Uruguay is famous for its estancias and beaches, and this 8 day Uruguay tour offers both. Visit Colonia and Montevideo before heading east to a traditional estancia for two nights for horseback riding and a glimpse at the gaucho culture. The trip ends with two days in the coastal village of Jose Ignacio at an ecolodge located on the beach.
Day 01: Arrive Colonia
Arrive to “Colonia Del Sacramento” and transfer to hotel,
Afternoon ride back to Colonia, where you can discover its cobbled streets full of small bars, excellent restaurants, art and craft shops, museums and a yacht harbor.
Day 02: Montevideo City Tour
Transfer to the bus terminal. After transfer to Montevideo, take a walking tour of the Ciudad Vieja (the colonial
historic neighborhood) visiting the most important museums of Montevideo Old Borough. Spend one night in the capital of Uruguay at Hotel.
Day 03: Winery and Estancia
This morning, you are picked up for a short panoramic city tour of the rest of the city and a visit to one winery in the region of Montevideo. Afterwards, take a ride to Castillos, where you arepicked up and taken to Estancia Guardia del Monte (without guide), where you may enjoy the last hours of the day on the Castillos Lagoon.
Day 04: A Traditional Estancia
Wake up in Guardia Del Monte/Estancia El Charabon, a traditional estancia with outstanding landscape beauty and important ecosystems containing a great variety of birds and native scrublands. Enjoy some quality birdwatching along the large area of marshlands and wetlands, both of which are teeming with bird life (more than 400 species in this area), otters, coypus and capybaras. Spot the graceful black-necked swan (largest populations in the world found here), the rare white goose, the pink flamingo (a species of flamingo with very bright pink pigment and quite common in Uruguay) and many ducks and other birds such as the largest bird in South America – the ‘ostrich-like’ “ñandú” (American rhea).
Afternoon some horseback riding to explore the estancia surroundings. Overnight at hotel.
Day 05: Cabo Polonio Sand Dune Trekking
After breakfast, transfer to small village Barra de Valizas, where a local guide meets you to start an unforgettable tour to “Cabo Polonio” Village. After a short walk around the town, start the trekking along the coastline towards the incredible shifting sand dunes. Trek up the “Buena Vista Hill,” where a fantastic view of the ocean can be appreciated. Continue down towards Cabo Polonio (4 hours trek). Visit the light house and sea lions reserve (one of the biggest ones in the world!). In the afternoon, take a 4×4 truck drive towards the main entrance of Cabo Polonio. Transfer to hotel where you spend the night.
Day 06: Rocha Lagoon | On to Jose Ignacio
Begin at the lighthouse of the small town of La Paloma where you bike to the lovely Rocha Lagoon, a semi-freshwater lagoon of 72 km (28 sq mi). The lagoon has an outlet to the sea during winter months and constitutes a bird paradise with 220 species which have been recorded like migratory waders, flamingos, swans, herons and ducks, among others. This unique protected natural area is part of what we call the wetlands of the “Eastern Biosphere Reserve,” internationally recognized within the framework of the Man and the Biosphere (Man and the Biosphere, MAB) of UNESCO since 1976. On arrival to the local fishermen´s town, your canoe is waiting for you. Paddle along the lagoon, where you are able to see various bird species, local wildlife and native vegetation. Transfer back to Jose Ignacio.
Day 07: Jose Ignacio Free Day
Enjoy a free day in the beach village of Jose Ignacio. Stroll through the village, climb the lighthouse, enjoy good food in one of the many local restaurants or just lay back and relax on the beach.
Day 08: Return to Montevideo
Final departure private transfer takes you either to the port for the ferry to the airport for your flight onward.
| City | Night (s) | Hotel |
| Colonia | 01 | Radisson Hotel Colonia |
| Montevideo | 01 | Radisson Montevideo Victoria Plaza |
| Rocha | 03 | Remanso del Diablo |
| José Ignacio | 02 | La Viuda De Jose Ignacio |
– Meeting and assistance by our representative.
– Welcome with fresh flower garlands.
– 07 Nights accommodation
– Daily Breakfast, Lunch and Dinners.
– Local English-speaking guide
– All transfers, sightseeing, excursions as per the program by private vehicle.
– Entrance fee as per program
– Transport, Parking, Gasoline & Toll ways.
– All present government taxes.
– International Airfare.
– Tips, gratuities, Portage, laundry, telephone calls, table drinks, camera/ video camera charges, or any other expenses of a personal nature.
– Visa fees, personal insurance.
– Any item not specified under cost includes.
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– Sometimes, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.