Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
Driving in the Uruguayan country is a real pleasure in part because there’s noone else on the road!
Calculate a bit more time than you would normally take for your journey and sit back and relax on some of the emptiest roads in the world.
Uruguay’s highways between major tourist destinations ie Colonia to Montevideo to Punta del Este to the Brazilian border are in great shape.
However in the interior, even major roads may be full of potholes.
The speed limit inland is 90 kilometres per hour. That’s 56 miles per hour. But at times you will find yourself down to 60 kph because of poor road surfaces.
These babies were a foot wide in diametre (30 cm) and an inch or so deep and were numerous on Ruta 7 in Lavalleja.
I don’t mean to imply you need a 4 x 4 to drive on Uruguayan country highways -a standard car is just fine-, but you do need to take your time as you drive. Remember, the journey is all part of the experience.
Take sunset into account when you are calculating drive time to your destination. Uruguay’s gently rolling countryside provides little shade when driving west in the late afternoon. The sun will be in your eyes obscuring your vision.
And there are few street lights in the countryside. So calculate reaching your destination ideally well before sundown.
Between November and April, use sunscreen when you are in the car for more than fifteen minutes. Otherwise you are guaranteed sunburn on your one arm, one side of your face, and/or neck. Uruguay is affected by a hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic.
Drivers and bystanders typically raise a hand to acknowledge each other’s presence in the countryside. I guess it has something to do with the fact that you may pass just three cars an hour on some highways!
Join the locals and greet passing gauchos on horseback, road workers filling those pot holes and other folk you cross on your journey. These will undoubtedly be the same folks that will help you out if you get a flat/run out of gas/etc.
Photos and video: Guru’Guay
Travel to Uruguay: Medical insurance mandatory
There’s been some confusion around whether it’s necessary to have health insurance to enter Uruguay since recent changes to travel requirements. We explain.
My 9-day vacation in Uruguay: Intrepid reader writes
Beaches, classic car races and a bargain therapy session. We were delighted to get this email from one reader after his vacations in Uruguay.
Uruguay women first to get vote in Americas
The 1917 Constitution granted women the right to vote. Another Uruguay first. Though the story is of course more complicated.
Montevideo is often overshadowed by Buenos Aires. Three well-travelled bloggers tell what made them fall in love with South America’s off-the-radar capital.
What do Uruguayans think about foreigners?
A 2023 survey reveals that Uruguayan attitudes to immigrants are very different to other polarised parts of the world.
Verne – Fine dining in an aromatic herb garden
Outdoor dining at Verne, five mins from the airport, is a surprising feast for the senses and will please everyone.
Montevideo Carnival 2023 dates
Uruguay carnival is back in 2023! The world’s longest carnival returns to Montevideo. We’ve got the when and where.
Smokewood Garzón – Magical 50-acre off-the-grid vacation rental
This magical 50-acre modern off-the-grid oasis is one of the best places to stay in Uruguay.
Uruguay Festivals – Sea Goddess Day on February 2
It’s Yemanjá Day on February 2. Don’t miss this special festival of the Goddess of the Sea at Playa Ramírez in the Parque Rodó neighbourhood.
Getting around: buses, taxis and walking
Getting around like a local. Flag down the bus—or it won’t stop. Don’t tip your taxi driver—but don’t expect him to load your luggage! Essential maps.
Shout-out for local car rental company, Mariño Sport, in Uruguay. I’ve been impressed by their great service and personal touch since 2010.
In the 1960s, a philanthropist and an engineer set about replacing “school shacks” in the poorest, most remote parts of Uruguay. They went on to build 228.
The sleepiest little towns in Uruguay can be full of surprises. This one just an hour from Montevideo is home to over 100 murals by a French artist.
The Montevideo international airport is 15 miles from the city centre. You can take a taxi, shuttle or bus. The most common way is private transfer.
Traditional food, handmade goods, and South American cowboys riding wild horses. It’s the Semana Criolla – Montevideo’s Easter gaucho festival.
Essential information so that your stay in Colonia del Sacramento fits into your travel schedule as you travel between Buenos Aires and Montevideo.
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8 Responses
I am a USA citizen/resident and have a USA/California driver’s license. Do I need an international driving permit or inter- American driving permit to rent a car and drive in Uruguay?
I can’t get a straight answer about this even from the Avis people in the USA. The AAA automobile club in the USA says you need an Inter-American driving permit, but most things I read on the Internet say either you don’t need anything or maybe an international driving permit, not Inter-American.
Thanks.
Hi Evan, you’ll be absolutely fine with just your national driving license. Enjoy! Karen
Unless you’ve tried to drive from Salto to Rivera via Bella Union, you have no idea. Everyone told us not to travel that road at night because of the condition.
Every now and again you could tell the road used to be paved at one time. We could only go about 50km/hr and even at that, we were slaloming the whole way trying to avoid deep holes. We tried to be careful, but ended up with a cracked bumper anyway.
MT, we appreciate you sharing your cautionary tale. Yes, roads in the interior (NOT the coastal highways, they are in great shape) require slow attentive driving. The roads you mention in the very north sound very scary. — cheers, Karen
Also good to know : take the weather forecast into account. When it’s raining you won’t see (the size of) the potholes which makes it particularly dangerous to drive.
Waving to each other here is so lovely! 🙂 I love it.
Spoken by someone who lives in the countryside in eastern Uruguay! Thanks, Mascha! — K