By road, São Leopoldo and Chajarí, Argentina are about 521 miles (839 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 48 min of driving. You cross from Brazil into Argentina at about mile 408, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil, Argentina. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; Argentina July 10, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
- Argentina: “Gas stations are often far apart and not always easily identified from the main roadway.”
| Distance by road | 521 mi (839 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-290 → RN117 → RN14 |
| Border crossing | about mile 408, Brazil → Argentina (Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana) |
| Regions on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Corrientes, Entre Ríos |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
The border on the way to Chajarí
The route crosses at about mile 408, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana, from Rio Grande do Sul into Corrientes. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Argentina (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. |
|---|---|
| Driving in Argentina | A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. |
| 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. |
| The car, entering Argentina | Argentine customs (ARCA) registers the car's temporary entry. Bring the title or registration, liability insurance valid in Argentina and, if you don't own the car, a power of attorney signed before a notary. A rental car needs the rental company's MERCOSUR circulation authorization (ACM), and the company must be registered with Argentine customs. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026); U.S. State Department, Brazil (updated August 06, 2026); ARCA (Argentine customs). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from São Leopoldo to Chajarí
BR-290 (381 mi) and RN14 (102 mi) carry about 93% of the 521 miles. The first 408 miles are in Brazil; the last 113 are in Argentina. It runs through 3 regions: Rio Grande do Sul, Corrientes, Entre Ríos. Of the 6 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
São Leopoldo to Chajarí: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 1–27 | 26 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 27–408 | 381 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 408–409 | 1 | Corrientes |
| RN117 | 409–416 | 7 | Corrientes |
| RN14 | 416–518 | 102 | Corrientes, Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 518–521 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
- Mile 408 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Corrientes (international border)
- Mile 510 of this route: Corrientes → Entre Ríos (region line)
Places worth a stop between São Leopoldo and Chajarí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 12), Museu do Carvão (mile 52), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 407)
- Nature and outdoors: Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 24)
- Museums and history: Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (mile 12), Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo (mile 19), Otávio Rocha Viaduct (mile 19), Museu do Carvão (mile 52), St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (mile 407)
Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas
Canoas's history museum and archive keeps photos, newspapers, maps, documents, audiovisual material and objects that tell the story of the city in Rio Grande do Sul.
Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo
The Pinacoteca Barão de Santo Ângelo holds an art collection of about 3,000 items at the Arts Institute of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Porto Alegre.
Otávio Rocha Viaduct
In Porto Alegre's city center, the Otávio Rocha Viaduct is an engineering landmark spanning the intersection of Duque de Caxias Street and Borges de Medeiros Avenue.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
Museu do Carvão
In the town of Arroio dos Ratos, Rio Grande do Sul, the Museu do Carvão is a history museum set on Rua Professora Silvana Narvaez.
St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana
Uruguaiana's St. Ann Cathedral grew out of the parish of Santana, created in 1846 together with the town, and was built between 1861 and 1874.
More drives to Chajarí
- San Nicolás de los Arroyos to Chajarí
- Buenos Aires to Chajarí
- La Plata to Chajarí
- Berisso to Chajarí
- Córdoba, Argentina to Chajarí
- Villa Carlos Paz to Chajarí
More drives from São Leopoldo
- São Leopoldo to Paranaguá
- São Leopoldo to Jaraguá do Sul
- São Leopoldo to Camboriú
- São Leopoldo to Tubarão
- São Leopoldo to Lages
- São Leopoldo to Bagé
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from São Leopoldo to Chajarí, Argentina?
About 10 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
What is the driving distance from São Leopoldo to Chajarí, Argentina?
About 521 miles (839 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 São Leopoldo to Chajarí drive cross the border?
At about mile 408, from Brazil into Argentina, at Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from São Leopoldo into Argentina?
No visa needed for visits of 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid when you enter; leave a blank page for the entry and exit stamps. A valid U.S. license usually works; an International Driving Permit is recommended. (U.S. State Department, updated July 16, 2026.)
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the São Leopoldo to Chajarí drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from São Leopoldo to Chajarí?
In order: BR-116, BR-290, RN117 and RN14. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between São Leopoldo and Chajarí?
Closest to the road: Arquivo Histórico e Museu de Canoas (museum, mile 12, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu do Carvão (museum, mile 52, 1 mi from the route); St. Ann Cathedral, Uruguaiana (cathedral, mile 407, 0.6 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.