The Wayro route from Novo Hamburgo to Punta del Este, Uruguay is 479 miles (771 km), about 10 h 60 min of driving without 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance by road | 479 mi (771 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 60 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, Maldonado |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Border crossing: what to bring for 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.
On the road from Novo Hamburgo to Punta del Este
BR-471 (138 mi) and BR-116 (116 mi) carry about 53% of the 479 miles. The first 343 miles are in Brazil; the last 136 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha, Maldonado. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Novo Hamburgo to Punta del Este
| 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 | 343–465 | 122 | Rocha, Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 465–467 | 2 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 467–479 | 12 | Maldonado |
- Mile 343 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
- Mile 442 of this route: Rocha → Maldonado (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Novo Hamburgo and Punta del Este
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 118), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365), La Sirena Beach (mile 384), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 454)
- Museums and history: Farol Santander Porto Alegre (mile 25), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 118), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 183), Museu da Baronesa (mile 183)
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.
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.
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
In Punta del Este itself
La Mano de Punta del Este
Five human fingers rise out of the sand at Parada 1 on Brava Beach in Punta del Este in La Mano, a sculpture by Chilean artist Mario Irarrázabal.
Punta del Este Lighthouse
Erected in 1860, Punta del Este Lighthouse stands on the headland of Punta del Este in Uruguay's Maldonado Department.
Museo San Fernando
Museo San Fernando is a history museum in Maldonado, located at Rafael Pérez del Puerto 745, on the corner of Sarandí street.
More drives to Punta del Este
- Paysandú to Punta del Este
- Rivera to Punta del Este
- Durazno to Punta del Este
- Fray Bentos to Punta del Este
- Buenos Aires to Punta del Este, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Punta del Este, Uruguay
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 is the drive from Novo Hamburgo to Punta del Este, Uruguay?
About 10 h 60 min of driving without stops, over 479 miles.
What is the driving distance from Novo Hamburgo to Punta del Este, Uruguay?
About 479 miles (771 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 Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este 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 Punta del Este?
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 Punta del Este?
Closest to the road: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 118, 0.5 mi from the route); Catedral São Francisco de Paula (cathedral, mile 183, 1 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.