Tacuarembó

Tacuarembó is a town in the Northern Interior region of Uruguay with approximately 55,000 inhabitants in 2011. It is popular as an important center for gaucho culture, and as one of the presumed birthplaces of Carlos Gardel, perhaps the most prominent figure in the history of tango.

By bus
From Montevideo, buses leave from Terminal Tres Cruces, and the 5-hr ride costs around U$800. Timetable, companies and prices can be checked at its website.

From Porto Alegre in Brazil, companies Turil go all the way to Tacuarembó twice a week (leaves Porto Alegre Mondays and Fridays 23:15, 170 BRL or 50 USD, and goes back to Porto Alegre Sundays and Thursdays 21:30, U$3 or 103 USD (2018). (Buy your tickets from the Brazilian version of their website). But it is cheaper to take a bus from Porto Alegre to Santana do Livramento (07:00, 100 BRL or 30 USD), walk across the border to Rivera (don't forget to pass on the immigration post), and take a onward bus to Tacuarembó (2 hr, U$240 or 8 USD). From Rivera to Tacuarembó, the M-Sa timetable is: 04:30*, 06:00, 07:00, 10:00, 15:00*, 15:30*, 19:00 (* Sunday service).

By train
From Rivera there's twice weekly (Monday and Friday) a train. Leaving Rivera at 18:00 and arriving at at 20:10. For the return trip, the train leaves at 7:00 in Tacuarembo and arrives at 9:10 in Rivera (Monday and Friday).

Get around
Tacuarembó town is fairly small and easily walkable. However, a good number of attractions lie out of town and you'll need your own transport to reach them.

Do

 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.
 * Nearby is the Indian Cemetery which has been in continuous use since precolumbian times.

Fiesta de la Patria Gaucha
This big event celebrating regional countryside life and customs takes place annually on the second weekend of March, on Lavanderas Lake. It remains a very traditional event, with most attendees being somehow connected to gaucho culture of Northern Uruguay.

Official website: https://www.patriagaucha.com.uy/

It is structured as a competition between gaucho culture groups, the sociedades criollas, most located in nearby villages. A group of them, Sociedades Participantes, competes for the fair big prize, while another group, Sociedades Invitadas, competes for the right to join the Sociedades Participantes on the year to come.

Tournaments counting points for the sociedades include:
 * many types of horse and bull riding (rodeo)
 * best rancho - which is a historically accurate reconstruction of some remarkable area relevant to the gaucho history, complete with buildings, furniture, artifacts and usually cuisine. Themes of choice are usually estancias of respected people, rural schools, rural train stations or even a cheese factories of 1800s or early 1900s.
 * best dish - and you can buy vouchers at the fair central office (administración) to taste it as well!
 * flor del pago (village flower) - the lady who'll represent the gaucho nation in other events. It's not a beauty pageant, she is instead selected for her horse-riding ability and eloquence
 * little peasant (girl and boy) - best old times children presentation (they usually come riding their own horses even at tender ages!)

On the festival Saturday, all the sociedades (including those not competing) leave in a horse parade that crosses Tacuarembó town, from 09:00 to midday. Locals estimate between 3 and 5 thousand horses. Once finished, there's an act in front of General Artigas statue on the main square, after which is a great opportunity for pictures with gauchos and their horses.

On the festival Sunday, a gaucho mass is celebrated just outside the festival venue.

Tickets
Entrance to the general area costs U$300 or less (inquire about discounts at the ticket office, since in 2018 tickets bought with BROU cards received a 2nd free ticket - up to 5 combos / 10 tickets per card).

The ticket is valid for the whole day. It's possible to leave the area and go back with the same ticket, just ask for the return voucher on your way out (but these vouchers are only handed till 22:00). Most people spend the day at the fair, leave in the evening (rest and take shower), and come back at night for the concerts.

Entrance to the rodeos vary with day/seat area, but could be as cheap as U$100. There's an independent ticket booth for each tribune, so inquire prices and shade situation first.

Accommodation
Accommodation is a big issue during the festival, as there are few hotels available. The local custom is of either of renting an entire house or camping, but most people camp, which is an experience in itself. Two independently managed camping grounds are set up on each side of the Fiesta. In 2018, the price was U$1,000 (35 USD) a day for the right to use a 30m² plot of land, plus U$300 (10 USD) a day per person to cover facilities. These prices are thought with large groups in mind, as there are virtually no solo travellers in town, so if you're alone it might be negotiable.

Camping in green public areas nearby the festival area is not frowned upon during festival time, and it's free.

If you're feeling rich, some locals offer rooms in their houses (inquire at the tourist office as AirBnb is not a thing there yet), and in 2018 the going rate was U$2,000 or 70 USD a night.

Transport
Most festival goers have their own means of transport (horses or cars), so with the extra coaches put by the companies, there's no shortage of bus tickets even on what would be peak times (like on the evening of the last day). But do check which coach (coche) is yours, as there might be up to ten extra buses leaving at the same time.

Weather
March sees mild temperatures, with hot sunny days and chill evenings. Temperatures drop sharply once the sun sets, so if you plan to spend the whole day & night there, take a coat with you.

If you're camping, be prepared to cope with +10°C at night. And local knowledge says there's no Patria Gaucha without a day of rain, so plan accordingly.

Sleep

 * Hotel Orange: Av. 25 de Agosto 247, Tel. +598 4632 6862, offers nice basic equipped rooms
 * Tacuarembo Hotel: Av. 18 de Julio 133, Tel. +598 (4)63 22104, +598 (4)63 22105, +598 (0)63 22945

Go next

 * Salto, one bus a day M-Sa 16:00, Su 17:0], U$600 or 21 USD.