You can drive to Brazil from 8 of the 10 South American countries with which it shares a border. These countries are Argentina, Bolivia, French Guyana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Due to the thick, impenetrable rainforest of the Amazon basin, there are no road routes between Brazil and Colombia or Suriname, so you’ll need to use an alternative route.
It’s also possible to drive to Brazil as part of a Pan-American road trip using the Pan-American Highway. Commencing in Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, the network of roads that form the Pan American Highway runs through to Ushuaia in Argentina. Depending on the route you want to take, you can use this road for most of your trip before turning off to enter Brazil via its numerous border crossings.
Brazil is located in South America and is the largest country on the continent. It’s also the most populous, with over 214 million residents. Brazil’s size and far-reaching geography mean that it shares borders with all but two of the other countries of South America. Only Ecuador and Chile fail to share a common border with Brazil.
There’s a whole multitude of different ways to get to Brazil. With 10 neighboring countries, of which 8 have open land borders, there’s no shortage of land options available. If traveling by road in Colombia or Suriname, you must travel into Brazil via a neighboring country.
There’s also a huge range of different flight options available for Brazil. Various airlines fly into a large number of different airports across the country. Note there’s very little in the way of budget air travel in South America, so anticipate paying higher costs than you would in other continents.
For those not in a rush, there are also several options to travel to Brazil by river. We’ll take a look at each of the different travel options below.
There are 5 major border crossings between Brazil and Argentina. The most common and popular among travelers is located at Puerto Iguazú given its close vicinity to Iguazu Falls. The other major crossing is at Barracão, halfway along the border between the two countries. These border crossings allow international vehicles to transit to and from Brazil.
There’s a single border between Bolivia and Brazil. Located between the towns of Corumbá (Brazil) and Puerto Quijarro (Bolivia), it’s a relatively straightforward crossing. International and domestic vehicles are permitted to cross here. It’s best to arrive early as it can be very busy.
There’s just a single border crossing between Brazil and French Guyana. It’s located in the town of Oiapoque (Oyapock in French). After obtaining exit stamps, most visitors take a short boat ride across the river before completing immigration formalities on the other bank. However, there’s also a bridge at this location, which is open periodically if traveling with your vehicle.
There’s a single border crossing between Brazil and Guyana, between the towns of Lethem (Guyana) and Bonfim (Brazil). Separated by the Takutu River, this is the only official border between the two countries. Immigration offices are located on either end of the Takutu Bridge, the only way to travel between the two countries.
There’s a host of different border crossings between Paraguay and Brazil. One of the busiest crossings is Pedro Juan Caballero in the center of the country. However, the most popular for visitors is at Ciudad del Este. This town straddles the Paraguay/Brazil border and is home to the spectacular Iguazu Falls. Visitors mainly come here to see the falls from one side before crossing the Bridge of Friendship to view from the other side before continuing their journey. The bridge accommodates both vehicle and pedestrian traffic.
In the west of Brazil, there is a remote border crossing with Peru. It’s known as the Iñapari Border Crossing between the Brazilian town of Assis and the Peruvian village of Iñapari. While the road is paved on both sides of the border, the crossing is a very, very long way from anywhere meaningful in either Peru or Brazil.
There are multiple border crossings between Brazil and Uruguay, all of which support international vehicle arrivals and departures. The most popular and convenient crossing is near the Atlantic coast in Chui (Brazil) / Chuy (Uruguay). It’s conveniently located for travelers coming from Montevideo and heading towards Port Alegre.
Despite a substantial 2200 km border between Brazil and Venezuela, there’s only one border crossing between the two countries. It’s located next to the Brazilian town of Pacaraima. The closest town in Venezuela is Santa Elena de Uairen. This is a very remote crossing that’s a long way from any major centers in either Venezuela or Brazil.
There’s a huge number of both domestic and international airports in Brazil. Brasilia Airport, Belo Horizonte Tancredo Neves Airport, Recife Guararapes Airport, Porto Alegre Airport, and Salvador Bahia Airport are the biggest and busiest.
Between these airports, they offer direct flights to other South American countries, North America, Africa, Asia, Australasia, and Europe. They also service a network of smaller domestic airports and some remote landing strips in the Amazon basin.
It’s possible to travel to Brazil by boat from several different locations. However, these services only offer passenger services and do not carry vehicles. If traveling overland with a vehicle, you’ll need to use one of the numerous border crossings by road.
The first of these river crossings has been detailed above and is between French Guyana and Brazil. While a large bridge also exists at the border and connects the two countries, most travelers continue to take the short boat ride across the river.
Peru is another neighboring country where you can sail into Brazil. The Amazon River connects Peru and Brazil, and it’s possible to sail from Iquitos in Peru to Manaus in Brazil. The series of ferries you would need to take via Santa Rosa, Tabatinga, and Jutai would take around 60 hours.
You can drive to Brazil from the U.S. using the network of roads collectively known as the Pan-American Highway. This route will take you through Mexico and the countries of Central America before crossing from Panama into Colombia. This part of the journey is the most troublesome and costly as you can’t drive from Panama into Colombia. The impenetrable Darién Gap region means you need to ship your car from Panama to Colombia. Further details on how to travel to South America are featured in our blog post.
Once in Colombia, you must decide whether to head east into Venezuela or south into Peru. The decision is likely to be influenced by your final destination as the distances involved are significant. The table below shows the driving distance from major U.S. cities to major Brazilian cities.
Starting Point | Destination | Driving Distance | Driving Time |
New York | Manaus | 6627 miles | 140 hours |
Los Angeles | Manaus | 6257 miles | 134 hours |
Chicago | Manaus | 6083 miles | 132 hours |
New York | Salvador | 9637 miles | 204 hours |
Los Angeles | Salvador | 9267 miles | 198 hours |
Chicago | Salvador | 9093 miles | 196 hours |
New York | Rio de Janeiro | 9283 miles | 196 hours |
Los Angeles | Rio de Janeiro | 8913 miles | 190 hours |
Chicago | Rio de Janeiro | 8739 miles | 188 hours |
Any foreign national is permitted to drive in Brazil for up to 180 days, providing they hold a valid driving license from their home country. In addition to the driving license, they must also:
There is no formal requirement for an International Driving Permit (IDP) however, it might make things easier if you’re stopped and have one. Alternatively, a translation of your home driving license would also be useful.
There’s no denying that Brazil is one of the most challenging countries to drive in. The country’s sheer size and scale mean that it encompasses a whole range of different road conditions. While the major highways that link the main cities tend to be in good condition, inner city, and rural roads can be much more challenging.
The good news is that with proper planning and the right precautions, you can mitigate many of the risks of driving in Brazil.
The following are the biggest challenges when driving in Brazil:
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