Plan on about 9 h 51 min of driving for the 457-mile (736 km) trip from Salto to Barra de Valizas, before any stops.
Full advisory: Uruguay. Advisory issued: Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Uruguay: “Illumination, pavement markings, and road surfaces for secondary roads can be poor.”
| Total distance | 457 mi (736 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 51 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Departments on the route | Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Salto to Barra de Valizas is like
I-B (6 mi) carries about 1% of the 457 miles. It runs through 8 departments: Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Salto to Barra de Valizas
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Department |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–339 | 339 | Salto, Paysandú, Río Negro, Flores, San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 339–345 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 345–457 | 112 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 8 of this route: Salto → Paysandú (department line)
- Mile 99 of this route: Paysandú → Río Negro (department line)
- Mile 154 of this route: Río Negro → Flores (department line)
- Mile 215 of this route: Flores → San José (department line)
- Mile 265 of this route: San José → Canelones (department line)
- Mile 334 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (department line)
- Mile 391 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (department line)
Where to stop on the way to Barra de Valizas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Termas del Guaviyú (mile 35), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 183), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 275), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 408)
- Nature and outdoors: Termas del Guaviyú (mile 35), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 183), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 345), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 380), La Sirena Beach (mile 450)
- Museums and history: Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú (mile 73), Cathedral of San José de Mayo (mile 245), Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (mile 275)
Termas del Guaviyú
Next to Guaviyú Creek at kilometer 432 of Route 3 in Paysandú department, Termas del Guaviyú is a hot spring complex in northwestern Uruguay.
Nuestra Señora del Rosario y San Benito de Palermo, Paysandú
Paysandú's Catholic parish church of Our Lady of the Rosary and St. Benedict of Palermo was named a minor basilica in 1949 and remains an active parish of the city.
Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice
Off Route 3 near Trinidad, the Dr. Rodolfo Tálice Ecopark (Reserva de Flora y Fauna Dr. Rodolfo Talice) is a fenced wildlife reserve where axis deer, greater rheas and pampas deer roam free alongside other species.
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.
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.
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.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Observatorio Astronómico del CURE
Run by the University of the Republic's eastern campus (CURE), this small observatory in Rocha opened in 2016 and uses a 30 cm reflector telescope under a motorized dome for teaching, research and public outreach.
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 Barra de Valizas 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 Barra de Valizas
- Maldonado to Barra de Valizas
- Montevideo to Barra de Valizas
- Veinticinco de Agosto to Barra de Valizas
- Nueva Helvecia to Barra de Valizas
- Colonia del Sacramento to Barra de Valizas
- Conchillas to Barra de Valizas
From Salto to other places in Uruguay
- Salto to Mercedes, Uruguay
- Salto to Carmelo
- Salto to Colonia del Sacramento
- Salto to Nueva Helvecia
- Salto to Veinticinco de Agosto
- Salto to Fray Marcos
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Salto to Barra de Valizas?
About 9 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 457 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salto to Barra de Valizas?
About 457 miles (736 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Salto to Barra de Valizas drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Where can you stop on the way from Salto to Barra de Valizas?
Closest to the road: Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (botanical garden, mile 183, 0.3 mi from the route); Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (cathedral, mile 275, 0.1 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 408, 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.