By road, Maldonado and Rivera are about 374 miles (602 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 49 min of driving.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Distance | 374 mi (602 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 49 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Maldonado, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Maldonado to Rivera
I-B (18 mi) carries about 5% of the 374 miles. It runs through 6 departments: Maldonado, Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Maldonado and Rivera
| 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 | 91–374 | 283 | Canelones, Florida, Durazno, Tacuarembó, Rivera |
- 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Maldonado and Rivera
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 91), Cathedral of Florida (mile 122), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 123), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 177), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 305)
- 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), Cathedral of Florida (mile 122), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 123), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 177), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 305)
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
Since 2021, UNESCO has counted Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker among its World Heritage Sites. The engineer's brick church in Estación Atlántida was inaugurated in 1960 and is known for its undulating walls and roof.
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.
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.
Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida
This history museum is located in the central part of Florida, capital of the Uruguayan department of the same name, on Rivera street.
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.
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.
More drives to Rivera
- Montevideo to Rivera
- Buenos Aires to Rivera, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Rivera, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Rivera, Uruguay
- La Plata to Rivera, Uruguay
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Rivera, 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 Artigas
- Maldonado to Bella Unión
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Maldonado to Rivera?
About 7 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 374 miles.
What is the driving distance from Maldonado to Rivera?
About 374 miles (602 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 Rivera?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Maldonado and Rivera?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 91, 0.7 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 177, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (museum, mile 305, 0.5 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.