By road, Novo Hamburgo and Barra de Valizas, Uruguay are about 401 miles (645 km) apart, or roughly 9 h 13 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 343.
- 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance | 401 mi (645 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 343, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The border on the way to Barra de Valizas
The route crosses at about mile 343, 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 Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas: the shape of the trip
BR-471 (138 mi) and BR-116 (116 mi) carry about 63% of the 401 miles. The first 343 miles are in Brazil; the last 58 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 1–117 | 116 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 117–177 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 177–179 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 179–205 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 205–343 | 138 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 343–401 | 58 | Rocha |
- Mile 343 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Where to stop on the way to Barra de Valizas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 7), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 18), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 118), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365)
- Museums and history: Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 7), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 18), Farol Santander Porto Alegre (mile 25), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 118), Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (mile 183)
Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo"
Dedicated to the history of São Leopoldo and German colonization in Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu Histórico Visconde de São Leopoldo keeps a collection of objects, images and documents about the settlers. It is a privately run museum.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo
Opened in 1986 on Praça 7 de Julho, across from the Mercado Central in downtown Pelotas, this art museum is part of the Federal University of Pelotas arts center.
Theatro Sete de Abril
Opened in 1834 in Pelotas, Theatro Sete de Abril dates from the charqueada (salted beef) economic cycle, when Pelotas was among Brazil's wealthiest cities.
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.
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.
In Barra de Valizas itself
Parque nacional Cabo Polonio
Part of Uruguay's national protected areas system since 2009, Cabo Polonio National Park spans 25,820 hectares of coastline, ocean and offshore islands.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
Standing on the Cabo Polonio headland in Uruguay's Rocha department, this lighthouse looks out over the Atlantic Ocean and was built in 1881.
Dunes of Cabo Polonio
Inside Cabo Polonio National Park in Uruguay's Rocha department, a band of natural sand dunes runs along the Atlantic Ocean.
More drives to Barra de Valizas
- Maldonado to Barra de Valizas
- Montevideo to Barra de Valizas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Barra de Valizas
- Nueva Helvecia to Barra de Valizas
- Colonia del Sacramento to Barra de Valizas
- Conchillas to Barra de Valizas
More drives from Novo Hamburgo
- Novo Hamburgo to Paranaguá
- Novo Hamburgo to Jaraguá do Sul
- Novo Hamburgo to Camboriú
- Novo Hamburgo to Tubarão
- Novo Hamburgo to Bagé
- Novo Hamburgo to Santana do Livramento
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas, Uruguay?
About 9 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 401 miles.
How far is Barra de Valizas, Uruguay from Novo Hamburgo by car?
About 401 miles (645 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 Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas drive cross the border?
At about mile 343, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Novo Hamburgo 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 Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas, 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 Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas?
In order: BR-116, BR-392 and BR-471. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Novo Hamburgo to Barra de Valizas?
Closest to the road: Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 18, 0.1 mi from the route); Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 118, 0.5 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 365, 0.3 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.