Uruguay, the second smallest nation in South America, is referred to as the Switzerland of South America due mostly in part to its foreign policy and safety of travel. The varied landscape packed into this small county makes Uruguay a popular destination for the traveling wingshooter. In a mere six hours you can travel from one end of the country to the other by car, passing over rocky hills, flowing rivers, open prairies, and beautiful beaches. The hunting is famous in Uruguay as some of the finest upland perdiz shooting can be found in the many pastures throughout the countryside. With a welcoming culture, old world charm, and vast area for wingshooting, Uruguay is truly a sportsman's paradise.
Banking and Currency
Currency
Peso Uruguayo (UYU; symbol $U) = 100 centécimos. Notes are in the denominations of $U2,000, 1,000, 500, 200, 100, 50 and 20. Coins are in denominations of $U10, 5, 2 and 1 and 50 centécimos.
Local currency and foreign currency may be imported and exported up to the equivalent of US$10,000; larger amounts must be declared.
Visitors are advised to buy local currency at banks and exchange shops, as hotels tend to give unfavourable rates. Inflation in Uruguay, though less severe than in other Latin American countries, leads to frequent fluctuations in the exchange rate.
Banking
Banking hours: Mon-Fri 13h00-17h00.
MasterCard, Visa, American Express, and Diners Club are the most commonly used credit cards. All are widely accepted in major tourist and business destinations including Montevideo, Punta del Este and Colonia del Sacramento. In rural areas, it's best to carry cash as many businesses will not accept credit cards.
ATMs marked with the green Banred or blue Redbrou logo are reliable and available in all cities, as well as some smaller towns. These serve all major international banking networks, including Cirrus, Visa, MasterCard and Maestro.
Traveller's Cheques can still be cashed at some banks and exchange shops in major tourist hubs. US Dollar traveller's cheques are more widely accepted than those issued in Euros or Sterling.
Travel, Transport and Getting Around
Regularly scheduled commercial flights within Uruguay have been discontinued. Bus and rental car are the two best ways to get around the country.
Car hire is readily available at Carrasco and Punta del Este International Airports and in major cities including Montevideo, Punta del Este and Colonia. Drivers must be aged between 23 and 75.
The main national routes, numbered 1 through 9, fan out from Montevideo like fingers of a hand. All are paved and well-maintained, including some excellent sections of 4-lane highway linking the capital to Colonia and Punta del Este. Secondary routes along the Río de la Plata, Río Uruguay and Atlantic Ocean are also of good quality. Travel elsewhere can be more challenging, often involving long sections of unpaved road.
Drivers and passengers are required to wear seat belts. Use of mobile phones while driving is prohibited. Speed limits, ranging from 45 to 110 kph (68mph), are clearly posted. Cars are driven on the right side of the road in Uruguay. A valid driver's licence from your home country is required.
Metered taxis are available in all cities and from the airports at Carrasco and Punta del Este. Service is especially good in Montevideo, where taxis are safe, ubiquitous and reasonably priced. Drivers carry a list of fares. A surcharge is made for each item of baggage. Rates are 20% higher on nights, weekends and holidays. Taxi drivers expect a tip.
The major domestic coach routes from Montevideo are: West and north along the Río de la Plata and the Río Uruguay to Paysandú and Salto; East and north along the Río de la Plata and the Atlantic Ocean to Punta del Este and Rocha; and North on national routes 3, 5, 7 and 8 to Tacuarembó and other cities of the interior. Main coach operators include COT (tel 2409 4949; www.cot.com.uy), Copsa (tel 2 1975;www.copsa.com.uy), Chadre (tel 2 1717; www.agenciacentral.com.uy) and Turil (tel 2 1990;www.turil.com.uy).
Extensive, dependable and safe bus services operate in Montevideo and most other Uruguayan cities. There are flat fares, one for the central area and another for suburban services.
A few local train services run between Montevideo and surrounding suburbs but these are not usually used by tourists.
Food, Drink and Cuisine Advice
Mains water is considered safe to drink. Drinking water outside main cities and towns may be contaminated and sterilisation is advisable. Milk is pasteurised and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are generally considered safe to eat.
The majority of Uruguayan restaurants are parrilladas (grill-rooms). Italian food also appears on many menus, and seafood eateries abound along the Atlantic coast. Quality of both meat and seafood is generally excellent. Table service is usual in restaurants. Cafés or bars have either table and/or counter service. There are no set licensing hours.
A 10% tip is recommended when no service charge is added to your restaurant bill.
Climate and Weather
Uruguay has an exceptionally fine temperate climate, with mild summers and winters. Summer is from December to March and is the most pleasant time, especially along the coast. Beach resorts get crowded between Christmas and February, with peak crowds during the month of January. In the interior and along the Río Uruguay, January is the hottest month, with temperatures sometimes climbing uncomfortably above 30˚ C. For fine weather and quieter conditions countrywide, December and March are good months to visit. Winter and spring can get chilly due to wind and rain, but temperatures remain dependably above freezing.
Clothing and Dress Recommendations
Bring lightweight clothing in summer; mediumweight clothing for winter, autumn and spring. A raincoat is advisable year-round.
Internet Availability
There are internet cafés in main urban areas. Connections are good and prices reasonable (around US$1 per hour).
Electricity and Plug Standards
The official standard for plugs and sockets (outlets) in Uruguay is the Argentine "Type I" IRAM-2073 which is practically interchangeable with the standards in Australia and China. However, many non-grounded sockets in Uruguay are the "Type C" Europlug type. Also sometimes found are the "Type F" European CEE7/4 Schuko and the "Type L" Italian CEI 23-16/VII. If your appliance's plug doesn't match the shape of these sockets, you will need one or more travel plug adapters in order to plug in. Travel plug adapters simply change the shape of your appliance's plug to match whatever type of socket you need to plug into. If it is crucial to be able to plug in no matter what, bring an adapter for all four types.
Electrical sockets (outlets) in Uruguay usually supply electricity at between 220 and 240 volts AC. If you're plugging in an appliance that was built for 220-240 volt electrical input, or an appliance that is compatible with multiple voltages, then an adapter is all you need.
But travel plug adapters do not change the voltage, so the electricity coming through the adapter will still be the same 220-240 volts the socket is supplying. If your appliance is from another part of the world, and it is not compatible with 220-240 volt electricity, the voltage will have to be changed. This is accomplished with a voltage transformer.
