Plan on about 8 h 51 min of driving for the 371-mile (597 km) trip from Santa Maria, Brazil to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay, before any 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
- Uruguay: “Several of the main highways are particularly accident-ridden.”
| Distance | 371 mi (597 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 51 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 14.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
Getting across the Brazil–Uruguay border
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.
How the Santa Maria to Punta del Diablo drive plays out
BR-392 (203 mi) and BR-471 (138 mi) carry about 92% of the 371 miles. The first 343 miles are in Brazil; the last 28 are in Uruguay. It runs through 2 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rocha. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Santa Maria to Punta del Diablo, 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 | 343–371 | 28 | Rocha |
- Mile 343 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rocha (international border)
What to see on the way from Santa Maria to Punta del Diablo
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.
Theatro Sete de Abril
Opened in 1834 in Pelotas, Theatro Sete de Abril dates from the charqueada (salted beef) economic cycle, when Pelotas was among Brazil's wealthiest cities.
Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo
Opened in 1986 on Praça 7 de Julho, across from the Mercado Central in downtown Pelotas, this art museum is part of the Federal University of Pelotas arts center.
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.
In Punta del Diablo itself
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.
More drives to Punta del Diablo
- La Paloma to Punta del Diablo
- Nueva Helvecia to Punta del Diablo
- Colonia del Sacramento to Punta del Diablo
- Tacuarembó to Punta del Diablo
- Rivera to Punta del Diablo
- Salto to Punta del Diablo
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 Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 8 h 51 min of driving without stops, over 371 miles.
How far is Punta del Diablo, Uruguay from Santa Maria, Brazil by car?
About 371 miles (597 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 Punta del Diablo 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Santa Maria, Brazil to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
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.
What roads does the drive from Santa Maria to Punta del Diablo use?
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 Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Forte de D. Pedro II de Caçapava (fort, mile 62, 1 mi from the route); Theatro Sete de Abril (theater, mile 183, 1 mi from the route); Museu de Arte Leopoldo Gotuzzo (museum, mile 184, 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.