artigas
- Montevideo to Artigas
- Córdoba, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Artigas, Uruguay
- La Plata to Artigas, Uruguay
- Berisso to Artigas, Uruguay
From Maldonado to other places in Uruguay
- Maldonado to Nueva Helvecia
- Maldonado to Colonia del Sacramento
- Maldonado to Carmelo
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Rivera
- Maldonado to Bella Unión
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Maldonado to Artigas?
About 9 h 24 min of driving without stops, over 432 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maldonado to Artigas?
About 432 miles (696 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 Maldonado to Artigas?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Maldonado to Artigas?
Closest to the road: Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 122, 0.4 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 177, 0.3 mi from the route); Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 308, 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.