2 min summary Best time to visit Uruguay self drive

Uruguay travel guide

We’re wondering for how much longer Uruguay will remain off the beaten track for South America travelers. As our Uruguay travel guide reveals, it has fishing villages, a coastal desert, sea lion colonies, stylish cities and particularly delicious wine. What’s more – it’s the best place on the continent for a self drive vacation. Get here while the roads are still traffic-free…

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Uruguay travel guide

We tend to avoid the clichéd phrase 'land of contrasts', but sometimes it really does just fit, and Uruguay is one of those 'lands'. It is tiny, by South American standards, but its small population means it has plenty of wide open landscapes. It is solidly South American, but high immigration by Spaniards and Italians throughout the late 19th century has created a strangely retro, European feel, particularly in Montevideo.

Uruguay’s lack of big name highlights means you’re not chasing Machu Picchu or Iguazú. Instead, its charm is its realness, the quiet, day-to-day experiences and the genuine warmth of its people.

Along Uruguay’s Atlantic coast are a number of chic and sometimes glitzy resorts, but there are also isolated fishing villages, a wild, dune filled national park and one of the largest sea lion colonies on the continent. Uruguayans pride themselves on their cultural sophistication and cosmopolitan cities, but spend a few days on a gaucho ranch to discover an altogether more earthy side to the country.

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Uruguay is...

the size of England and Wales combined, with a population of just 3.5 million.

Uruguay isn’t…

just somewhere to whizz through on a South American tour. It’s worthy of a vacation in its own right.

What to do in Uruguay…

Latin America is not really a destination for self drive vacations, with countries too big, too jungly, too mountainous or – occasionally – too dangerous to even consider heading off on a solo road trip. Uruguay bucks the trend. It is small enough to mean you can cover some serious ground on four wheels, with no need for internal flights. It is safe, with great infrastructure, and – perhaps best of all – very little traffic. Uruguay is a fantastic place for low key cultural encounters. Unlike some of the more contrived experiences in the Andes or Amazon, ranch stays, fishing villages and gorgeous colonial cities keep things real here, and you really will be traveling – and living – like a local. On a traditional estancia, muck in with the gauchos, rounding up cattle and eating hearty meals with your hosts. Mooch around the cobbled streets of seaside towns and fishing villages, or hang out at the lively central markets and brush up on your Spanish in friendly local cafes and bars.Montevideo has to be one of Latin America’s safest, quietest and prettiest capitals. The Ciudad Vieja (Old Town) has a distinctly Southern European feel with its Art Deco buildings. The palm tree lined Plaza Independencia stands over the subterranean mausoleum of liberator José Artigas, and is dominated by the impressive Palacio Salvo, once the tallest building on the continent.

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What not to do in Uruguay…

Head straight to the fancy resorts. Punta del Este may be the “French Riviera of the South”, but expect to pay for the privilege. Punta attracts well heeled guests from Argentina and Brazil, who sail here in their yachts and stay in resorts. It’s an interesting daytrip, but we’d really recommend heading to Uruguay’s wilder coastal outposts instead for quiet beaches, endless dunes, fishing village hospitality and maybe the odd sea lion.

Whizz through. Many South America overlanders see Uruguay as somewhere to border hop for that all important passport stamp. Their loss. While Uruguay is a popular stop on coast to coast tours, or en route from Buenos Aires to Iguazú Falls, do try and spend more than a day or two here for a glimpse of quite a different side of Latin America. It’s also a wonderful destination in its own right, touring with a small group for a week, or on a two-week self drive adventure.

Ignore the wildlife. With behemoth Brazil right next door, it’s easy to dismiss Uruguay’s wildlife offerings. But the low key animal encounters here are rather rewarding in their own way. Kayak around coastal lagoons, looking out for abundant birdlife, which is undisturbed by the gentle paddling. Head to Cabo Polonio, home to one of the largest sea lion colonies on the continent, and with dolphins swimming in its warm waters. And from September to November, look out for migrating whales offshore.

Uruguay travel guide