Plan on about 9 h 38 min of driving for the 405-mile (652 km) trip from Novo Hamburgo to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, before any stops. 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance by road | 405 mi (652 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 38 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 16.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay
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.
The Novo Hamburgo–Cabo Polonio drive in a few lines
BR-471 (138 mi) and BR-116 (116 mi) carry about 63% of the 405 miles. The first 343 miles are in Brazil; the last 62 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Novo Hamburgo to Cabo Polonio, road by road
| 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 | 343–405 | 62 | Rocha |
- Mile 343 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Where to stop on the way to Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 7), 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), Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana (mile 25), Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 38), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 118), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 183), Museu da Baronesa (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.
Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana
Housed in the former Hotel Majestic building in Porto Alegre, Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana is a cultural center; the hotel's heyday ran from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Estância das Pedras Brancas
Estância das Pedras Brancas is a historic ranch tied to the history of Rio Grande do Sul and the town of Guaíba. Its first owner was Antônio Ferreira Leitão.
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.
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.
Arriving in Cabo Polonio
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 Cabo Polonio
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Cabo Polonio
- Rivera to Cabo Polonio
- Paysandú to Cabo Polonio
- Salto to Cabo Polonio
- Bella Unión to Cabo Polonio
- Durazno to Cabo Polonio
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 Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 9 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 405 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio, Uruguay from Novo Hamburgo by car?
About 405 miles (652 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 Cabo Polonio 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Novo Hamburgo to Cabo Polonio 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.
Which highways go from Novo Hamburgo to Cabo Polonio?
In order: 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 Novo Hamburgo and Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (museum, mile 7, 0.6 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.