Plan on about 7 h 41 min of driving for the 377-mile (606 km) trip from Rivera to Punta del Este, before any stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 377 mi (606 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Rivera to Punta del Este
I-B (23 mi) carries about 6% of the 377 miles. It runs through 6 departments: Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Rivera to Punta del Este
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–347 | 347 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 347–370 | 23 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 370–377 | 7 | Maldonado |
- Mile 49 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (department line)
- Mile 158 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (department line)
- Mile 207 of this route: Durazno → Florida (department line)
- Mile 273 of this route: Florida → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 341 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
Places worth a stop between Rivera and Punta del Este
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 67), Museo del Deporte (mile 69), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 198), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 252), Piedra Alta (mile 253), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 283)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 94), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 355)
- Museums and history: Museo del Deporte (mile 69), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 198), Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida (mile 252), Piedra Alta (mile 253), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 283), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 318)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 67)
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo del Deporte
Located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay, the Museo del Deporte preserves and shares the sports history of the Tacuarembó department.
Chorro de Agua Fría
In Uruguay's Tacuarembó Department, Chorro de Agua Fría is a waterfall that drops roughly 14 meters, the highest uninterrupted fall in the country.
Casa de Rivera, Durazno
Facing Plaza Independencia in Durazno, the Casa de Fructuoso Rivera (Casa de Rivera) is one of the town's main heritage sites and now houses the department's historical museum.
Museo Histórico Departamental de Florida
This history museum is located in the central part of Florida, capital of the Uruguayan department of the same name, on Rivera street.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe
Construction of Canelones' Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe began in 1816; the church became a cathedral in 1961 and Uruguay's national shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2020.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Engineer Eladio Dieste's Church of Christ the Worker in Estación Atlántida, inaugurated in 1960, joined UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2021. Look for its wavy brick walls and roof, an openwork brick bell tower and an underground baptistery.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Once you reach Punta del Este
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.
Museo Vivo del Títere
In the city of Maldonado, the Museo Vivo del Títere is a puppet museum created in 1998 through an agreement between Uruguay's Ministry of Education and Culture and the Intendencia de Maldonado.
Punta del Este Lighthouse
Erected in 1860, Punta del Este Lighthouse stands on the headland of Punta del Este in Uruguay's Maldonado Department.
More drives to Punta del Este
- Paysandú 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
- La Plata to Punta del Este, Uruguay
From Rivera to other places in Uruguay
- Rivera to Paysandú
- Rivera to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Rivera to Carmelo
- Rivera to Colonia del Sacramento
- Rivera to Nueva Helvecia
- Rivera to Veinticinco de Agosto
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Rivera to Punta del Este?
About 7 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 377 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rivera to Punta del Este?
About 377 miles (606 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.
Is it safe to drive from Rivera to Punta del Este?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What are good stops between Rivera and Punta del Este?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 67, 0.1 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 198, 0.3 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 253, 0.4 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.