By road, Novo Hamburgo and Tacuarembó, Uruguay are about 397 miles (639 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 45 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 327.
- 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: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 397 mi (639 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-290 → BR-158 |
| Border crossing | about mile 327, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
The route crosses at about mile 327, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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–Tacuarembó drive in a few lines
BR-290 (230 mi) and BR-158 (64 mi) carry about 74% of the 397 miles. The first 327 miles are in Brazil; the last 70 are in Uruguay. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Novo Hamburgo to Tacuarembó
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 1–33 | 32 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 33–263 | 230 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 263–327 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 327–397 | 70 | Rivera, Tacuarembó |
- Mile 327 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 377 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Tacuarembó
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 7), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 18), Museu do Carvão (mile 57)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 30)
- Museums and history: Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (mile 7), Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 18), Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul (mile 25), Museu do Trabalho (mile 25), Museu do Carvão (mile 57)
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.
Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul
In Porto Alegre, the Museu de História da Medicina do Rio Grande do Sul preserves documents, medical instruments and other objects tracing the practice and evolution of medicine in the state.
Museu do Trabalho
Founded in 1982 on Rua dos Andradas in Porto Alegre, Museu do Trabalho is a private museum and cultural center with machines, photographs and documents on the lives of companies and workers.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
Arriving in Tacuarembó
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
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.
Museo del Deporte
Located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, the Museo del Deporte preserves and shares the sports history of the Tacuarembó department.
More drives to Tacuarembó
- Montevideo to Tacuarembó
- Maldonado to Tacuarembó
- Buenos Aires to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Santa Fe to Tacuarembó, Uruguay
- Paraná to Tacuarembó, 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 Tacuarembó, Uruguay?
About 8 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 397 miles.
What is the driving distance from Novo Hamburgo to Tacuarembó, Uruguay?
About 397 miles (639 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 Tacuarembó drive cross the border?
At about mile 327, 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 Tacuarembó 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.
What roads does the drive from Novo Hamburgo to Tacuarembó use?
In order: BR-116, BR-290 and BR-158. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Novo Hamburgo and Tacuarembó?
Closest to the road: Museu Histórico "Visconde de São Leopoldo" (museum, mile 7, 0.6 mi from the route); Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 18, 0.1 mi from the route); Museu do Carvão (museum, mile 57, 0.9 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.