Plan on about 9 h 11 min of driving for the 385-mile (620 km) trip from Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, before any stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 323.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 385 mi (620 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 11 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 323, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.4 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 323, 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 Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio
BR-471 (137 mi) and BR-116 (94 mi) carry about 60% of the 385 miles. The first 323 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, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 4–98 | 94 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 98–158 | 60 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 158–160 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 160–186 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 186–323 | 137 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 323–385 | 62 | Rocha |
- Mile 323 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
Stops between Porto Alegre and Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 99), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 345)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 11), Santa Teresa National Park (mile 345), La Sirena Beach (mile 375)
- Museums and history: Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 18), Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 99), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 164), Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (mile 164)
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.
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 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.
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.
In Cabo Polonio 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 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 Porto Alegre
- Porto Alegre to Bento Gonçalves
- Porto Alegre to Caxias do Sul
- Porto Alegre to Erechim
- Porto Alegre to Chapecó
- Porto Alegre to Santa Maria, Brazil
- Porto Alegre to Ponta Grossa
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 9 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 385 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio, Uruguay from Porto Alegre by car?
About 385 miles (620 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 Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio drive cross the border?
At about mile 323, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Porto Alegre 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 Porto Alegre 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.
What roads does the drive from Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio use?
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 Porto Alegre to Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 99, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (museum, mile 164, 1 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 345, 0.1 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.