The Wayro route from Rosario, Argentina to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay is 539 miles (868 km), about 12 h 13 min of driving without stops. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 185, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 539 mi (868 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 12 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | RN174 → RP11 → RN12 → RP16 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 185, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 185, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Rosario to Cabo Polonio
RP11 (64 mi) and RP16 (41 mi) carry about 19% of the 539 miles. The first 185 miles are in Argentina; the last 354 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Rosario to Cabo Polonio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Santa Fe |
| connecting roads | 7–8 | 1 | Santa Fe |
| RN174 | 8–45 | 37 | Santa Fe, Entre Ríos |
| RP11 | 45–109 | 64 | Entre Ríos |
| RN12 | 109–114 | 5 | Entre Ríos |
| RP16 | 114–155 | 41 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 155–160 | 5 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 160–163 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 163–182 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 182–185 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 185–281 | 96 | Río Negro, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 281–282 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 282–318 | 36 | Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 318–321 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 321–388 | 67 | San José, Canelones |
| connecting roads | 388–389 | 1 | Canelones |
| local roads | 389–418 | 29 | Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 418–423 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 423–424 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 424–539 | 115 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 11 of this route: Santa Fe → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 185 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 201 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 282 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 300 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 343 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 412 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 470 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Cabo Polonio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Abadía del Niño Dios (mile 45), Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 161), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 202), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 319)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 423), La Sirena Beach (mile 528)
- Museums and history: Gualeguaychú Cathedral (mile 161), Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum (mile 199), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 202), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 319), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 389)
Abadía del Niño Dios
Abadía del Niño Dios is a Benedictine monastery in Victoria, Entre Ríos Province. Founded in 1899, it was the first Benedictine foundation in Hispanic America.
Gualeguaychú Cathedral
In Gualeguaychú, Argentina, the Roman Catholic diocese has its cathedral church at St. Joseph's, also known as Gualeguaychú Cathedral.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from this spot on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos starting in 1865. In 1924, the Anglo plant began shipping frozen meat from the same site.
Alejandro Berro Paleontology Museum
In a 19th-century building in Mercedes' Parque Castillo Mauá, this paleontology museum opened in 1946 around the collection of naturalist Alejandro Berro; a well-preserved glyptodon shell found on a nearby riverbank is a highlight.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mercy, this cathedral is the main Catholic church of Mercedes, Uruguay, and has been the seat of the Diocese of Mercedes since 1960.
Cathedral of San José de Mayo
The main Catholic church of San José de Mayo, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph has been the diocesan seat since 1955, a minor basilica since 1957 and Uruguay's national shrine of Saint Joseph.
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.
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.
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 Rosario
- Rosario, Argentina to La Plata
- Rosario, Argentina to Berisso
- Rosario, Argentina to Magdalena
- Rosario, Argentina to Chascomús
- Rosario, Argentina to Cariló
- Rosario, Argentina to Villa Gesell
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Rosario, Argentina to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
About 12 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 539 miles.
How far is Cabo Polonio, Uruguay from Rosario, Argentina by car?
About 539 miles (868 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 Rosario to Cabo Polonio drive cross the border?
At about mile 185, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Rosario 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Rosario, Argentina to Cabo Polonio, Uruguay?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Rosario to Cabo Polonio use?
In order: RN174, RP11, RN12, RP16, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rosario and Cabo Polonio?
Closest to the road: Abadía del Niño Dios (monastery, mile 45, 0.6 mi from the route); Gualeguaychú Cathedral (cathedral, mile 161, 0.8 mi from the route); Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 202, 0.7 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.