Santana do Livramento to Rocha, Uruguay is about 419 road miles (674 km): roughly 8 h 45 min at the wheel if you don't stop. 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Total distance | 419 mi (674 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 45 min |
| Main roads, in order | I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 1, Brazil → Uruguay |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The border on the way to Rocha
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.
The Santana do Livramento–Rocha drive in a few lines
I-B (6 mi) carries about 1% of the 419 miles. The first 1 miles are in Brazil; the last 418 are in Uruguay. It runs through 8 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Santana do Livramento to Rocha, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–348 | 348 | Rio Grande do Sul, Rivera, Tacuarembó, Durazno, Florida, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 348–354 | 6 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 354–419 | 65 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- 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 208 of this route: Durazno → Florida (region line)
- Mile 274 of this route: Florida → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 343 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 400 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Places worth a stop between Santana do Livramento and Rocha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Cathedral of Florida (mile 254), Piedra Alta (mile 254)
- Nature and outdoors: Chorro de Agua Fría (mile 96), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 354), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 388)
- Museums and history: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (mile 70), Casa de Rivera, Durazno (mile 199), Cathedral of Florida (mile 254), Piedra Alta (mile 254), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 320)
Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó
The Museum of Visual Arts of Tacuarembó (Museo de Artes Visuales) is a museum 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.
Cathedral of Florida
Florida's cathedral basilica is also Uruguay's national shrine of the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, the country's patroness, and keeps the original image; look for its bronze door by sculptor José Belloni and his son Stelio, stained glass and domes.
Piedra Alta
On the banks of the Santa Lucía Chico River outside the city of Florida, Piedra Alta is a rock formation of historic importance that appears on the department's coat of arms and flag.
Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes
Wavy brick walls and a rippling brick roof define this church in Estación Atlántida, along with an openwork brick bell tower and a baptistery set underground. Engineer Eladio Dieste designed it, and it opened in 1960.
Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station
Near Piriápolis in Maldonado, this breeding station for native wildlife on Cerro Pan de Azúcar is surrounded by native vegetation and offers guided visits, including a native wildlife trail and a path up the hill.
Laguna José Ignacio
In Uruguay's Maldonado Department, Laguna José Ignacio is a coastal lagoon kept apart from the Atlantic Ocean by a sandbank.
Once you reach Rocha
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.
More drives to Rocha
- Montevideo to Rocha
- Tacuarembó to Rocha
- Salto to Rocha
- Rivera to Rocha
- Buenos Aires to Rocha, Uruguay
- Rosario, Argentina to Rocha, Uruguay
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 Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay
- Santana do Livramento to Fray Bentos, Uruguay
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Santana do Livramento to Rocha, Uruguay?
About 8 h 45 min of driving without stops, over 419 miles.
How far is Rocha, Uruguay from Santana do Livramento by car?
About 419 miles (674 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 Rocha 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.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Santana do Livramento to Rocha 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.
Where can you stop on the way from Santana do Livramento to Rocha?
Closest to the road: Museo de Artes Visuales de Tacuarembó (museum, mile 70, 0.6 mi from the route); Casa de Rivera, Durazno (historic house museum, mile 199, 0.4 mi from the route); Piedra Alta (historic site, mile 254, 0.4 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.