The Wayro route from Santa Maria, Brazil to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay is 475 miles (765 km), about 10 h 44 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 151.
- 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance by road | 475 mi (765 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-158 → BR-290 |
| Border crossing | about mile 151, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores, Soriano, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 151, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rivera. 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.
How the Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento drive plays out
BR-158 (135 mi) and BR-290 (13 mi) carry about 31% of the 475 miles. The first 151 miles are in Brazil; the last 324 are in Uruguay. It runs through 7 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores, Soriano, Colonia. Of the 5 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 3–74 | 71 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 74–87 | 13 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-158 | 87–151 | 64 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 151–152 | 1 | Rivera |
| local roads | 152–349 | 197 | Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| connecting roads | 349–351 | 2 | Durazno |
| local roads | 351–373 | 22 | Durazno, Flores |
| connecting roads | 373–375 | 2 | Flores |
| local roads | 375–411 | 36 | Flores, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 411–413 | 2 | Soriano |
| local roads | 413–443 | 30 | Soriano, Colonia |
| connecting roads | 443–446 | 3 | Colonia |
| local roads | 446–475 | 29 | Colonia |
- Mile 151 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 201 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 310 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Durazno → Flores (region line)
- Mile 399 of this route: Flores → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 414 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Maria and Colonia del Sacramento
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo del Deporte (mile 221), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 349), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 444)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 246), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 375)
- Museums and history: Museo del Deporte (mile 221), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 349), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 444)
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.
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.
Museum of Rosario Mural Art
Rather than a building, the Museum of Rosario Mural Art is a circuit of history-themed murals spread around Rosario, in Uruguay's Colonia department.
Arriving in Colonia del Sacramento
Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento, Colonia del Sacramento
In Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay, the Basílica del Santísimo Sacramento (Basilica of the Holy Sacrament) is a Roman Catholic parish church you can stop at in town.
Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
Erected in 1857 on the ruins of the Saint Francis Xavier convent, the Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse stands in the town's historic district in Uruguay.
Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra
In the Real de San Carlos area of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo Paleontológico Profesor Armando Calcaterra shows about 1,600 pieces, including fossil vertebrates and invertebrates and Indigenous artifacts.
More drives to Colonia del Sacramento
- Mercedes, Uruguay to Colonia del Sacramento
- Paysandú to Colonia del Sacramento
- Tacuarembó to Colonia del Sacramento
- Salto to Colonia del Sacramento
- Rivera to Colonia del Sacramento
- Artigas to Colonia del Sacramento
More drives from Santa Maria
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Bento Gonçalves
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Erechim
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Guaíra
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Umuarama
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Jaraguá do Sul
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santa Maria, Brazil to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
About 10 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 475 miles.
How far is Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay from Santa Maria, Brazil by car?
About 475 miles (765 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 Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento drive cross the border?
At about mile 151, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santa Maria 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 Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento 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.
Which highways go from Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento?
In order: BR-158 and BR-290. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Maria to Colonia del Sacramento?
Closest to the road: Museo del Deporte (sports museum, mile 221, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 349, 0.1 mi from the route); Museum of Rosario Mural Art (art museum, mile 444, 0.2 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.