The Wayro route from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay is 325 miles (523 km), about 7 h 21 min of driving without stops. You cross from Brazil into Uruguay at about mile 1.
- 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Distance by road | 325 mi (523 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 7 h 21 min |
| Border crossing | about mile 1, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Flores, Soriano, Colonia |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Crossing from Brazil into Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 1, 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.
On the road from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento
The first 1 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 6 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–198 | 198 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno |
| connecting roads | 198–201 | 3 | Durazno |
| local roads | 201–222 | 21 | Durazno, Flores |
| connecting roads | 222–225 | 3 | Flores |
| local roads | 225–261 | 36 | Flores, Soriano |
| connecting roads | 261–262 | 1 | Soriano |
| local roads | 262–293 | 31 | Soriano, Colonia |
| connecting roads | 293–296 | 3 | Colonia |
| local roads | 296–325 | 29 | Colonia |
- Mile 1 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Rivera (international border)
- Mile 50 of this route: Rivera → Tacuarembó (region line)
- Mile 160 of this route: Tacuarembó → Durazno (region line)
- Mile 204 of this route: Durazno → Flores (region line)
- Mile 249 of this route: Flores → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 265 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
Where to stop on the way to Colonia del Sacramento
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 68), Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 294)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 96), Reserva de Flora y fauna Dr. Rodolfo Tálice (mile 225)
- Museums and history: Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Museum of Rosario Mural Art (mile 294)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (mile 68)
Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba
Reachable from Route 5 at kilometer 390, the Mauricio López Lomba reserve is a wildlife reserve in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
Museo del Indio y del Gaucho Washington Escobar
The Museo del Indio y del Gaucho, a museum of the Indigenous people and the gaucho, is located in the city of Tacuarembó, Uruguay.
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.
In Colonia del Sacramento itself
Museo del Origami
Set in the historic district of Colonia del Sacramento, Museo del Origami is a nonprofit museum devoted to the art of paper folding and part of Uruguay's national museum system.
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.
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 Santana do Livramento
- Santana do Livramento to Chuí
- Santana do Livramento to Paysandú, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Durazno, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Minas, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Rocha, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
About 7 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 325 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay?
About 325 miles (523 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 Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento drive cross the border?
At about mile 1, from Brazil into Uruguay.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Santana do Livramento 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 Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento, 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Santana do Livramento to Colonia del Sacramento?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal Dr. Mauricio López Lomba (zoo, mile 68, 0.2 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 199, 0.1 mi from the route); Museum of Rosario Mural Art (art museum, mile 294, 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.