Tigre to La Paloma, Uruguay is about 472 road miles (759 km): roughly 10 h 8 min at the wheel if you don't stop. You cross from Argentina into Uruguay at about mile 152, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
Full advisory: Argentina, Uruguay. Advisory issued: Argentina July 10, 2026; Uruguay July 28, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Argentina: “Drivers in Argentina tend to be aggressive, especially in Buenos Aires, and often ignore traffic regulations.”
- Uruguay: “Traffic fatalities are high in Uruguay.”
| Distance by road | 472 mi (759 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | RP24 → RN9 → RP6 → RN12 → RN14 → RN136 → I-B |
| Border crossing | about mile 152, Argentina → Uruguay (the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge) |
| Regions on the route | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Border crossing: what to bring for Uruguay
The route crosses at about mile 152, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge, from Entre Ríos into Río Negro. 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 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. |
| 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, Argentina (updated July 16, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
Driving Tigre to La Paloma: the shape of the trip
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (36 mi) carry about 18% of the 472 miles. The first 152 miles are in Argentina; the last 320 are in Uruguay. It runs through 9 regions: Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos, Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tigre to La Paloma, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Buenos Aires |
| RP24 | 1–7 | 6 | Buenos Aires |
| RN9 | 7–35 | 28 | Buenos Aires |
| RP6 | 35–40 | 5 | Buenos Aires |
| RN12 | 40–87 | 47 | Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos |
| RN14 | 87–123 | 36 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 123–130 | 7 | Entre Ríos |
| RN136 | 130–149 | 19 | Entre Ríos |
| connecting roads | 149–152 | 3 | Entre Ríos |
| local roads | 152–285 | 133 | Río Negro, Soriano, Colonia, San José |
| connecting roads | 285–288 | 3 | San José |
| local roads | 288–385 | 97 | San José, Canelones, Maldonado |
| I-B | 385–390 | 5 | Maldonado |
| connecting roads | 390–391 | 1 | Maldonado |
| local roads | 391–472 | 81 | Maldonado, Rocha |
- Mile 57 of this route: Buenos Aires → Entre Ríos (region line)
- Mile 152 of this route: Entre Ríos → Río Negro (international border)
- Mile 168 of this route: Río Negro → Soriano (region line)
- Mile 249 of this route: Soriano → Colonia (region line)
- Mile 267 of this route: Colonia → San José (region line)
- Mile 310 of this route: San José → Canelones (region line)
- Mile 380 of this route: Canelones → Maldonado (region line)
- Mile 437 of this route: Maldonado → Rocha (region line)
Places worth a stop between Tigre and La Paloma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Temaikèn (mile 18), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 170), Teatro Macció (mile 286), Teatro 25 de Mayo (mile 454)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 27), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 391), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 425)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 170), Iglesia de Cristo Obrero y Nuestra Señora de Lourdes (mile 357)
- With kids: Temaikèn (mile 18)
Temaikèn
Temaikèn is a zoo in Belén de Escobar, outside Buenos Aires, and the only zoo in Argentina accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
About 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, are protected as Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park. It's a Ramsar Site and home to the marsh deer and plenty of waterbirds.
Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay
The former Anglo meatpacking plant on the Uruguay River at Fray Bentos began shipping frozen meat in 1924, on the site where Liebig exported meat extract and corned beef from 1865. It is part of a UNESCO World Heritage landscape inscribed in 2015.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Mercedes, Uruguay, centers its Catholic life on the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, which became the seat of the local diocese in 1960.
Teatro Macció
San José de Mayo's Teatro Bartolomé Macció is a traditional theater, regarded as the city's most important building architecturally and declared a Historic Monument of Uruguay in 1984.
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.
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.
When you get to 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 Tigre
- Tigre to Adrogué
- Tigre to Magdalena
- Tigre to Ayacucho, Argentina
- Tigre to Cariló
- Tigre to Villa Gesell
- Tigre to Sierra de La Ventana
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tigre to La Paloma, Uruguay?
About 10 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 472 miles.
How far is La Paloma, Uruguay from Tigre by car?
About 472 miles (759 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 Tigre to La Paloma drive cross the border?
At about mile 152, from Argentina into Uruguay, at the Gualeguaychú–Fray Bentos bridge.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Tigre 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 Tigre to La Paloma drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Argentina Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions; Uruguay Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tigre to La Paloma?
In order: RP24, RN9, RP6, RN12, RN14, RN136 and I-B. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tigre and La Paloma?
Closest to the road: Temaikèn (zoo, mile 18, 0.6 mi from the route); Cathedral of Mercedes (cathedral, mile 170, 0.7 mi from the route); Teatro Macció (theater, mile 286, 0.7 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.