If we only had 2 weeks: Uruguay itinerary for 14 ideal days

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Welcome to my ideal 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary for anyone who is tight on time but still wants to soak up the best that this incredible country has to offer! Like all my 2-week itineraries, it’ll be a bit of a whirlwind if you’re used to the 14-day all-inclusive-hotel-style holidays, so take out one of the destinations in this 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary if you want to take a bit more time at each stop.

Uruguay is teeny enough that the longest bus you’ll have to take is 5 hours from Montevideo up to Punta del Diablo, which is on the border with Brazil. So don’t panic when you see ‘travel day’, it’s not going to actually be a full day!

Now, the real Uruguayan way of the colonial past is to live the life of the gauchos – Uruguay’s cowboys, who live on cattle ranches called haciendas or estancias. I’ve included a 2-night stay at a working ranch of your choice here, but generally speaking ranches are a more expensive style of accommodation.

If you don’t want to spend the $80-200 a night on this type of Uruguayan experience, consider swapping the nights in a ranch for more time along the coast; check out La Paloma for an exciting vibe.

After you’ve read this 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary, don’t miss:

The ideal 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary:

Here’s a quick run-down of my suggested 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary with recommended places to stay; below the table I’ll tell you more about what to do in each of these destinations.

Turn your phone to the side to fit everything in!

Day	Destination	Where to stay on a budget	Where to stay in more comfort
1	Fly into Montevideo	Circus Hostel&Hotel (Old Town location) or MedioMundo Hostel (closer to nightlife)	Alma Histórica Boutique Hotel
2	Montevideo
3	Travel day to Punta del Diablo	La Virazón to be near to the beach, or Patas Negras to be out in the bush	Kanaloah Lodge & Cabins
4	Punta del Diablo
5
6
7	Cabo Polonio	Viejo Lobo Hostel	El Fortín del Rubio
8
9
10	Travel day via Montevideo to a ranch		Haras El Despertar in San Jacinto or Estancia Hosteria El Ceibo in Florida. Estancia La Amorosa is further and the buses don’t leave every day – but well worth the travel if you can stomach it!
11	Ranch of your choice
12	Colonia del Sacramento	Hostel Celestino	Charco Hotel
13	Montevideo	Circus Hostel&Hotel	Alma Histórica Boutique Hotel
14	Fly home from Montevideo

What not to miss in your 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary:

Days 1-2: Montevideo

Naturally, I’ll start off your 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary with some exploration of the capital, since this is where most people will be flying into.

Use your first two days to get your bearings with the country’s culture and history by taking a walking tour of the old town (or doing it by bike!), learning all about the Palacio Salvo and visiting the Gaucho Museum. Walking the promenade is a lovely way to see different parts of the city, and an evening at one of the tango dinner shows is a cultural experience to remember.

Days 3-6: Punta del Diablo

Get an early morning bus to Punta del Diablo from the Montevideo Bus Terminal; this will take 5 hours.

Once you’ve arrived, it’s time to chill on the beaches and hike the hills. The countryside around here is actually gorgeous and a lot of the natural beauty is protected.

I highly recommend taking a horse ride through the Santa Teresa national park, ending with a gallop down Playa Grande.

Days 7-9: Cabo Polonio

It’s another early start to get from Punta del Diablo to Cabo Polonio (a fair few of them in this 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary, I’m afraid!). You’ll need to change the bus at Castillo and get a 4×4 across the beach to this off-grid town, more information here.

Walk round the cape, shop artisanal goods, chill on the beach, visit the sea lion colony, check for bioluminescent plankton at night.

Obviously I can’t promise that there will be bioluminescent plankton on the nights that you’re in Cabo Polonio, but it’s certainly worth getting out to the beach to see if it’s there! This experience made my list of most unforgettable memories from 2 years in Latin America.

Days 10-11: Ranch of your choice!

Early bus back to the capital, then take the 2.5 hour bus from Montevideo terminal towards the ranch you choose.

Depending on where you stay enjoy activities like cow-milking, horse-riding, archery and helping to run a working ranch.

Day 12: Colonia del Sacramento

Take a bus to Colonia del Sacramento – potentially via Montevideo. Wander the beautiful old town, go to the top of the lighthouse and enjoy views of Buenos Aires over the river on a clear day.

This can just be a day trip from Montevideo if you’d prefer to leave your bags in the city and not stay the night in Colonia.

Days 13-14: Montevideo

Finish your 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary in the capital to make sure you’re there in time for your flight home the next day.

Not yet set on a 2 weeks Uruguay itinerary?

If you haven’t yet decided where in Latin America to spend your 2 weeks’ holiday, you might also want to check these out before booking those flights!