In the remote Cabo Polonio, Uruguay, 18 military trucks converted into amphibious trucks are the only access to this protected national park.
These all-terrain vehicles, operated by local companies, transport tourists through 8 kilometers of dunes and sandy trails where private cars are prohibited to preserve the fragile ecosystem.
Less than 100 people reside permanently in this area of the Uruguayan Atlantic coast, which receives a large influx of visitors in the summer.
Giants adapted to the sandy challenge
Edith Son Lorenzo, driver of one of these “trucks“, explains their uniqueness: “This is the only place with this kind of tours”. These vehicles, formerly used to transport soldiers, were readapted for tourism.
They have dual traction and even six-wheel drive to face the loose sand after rain-free days.
Daniel Quintana, another driver, details: “The most difficult part is when the sand is loose… Right now it’s nice because it’s wet“. The maximum speed is around 30 km/h due to the instability of its two-story structure, designed for panoramic views.
Historical legacy on wheels: amphibious trucks
The system started in the 80s, replacing horses and camels. The first vehicles came from the Uruguayan army, but today the fleet includes models manufactured by Iveco and Fiat (Italy), Euro (Spain), Ural (Russia), or extinct brands like Rio (USA) and IFA (former East Germany).
An IFA W-50, recently arrived, served in a UN peacekeeping mission in the Congo as a mobile workshop. The drivers perform constant maintenance: “We paint it… otherwise, the salt eats it”.
Family tradition behind the wheel
Being a truck driver here is an inherited profession. Guillermo García Sanguinetti, behind the wheel of a vehicle with over 30 years of service in the area with the amphibious trucks, emphasizes safety: “They are old cars, I don’t go fast”.
Agustina Núñez drives “Medusa“, an American 6×6 Rio painted inspired by mythology: “I learned… my mother was the first woman to drive in ’89”.
She highlights that the 6×6 offers more power than the 4×4 in difficult terrains, although it requires skill: “You have to handle it like you handle the amphibious trucks”.
Only way to reach Cabo Polonio, are the amphibious trucks
Amphibious trucks are a unique experience in the wild nature
For the tourists, the sway is part of the charm. “A bit bumpy, but I like it. It’s always nice to come to Cabo Polonio,” says a passenger.
These amphibious trucks, steel giants travel through a narrow corridor to minimize impact on the dunes, the only access to an Atlantic coast without streets or cars, where sea lions outnumber humans.
The roar of their engines is now the soundtrack of the adventure in one of the most pristine landscapes of Uruguay.
These amphibious trucks are more than just transportation: they are pieces of living history and guardians of a unique ecosystem, connecting the modern world with the untamed nature of Cabo Polonio.
