Uruguay

Uruguay is a great cycling country. Flat to rolling with an occasional nice climb, but relatively much wind. If you want to visit the Iguazu Falls on the Argentina-Brazil border, Uruguay is an ideal start or end point for a cycling trip through South America.

Uruguay is a rich country, but in the countryside it seems as if time has stood still for 30 years. This gives a special atmosphere and the cities in the interior are old-timer paradises, cars from 30 to 60 years old are very common.

The population is curious, hospitable and helpful. You are usually not immediately invited for a tea, a meal or an overnight stay, only after a short introduction when the ice has been broken. If you "invite" yourself it is usually not a problem.

Some nationalities can enter Uruguay without a visa.

Visa policy of Uruguay

Uruguay

Visa-free (Passport and ID card entry)

Visa-free (Passport entry)

Source: Wikipedia.

Uruguay is a safe country. Of course, like anywhere in the world, you have to be careful around major cities. Uruguay is politically stable. Only on the border with Argentina in the west there are sometimes border problems with regard to logging and pollution of the river. However, more mutual blackmail on paper instead of action on the street.

A helmet is not required.

What you should definitely try is the mate (herbal tea). In Uruguay you can't ignore it because everyone walks with a calabash and thermos flask under their arm.

Supermarkets

Food is readily available but not cheap. In every town/village there are one or more shops (sometimes a supermarket). Note the quite varying prices between the different products. Small supermarkets are quite expensive.

Restaurants

There are plenty of affordable restaurants. The quality is good. You often have enough choice between poor to very luxurious. The tv is always on in restaurants. There are also striking international restaurants such as pizzeria, tapas and chinese restaurants.

Just like in argentina, a lot of meat is eaten from the grill (parrilladas), you can indicate what you want, there is also organ meat in between. Milanesa is a schnitzel.

Vegetarian food is not widely available in restaurants. Usually not more like a salad and boiled vegetables with rice/chips. Try the dulce de leche (caramel-like) on your bread.

Drink

Tap water is drinkable. You will find many fresh fruit juices: the jugos.

Best time to cycle

Summer (December - March) is the best cycling period. In winter (June - September) the temperature is low (10-15 degrees) and there is a risk of prolonged rain with flooding and the associated impassability of secondary roads and bridges as a result.

Spare parts

26” is the local tire size. 28” is also available to a lesser extent. Shimano parts are available, but not everywhere, again in the larger (main) cities.

Always bring your own inner tube and extra foldable outer tube! Before you travel in South America and therefore also Uruguay, make sure you have a steel front carrier, which you can have again if it breaks. Front carriers are almost impossible to buy in South America, unless you have one made!

Good waterproof panniers are also essential.

Nice routes

Highlights are the south coast (Colonia/Montevideo and Punta del Este) and the Termen between Paysandu and Bella Union. Furthermore, the country has few highlights, whether cultural, architectural or natural.

Christel and Robin: "We cycled north from Montevideo on the national highway 5. Via Canelones, Florida, Sarandi Grande to Durazno. From here west to Trinidad and then on the national highway 3 via Young to Paysandu (this is close to Argentina.) Then further north to Brazil via Salto and Bella Union. A total of 693 km in 11 cycling days. We did not find the route that we cycled very interesting. That is probably also due to the cold and many rain/wind."

Along the boulevard in Montevideo is a signposted bicycle route.