The Wayro route from Samaipata to Passo do Lontra, Brazil is 559 miles (899 km), about 13 h 23 min of driving without stops. You cross from Bolivia into Brazil at about mile 477.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela. This drive passes within 100 miles of the border with Bolivia and Paraguay.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Bolivia, Brazil. Advisory issued: Bolivia August 18, 2026; Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Bolivia: “Most highways do not have shoulders, fences, or barriers, and there are few lane markings.”
- Brazil: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Total distance | 559 mi (899 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | F7 → F4 → BR-262 → MS-184 |
| Border crossing | about mile 477, Bolivia → Brazil |
| Regions on the route | Santa Cruz, Mato Grosso do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Bolivia–Brazil border
The route crosses at about mile 477, from Santa Cruz into Mato Grosso do Sul. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| 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. |
| Entering Bolivia (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for tourism or business if you stay less than 90 days in a year. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
| Driving in Bolivia | You need both an International Driving Permit and 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, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026); U.S. State Department, Bolivia (updated May 07, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
How the Samaipata to Passo do Lontra drive plays out
F4 (394 mi) and BR-262 (76 mi) carry about 84% of the 559 miles. The first 477 miles are in Bolivia; the last 82 are in Brazil. It runs through 2 regions: Santa Cruz, Mato Grosso do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Samaipata to Passo do Lontra
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Santa Cruz |
| F7 | 1–69 | 68 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 69–78 | 9 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 78–242 | 164 | Santa Cruz |
| local roads | 242–246 | 4 | Santa Cruz |
| connecting roads | 246–247 | 1 | Santa Cruz |
| F4 | 247–477 | 230 | Santa Cruz |
| BR-262 | 477–553 | 76 | Mato Grosso do Sul |
| MS-184 | 553–559 | 6 | Mato Grosso do Sul |
- Mile 477 of this route: Santa Cruz → Mato Grosso do Sul (international border)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Samaipata and Passo do Lontra
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 83), Santuario Mariano de la Torre (mile 302)
- Nature and outdoors: Curichi La Madre (mile 71), Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 83)
- Museums and history: Museo Artecampo (mile 72), Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence, Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 78), Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (mile 78), Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja (mile 246), Pantanal History Museum (mile 480), Our Lady of Candelaria Cathedral, Corumbá (mile 481)
Curichi La Madre
Officially a municipal protected area, Curichi La Madre is a wetland within the city of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in eastern Bolivia.
Museo Artecampo
In Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Museo Artecampo showcases Indigenous and folk art from Bolivia's lowlands. It is a project of a cooperative center for research, craft design and marketing.
Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence, Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Also known as Santa Cruz de la Sierra Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of St. Lawrence is the main Catholic church of Santa Cruz de la Sierra.
Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Founded on March 14, 1991, Santa Cruz de la Sierra's contemporary art museum stands at Sucre and Potosí streets, four blocks from Plaza 24 de Septiembre.
Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra
The municipal botanical garden of Santa Cruz de la Sierra covers 217 hectares within the city.
Parque nacional Histórico Santa Cruz La Vieja
About 3 km south of San José de Chiquitos, Santa Cruz la Vieja is a historic national park protecting archaeological, historical, and natural features.
Santuario Mariano de la Torre
Also called the Chochís Sanctuary, this shrine to the Virgin of the Assumption stands 2 km from the village of Chochís in Roboré municipality, about 80 km east of San José de Chiquitos.
Pantanal History Museum
Down at the Porto Geral of the border city of Corumbá, the Pantanal History Museum (Museu de História do Pantanal) is maintained by the Fundação Barbosa Rodrigues.
Our Lady of Candelaria Cathedral, Corumbá
Also known as Corumbá Cathedral, Our Lady of Candelaria Cathedral stands in the center of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul, and houses the image of the city's patron saint.
More drives to Passo do Lontra
- Três Lagoas to Passo do Lontra
- Araçatuba to Passo do Lontra
- Jataí to Passo do Lontra
- Santa Cruz de la Sierra to Passo do Lontra, Brazil
- San Ignacio de Velasco to Passo do Lontra, Brazil
- San José de Chiquitos to Passo do Lontra, Brazil
More drives from Samaipata
- Samaipata to Challapata
- Samaipata to San Juan, Bolivia
- Samaipata to Chochís
- Samaipata to Santiago de Chiquitos
- Samaipata to Putre, Chile
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Samaipata to Passo do Lontra, Brazil?
About 13 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 559 miles.
What is the driving distance from Samaipata to Passo do Lontra, Brazil?
About 559 miles (899 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 Samaipata to Passo do Lontra drive cross the border?
At about mile 477, from Bolivia into Brazil.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Samaipata into Brazil?
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. If you'll stay more than 180 days and drive, carry an Inter-American Driving Permit with your U.S. license. (U.S. State Department, updated August 06, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Samaipata to Passo do Lontra drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Bolivia Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Brazil: Within 100 miles (160 km) of Brazil's land borders with Bolivia, Colombia, Guyana, French Guiana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Samaipata to Passo do Lontra use?
In order: F7, F4, BR-262 and MS-184. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Samaipata and Passo do Lontra?
Closest to the road: Curichi La Madre (park, mile 71, 2 mi from the route); Jardín Botánico de Santa Cruz de la Sierra (botanical garden, mile 83, 0.4 mi from the route); Santuario Mariano de la Torre (shrine, mile 302, 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.