After a month of waiting and improvisation, we have finally begun our motorcycle journey across Latin America. What excitement to climb onto our bikes and start this two-wheeled adventure! Since we were a bit behind on the original schedule, and we had already had the opportunity to visit the Uruguayan coast by bus, we modified the itinerary by heading to Argentina, toward the Iguazu Falls, cutting straight through Uruguay.
We picked up our motorcycles on Tuesday, November 18. We have to admit that thanks to the services of Waves Logistics, getting them out of the port and clearing customs went smoothly without any issues.
The appointment was set for 2 p.m. By 4 p.m., we were fully ready to ride the first kilometers. A stop at the gas station, tire inflation, and we were off! Or almost… Getting out of Montevideo during rush hour wasn’t easy, and in the end, that first evening we stopped halfway at a campsite near Balneario Argentino.
The next day, we were able to reach our first destination: Punta del Este. Upon arrival, we were immediately struck by the splendor and cleanliness of the city.
The contrast is striking with Montevideo; it feels like being in a different country: tall buildings immaculately white, clean and orderly streets. Here, you can sense the money; there’s even a ‘Trump Tower’.
We quickly learned that Punta del Este is highly prized by wealthy Argentinians—it’s even called the “little Saint-Tropez” of Uruguay. If you have the opportunity, we can only recommend visiting off-season, when prices remain affordable.
We left Punta del Este the very next day, leaving the sea behind us for a few weeks. After visiting Colonia del Sacramento, Punta del Diablo, and Punta del Este, it was time for us to head inland toward Minas, then San Gregorio de Polanco, followed by Tacuarembó, before crossing the border at Salto.
The locals had warned us that off the main highways, the roads were in poor condition. At first, we thought they were exaggerating, but we quickly changed our minds. More than once, we were caught off guard by potholes in the pavement. We also rode for kilometers on unpaved sections of road. In fact, in some towns, like Paloma, there are no paved streets at all: it’s all gravel (ripio) everywhere.
Crossing Uruguay was also an opportunity to get back into off-roading. We rode through vast expanses of grasslands, admired cows grazing on the grass, encountered free-roaming horses, and even ostriches. We also had the chance to cross a few fords, which had the merit of cooling us down. Although this country sorely lacks elevation changes for our taste, we appreciated the wide-open spaces and the easy tracks to get back in the saddle.
Along the way, we made a stop in San Gregorio de Polanco, located on the shores of an artificial lake along the Río Negro. We were able to enjoy the sunset and the campsite that opens directly onto the lake. Since we were off-season, the campsite’s restroom facilities weren’t accessible, but there were outdoor kitchens at most of the pitches, so we had free access to a water point and electricity.
We have to admit that after two days of wild camping, we were glad to stop in solid accommodation in Tacuarembó and enjoy the hospitality of Claudia and her husband, with whom we were able to discuss life in Uruguay. We naturally talked about the prices of basic necessities and gasoline in the country, which seem exorbitant to us compared to the population’s standard of living: €1.70 per liter of fuel… that’s a price equivalent to France, while the average income is much lower. They themselves acknowledged that it was tough, but Uruguayans are resourceful and clever enough to get by, even if it’s not always easy. They also praised the quality of the meat, but I have to admit that on this point we remained quite chauvinistic… so far, we haven’t been blown away!
The final stage of this crossing: Salto (240 km, including 160 km of off-road). After spending more than a month in Uruguay, it’s not without a pang of heartache that we realize we’re definitively leaving this country. It’s the turning of the first page. We’re a bit sad, but after doing the shopping, we tell ourselves that we’re not unhappy to head to Argentina, where prices are more affordable—especially the cost of fuel, which has been a significant expense for us!This marks the beginning of a new adventure in the land of soccer!
