The Wayro route from Santa Maria, Brazil to La Paloma, Uruguay is 442 miles (711 km), about 10 h 31 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 343.
- 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance | 442 mi (711 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-392 → BR-471 |
| Border crossing | about mile 343, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 343, from Rio Grande do Sul into Rocha. 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.
Driving Santa Maria to La Paloma: the shape of the trip
BR-392 (203 mi) and BR-471 (138 mi) carry about 77% of the 442 miles. The first 343 miles are in Brazil; the last 99 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santa Maria to La Paloma, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-392 | 2–205 | 203 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-471 | 205–343 | 138 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 343–442 | 99 | Rocha |
- Mile 343 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
What to see on the way from Santa Maria to La Paloma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365)
- Nature and outdoors: Santa Teresa National Park (mile 365), La Sirena Beach (mile 384)
- Museums and history: Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava (mile 62), Catedral São Francisco de Paula (mile 183), Museu da Baronesa (mile 183)
Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava
North of the town of Caçapava do Sul, in Rio Grande do Sul, Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava is a fort listed as protected heritage by IPHAN, Brazil's national heritage institute.
Catedral São Francisco de Paula
Seat of the Archdiocese of Pelotas, the Catedral Metropolitana de Pelotas is a Catholic church in Rio Grande do Sul dedicated to Saint Francis of Paola.
Museu da Baronesa
Opened in 1982 and run by the Pelotas city culture department, Museu da Baronesa occupies a building listed as municipal heritage in 1985.
Parque Nacional Laguna Negra
In Rocha department, Laguna Negra National Park protects the waters of Laguna Negra, the Potrerillo de Santa Teresa biological station and part of Santa Teresa National Park north of Route 9.
Santa Teresa National Park
Santa Teresa National Park on Rocha's coast was created to frame the colonial Santa Teresa Fortress; its grounds hold more than two million planted trees from five continents, a greenhouse and native wetland and woodland wildlife.
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.
Teatro 25 de Mayo
Rocha's Teatro 25 de Mayo opened in 1910 as an Italian-style theater in the eclectic style, with room for about 400 people. Now a cultural complex, it is a stop on the city's self-guided heritage walk.
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.
Once you reach La Paloma
Cabo Santa María
Cabo Santa María (Cabo de Santa María) is a headland on Uruguay's Atlantic coast in Rocha, where the town and port of La Paloma were built.
Cabo Santa María Lighthouse
Erected in 1871, Cabo Santa María Lighthouse overlooks the Atlantic from its headland in Rocha and serves as a landmark of the seaside resort of La Paloma.
La Balconada beach
La Balconada (Playa La Balconada) is one of the main beaches of Rocha, located in La Paloma and known for its sunsets.
More drives to La Paloma
- Maldonado to La Paloma
- Atlántida to La Paloma
- Nueva Helvecia to La Paloma
- Tacuarembó to La Paloma
- Rivera to La Paloma
- Artigas to La Paloma
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 is the drive from Santa Maria, Brazil to La Paloma, Uruguay?
About 10 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 442 miles.
How far is La Paloma, Uruguay from Santa Maria, Brazil by car?
About 442 miles (711 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 La Paloma drive cross the border?
At about mile 343, 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 La Paloma 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 La Paloma?
In order: BR-392 and BR-471. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Santa Maria and La Paloma?
Closest to the road: Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava (fort, mile 62, 1 mi from the route); Santa Teresa National Park (national park, mile 365, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro 25 de Mayo (theater, mile 424, 1 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.