Tigre to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay is about 514 road miles (827 km): roughly 11 h 5 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: “If you are in an accident involving injury, stay in place until a police officer arrives.”
| Total distance | 514 mi (827 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 5 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 20.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Getting across the Argentina–Uruguay border
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 Punta del Diablo: the shape of the trip
RN12 (47 mi) and RN14 (36 mi) carry about 16% of the 514 miles. The first 152 miles are in Argentina; the last 362 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, 5 are within a mile of the road.
Tigre to Punta del Diablo: the road sequence
| 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 | 391–514 | 123 | 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)
Stops between Tigre and Punta del Diablo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Temaikèn (mile 18), Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 19), Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 170), Teatro Politeama (mile 321), Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (mile 452)
- Nature and outdoors: Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (mile 19), Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (mile 27), Cerro Pan de Azúcar Native Wildlife Breeding Station (mile 391), Laguna José Ignacio (mile 425), La Sirena Beach (mile 494)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Mercedes (mile 170)
- 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.
Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar
Landscape engineer Yasuo Inomata designed this Japanese garden in Belén de Escobar in 1969, and the local Japanese community donated it to the city. Red, white and spotted koi swim in its 1,000-square-meter pond.
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park
Ciervo de los Pantanos National Park (Parque Nacional Ciervo de los Pantanos) protects about 2,500 hectares of wetlands in Campana, Buenos Aires province, home to the marsh deer that gives it its name and to abundant waterbirds. It is a Ramsar Site.
Cathedral of Mercedes
Since 1960, the Diocese of Mercedes has had its seat at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Mercy, the main Catholic church in this Uruguayan city.
Teatro Politeama
Canelones' Teatro Politeama opened in 1921 and reopened in 2014 as the Complejo Cultural Politeama Teatro Atahualpa del Cioppo. Uruguay declared the theater a National Historic Monument in 2022.
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.
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.
La Sirena Beach
About 2.5 km north of Aguas Dulces, La Sirena is one of Uruguay's two official naturist beaches, backed by vegetated dunes, small marshes, lagoons and pine and acacia woods where coastal birds are common.
When you get to Punta del Diablo
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 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 is the drive from Tigre to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 11 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 514 miles.
What is the driving distance from Tigre to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
About 514 miles (827 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 Punta del Diablo 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.)
Is it safe to drive from Tigre to Punta del Diablo, Uruguay?
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.
What roads does the drive from Tigre to Punta del Diablo use?
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 Punta del Diablo?
Closest to the road: Japanese Garden, Belén de Escobar (japanese garden, mile 19, 0.2 mi from the route); Teatro Politeama (theater, mile 321, 0.1 mi from the route); Observatorio Astronómico del CURE (astronomical observatory, mile 452, 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.