Essential Uruguay Explorer

Arrive in Colonia del Sacramento and meet your private driver for a transfer from the port to your hotel in the historic Old Town. In the afternoon, explore this UNESCO World Heritage town on a private walking tour with a local guide. Walk along cobbled streets and visit the old city gate, Calle de los Suspiros, historic squares, and Iglesia Matriz, while learning about Colonia’s Portuguese and Spanish history. Taste mate and visit local museums before returning to your hotel for an overnight stay in Colonia.

Leave Colonia del Sacramento’s Old Town and explore the countryside on a private visit to Bodega el Quinton. Tour the vineyards and olive plantations, then taste local wines and olive oil while learning about the region’s food and wine traditions. Continue to La Vigna Cheese Farm, where Agustín and Lucila produce organic cheeses using sustainable methods. Meet the farm’s “Cheese Architect,” learn how the cheeses are made, and sample a selection of varieties. Add an optional cheese-tasting lunch at extra cost. Return to Colonia for an overnight stay, with breakfast and tastings included.

Travel through the Carmelo wine region with your private guide and visit two family-run wineries. At Bodega El Legado, walk through the vineyards, wine cellar, and production area, then taste three wines paired with cheese, salami, and olives. Continue to Bodega Cordano, a fifth-generation family winery, to explore the vineyards and production areas. Visit Almacen de la Capilla, a historic grocery shop dating to 1855, before tasting three wines with a homemade lunch. Return to your accommodation for an overnight stay in Carmelo.

Enjoy a free morning before transferring to Puerto Camacho in the afternoon. At the secluded Club del Faro marina, board a classic boat for a 1.5-hour sunset cruise on the Río de la Plata. Sail through the islands of the Delta toward the meeting point of the Rio de la Plata and Rio Uruguay, known locally as “kilometer 0.” Listen to local stories about the Uruguayan coast and its shipwrecks as the captain guides the boat toward the sunset. Departure is timed to the season, with earlier cruises in winter and later departures in summer. After the cruise, return to Carmelo for an overnight stay and breakfast.

Leave Carmelo in the morning and transfer inland to Uruguay’s Durazno department, known for its open countryside and traditional ranches. Arrive at a working Uruguayan estancia, where you settle in for the next two nights and experience life in the rural heartland. Enjoy full board during your stay, with meals featuring local ingredients and regional flavors. Use the afternoon to relax, explore the estancia grounds, or take in the surrounding countryside at an easy pace.

Spend a full day at the traditional Uruguayan estancia and enjoy the freedom to explore at your own pace. Walk through the ranch grounds, relax in the countryside, or take part in optional estancia activities available during your stay. Experience the quiet rhythm of rural Uruguay and learn more about life on a working ranch. Enjoy full board throughout the day, with meals showcasing local ingredients and regional flavors. Return to your accommodation for another night surrounded by the open countryside.

Transfer from Durazno to Montevideo and meet your guide for a walking tour of the city’s historic Old City. Explore Independence Square, the Palacio Salvo, the President’s office, and the mausoleum of national hero Jose Gervasio Artigas. Walk along Sarandí pedestrian street to Matriz Square, home to the Cathedral of Montevideo and historic Cabildo. Continue to the Port Market for an included lunch and a taste of Uruguay’s famous asado. In the afternoon, visit two museums of choice: MAPI, the Torres García Museum, or the Gurvich Museum. Check opening hours in advance, as the Gurvich Museum is closed on Sundays. 

Explore modern Montevideo and discover the city beyond the historic Old City. Start in Ciudad Nueva, walking through Plaza Independencia and Plaza Fabini before viewing the Palacio Legislativo and landmarks across the city’s parks and residential areas. Continue to Estadio Centenario, the Monumento a la Carreta, Carrasco, and Punta Gorda. Later, visit the studio of Lobo Nunez, a renowned Afro-Uruguayan drum maker and Candombe musician, to learn about the history of this important Uruguayan tradition and its roots in Carnival. In the late afternoon, meet winemaker Manuel Filgueira at his home and boutique winery, Los Nadies. Taste his signature white and red wines, then share dinner with Manuel and his family while learning the stories behind the wines.

Transfer from Montevideo toward Sacromonte near Pueblo Eden with your guide, traveling through the countryside toward Cerro de las Animas. Stop at Olivos de las Animas, an olive plantation in the hill country, and learn how extra virgin olive oil is produced. Taste the estate’s olive oils before enjoying an exclusive lunch at the owner Martín’s home. Watch for native wildlife along the route, including red and blue cardinals, American rheas, and other local mammals. 

Meet your guide and drive to Pueblo Eden, a small village surrounded by the rolling countryside of Uruguay. Visit the local chapel and main square before following a rural trail used by residents to reach nearby ranches. Hike about 8 km (5 miles) through native trees, open grasslands, cattle and sheep pastures, countryside gates, and a small stream, with views across the surrounding hills. Finish at Vina Eden winery and enjoy an optional lunch overlooking the vineyards. Return to Sacromonte for another night.

After breakfast and checkout, meet your guide and explore Punta del Este on a panoramic tour. Pass through La Barra and cross its famous undulating bridge before reaching Brava Beach. See key landmarks, including Juan Gorlero Avenue, the yacht port, and the city’s residential areas. Visit Casapueblo, the distinctive seaside building designed by Uruguayan artist Carlos Paez Vilaro, and explore its museum. Continue toward Jose Ignacio with a stop at the Atchugarry Foundation in Manantiales, dedicated to the work of Uruguayan sculptor Pablo Atchugarry. 

Enjoy lunch at La Huella before heading into the countryside for a sunset horseback ride to a nearby lagoon. Ride across the open landscape as the sky changes color, following the horses toward the water before returning to the fire pits. Learn how traditional Uruguayan asado is prepared and enjoy dinner outdoors by the fire, paired with a glass of local wine under the stars. Return to your accommodation in Jose Ignacio for the night.

Meet your local guide at the traditional pulperia in Garzon and set out by bike to explore this small village in Uruguay’s wine country. Visit the main square, chapel, and historic train station before cycling to Garzón Winery, set on a rocky outcrop above vineyards planted in mineral-rich soil. Enjoy a wine tasting and lunch with views over the estate, or join a cooking class at El Garzón, the restaurant led by Argentine chef Francis Mallmann. Transfer back to Jose Ignacio after your experience.

Cycle from your hotel in Jose Ignacio, or from the lighthouse if staying outside town, and explore the town’s lighthouse and main square before following Route 10 toward Laguna Garzon. Stop at a lookout and the lagoon’s circular bridge, then continue along rural trails past private estancias to Anastasio Stream. Switch to kayaks and paddle toward the lagoon, a seasonal habitat for flamingos, swans, herons, and storks. Enjoy a traditional picnic lunch at a countryside barn before cycling back to Jose Ignacio, with a return transfer available. 

Enjoy breakfast before transferring from Jose Ignacio to Montevideo Airport for your departure flight.