Visit Salto Uruguay
A hot-springs pool at dusk in Salto, a woman in the water looking at the sunset

Visit Salto, Uruguay

Warm water, a river for sunsets, and no crowds.

Uruguay’s second city, on the Uruguay River, 500 km north of Montevideo and a short boat ride from Argentina.

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In this issue · Spring 2026

Seven ways into the north

The curved hot-spring pool at Termas del Daymán, Salto, with palms and morning steam
The hot springs

01 Water that rises at 46 °C

Daymán, Arapey and Salto Grande: three hot springs fed by the Guaraní Aquifer, warm all year, and a public pool that still costs a few dollars at the gate.

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A dorado leaping out of the Uruguay River near Salto
The river

02 Dorado on the line

The dorado is the fish that jumps, and the Uruguay River at Salto is where it is fished all year round: a whole boat for up to 3 anglers, a full day or half a day, and every fish goes back in the water.

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Three riders on horseback at sunset in the Salto countryside
The countryside

03 Horses, cattle and orange trees

Estancias an hour from town, an hour on horseback for US$15, and the orchards that give Salto its oranges and its olive oil.

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A woman in a straw hat picking dark grapes in a vineyard
The table

04 A glass for a scholarship

Once a year, more than 20 Uruguayan wineries pour their best in Salto, and every ticket pays for a young person from the countryside to study. The 19th edition sold out.

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Port cranes of Salto in morning fog, a fisherman in a small boat on the river
The city

05 Dieste, Quiroga, Gardel

Brick vaults by Eladio Dieste, the house where Horacio Quiroga was born, and the tango city that claims Gardel. Five walking tours, on request.

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Aerial view of the Uruguay River with a wooded riverbank and the city beyond
From above

06 Salto from the air

A scenic flight over Daymán and the river with the Centro de Aviación Salto, the city's flying club, US$75 for the whole aircraft, up to 3 people, with the wetland birds below.

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A full moon rising behind a bare tree near Salto
The campo

07 The ranch where the lights came down

Estancia La Aurora, 13 km from the city: two nights in 1976 and 1977, a dog and a bull dead, a cross burnt into the pasture, and the question that never closed: whether Neil Armstrong was ever here. The estancia is private; the Padre Pío grotto on its edge is open day and night.

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A herd of horses driven down a dusty track at sunset
Since 1756 on the banks of the Uruguay River. Hot springs, orange groves, tango and asado.
From the introduction
A small boat crossing the Uruguay River at first light, clouds reflected in still water
Cover story · From the Journal

Sunsets in Salto: where the sun sets over another country

The sun goes down over the far bank, in Argentina. Where to stand, what time to be there, and why the best seat is a free one.

Words by Mathias Nicola · Nature · 7 min read
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The Journal

Also in this issue

01
The Waters of Salto: what they are, what they do, and who they are for
Three hot springs, one aquifer, and how to choose.
Wellness · 5 min 02
Concordia, across the river: a day trip from Salto
The boat, the bus, the pesos, and what to do on the other side.
Day trip · 8 min 03
Eladio Dieste: the brick vaults of Salto
The engineer who made brick fly, and where to stand under it.
Architecture · 8 min 04
Salto for backpackers
Hot springs for US$5, a boat across the border, a day for under US$45.
Budget · 8 min
All 27 stories
Experiences

Eight ways to spend a day

Booked with me, run by the people who know them best. You pay on the day, in pesos.

The curved pool at Termas del Daymán at first light, Salto, Uruguay Relaxation Hot Springs Day UYU 200 at the gate, about US$5 · full day Criollo horses in open pasture near Salto, Uruguay Adventure Horse Riding US$15 per person, per hour Sunset from the cockpit of a light aircraft over Salto From above Scenic Flight US$75 per flight, up to 3 people A dorado leaping out of the Uruguay River near Salto The river Dorado Fishing US$400 per boat, up to 3 people · 8 hours, or a half day for US$320 Concordia, Argentina, seen across the Uruguay River from Salto The river River Crossing by Boat US$10 per person, return A glass of wine and a bunch of grapes backlit by the sun, Salto Food & wine Winery Tour Price on request · outside the city An angel-topped marble monument against the sun in the Central Cemetery of Salto Walking tour Salto Cemetery Walk Price on request · on foot Still water on the Río Daymán at Termas del Daymán, the riverside forest reflected at the end of the day Hiking Daymán River Hike Price on request · on foot, by the river
All 19 experiences
Suggested itineraries

Days I would plan for a friend

Every item priced. Nothing paid in advance.

Golden hour on the Río Daymán beside Termas del Daymán, Salto, Uruguay
Backpacker · 3 nights

Salto for Backpackers

~US$170per person, all in
See the plan
Aerial view of a hot springs resort and its pools near Termas del Dayman
Relaxation · 1 day

Hot Springs Day at Daymán

~US$65per person + spa items
See the plan
Dusk over the countryside near Estancia La Aurora
Culture & Wellness · 2 days

Termas de San Nicanor & Estancia La Aurora

~US$175per person, priced items
See the plan

Prices in US dollars per person; locally you pay in pesos.

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