El Pepe, Uruguay
No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: La Barra, 19 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: PDP (PDP), 38 km.
Watch this spot We email you when El Pepe is worth the trip.
About El Pepe
Facing, offshore wind, exposure, level and swell range are estimated. Facts: verified, surf details estimated.
The spot faces S (167°), so it takes swell from the S. The wind blows offshore from the N (347°). It is exposed to the open swell. It suits intermediate surfers and up. It works in 2–9 ft of swell. The sea is about 12°C in July, its coldest month (4/3 or 5/4, boots and gloves), and 23°C in February, its warmest (2 mm shorty). For intermediate surfers the best months are usually April, May and June, with about 2 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. No town nearby. No stay checked for this site yet: La Barra, 19 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: PDP (PDP), 38 km. Within 5 km we also list 1 surf spot.
Water about 16°C: 3/2 wetsuit. Typical sea temperature for the time of year, not a forecast.
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Book the trip
From Chicago: about 21 h 35 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.
Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to PDP, changing at São Paulo/Guarulhos–Governor André Franco Montoro International Airport (GRU).
See flights ORD → PDP · Skyscanner from about £535 returnAdGetting there. 1 h from the airport to El Pepe.
Accommodation.
No town nearby
No stay checked for this site yet: La Barra, 19 km away, is the nearest town we list. Nearest airport: PDP (PDP), 38 km.
Hire and lessons.
Surf lessons in El Pepe · GetYourGuideAdBoard and wetsuit hire in El Pepe · GetYourGuideAd
Where it is
El Pepe on Google Maps · Directions
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Forecast
El Pepe does not suit beginners. This is the forecast for intermediates, so you can see what it does.
The score for intermediates, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoorToo bigToo small
| Day | Scorefor Intermediate | Swell | Energy | Wind | Temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 18Oct | 4, poor | 5 ft9 s | 329kJ | wind from the south, 18 knots | 12°C |
| Mon 19Oct | 32, poor | 6 ft7 s | 294kJ | wind from the south-south-west, 8 knots | 12°C |
| Tue 20Oct | 38, fair | 4 ft7 s | 177kJ | wind from the north-east, 4 knots | 14°C |
| Wed 21Oct | 25, poor | 3 ft8 s | 118kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 16 knots | 15°C |
| Thu 22Oct | 19, too small | 2 ft8 s | 73kJ | wind from the east-north-east, 15 knots | 16°C |
| Fri 23Oct | 14, too small | 2 ft6 s | 27kJ | wind from the east, 14 knots | 15°C |
| Sat 24Oct | 4, too small | 2 ft5 s | 24kJ | wind from the east, 17 knots | 15°C |
| Sun 25Oct | 5, too small | 2 ft7 s | 25kJ | wind from the south-east, 15 knots | 14°C |
| Mon 26Oct | 42, fair | 5 ft8 s | 309kJ | wind from the south-south-east, 6 knots | 13°C |
| Tue 27Oct | 48, good | 3 ft7 s | 100kJ | offshorewind from the north-north-west, 5 knots, offshore | 16°C |
Day scores here are the conditions out of 80; a trip's score on the results is the same conditions out of 100. The journey never scores. The forecast reaches about 10 days. Energy is the swell's power in kJ per metre of wave, from its height and interval: it grows with the square of each, so a long-period swell hits far harder than a short one the same size. Wind is in knots: 10 kn is about 19 km/h. The arrow points where the wind blows to; offshore wind, blowing from the land out to sea, is green and says so.
Your trip, day by day
6 nights from Mon 19 Oct, leaving from Chicago, for intermediate surfers. Change dates
- Mon 19 OctTravel out
Fly ORD to PDP, changing at GRU, then 1h by road. About 21h 35 door to door
- Tue 20 OctSurf El Pepe
Best 09:00 to 12:00 local time: 4 ft at 7 s, wind 4 kn (7 km/h).
- Wed 21 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 28 of 80.
- Thu 22 OctRest day
Nothing worth paddling out for: the best window scores 22 of 80.
- Fri 23 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sat 24 OctRest day
Too small: 2 ft at best.
- Sun 25 OctTravel home
Fly ORD to PDP, changing at GRU, then 1h by road. About 21h 35 door to door
Rough cost
About £925–£1,805 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing a room. A guide from typical prices, not a quote: check the real prices before you book. No town nearby, so no stay is in it.
| What | How we worked it out | Each |
|---|---|---|
| Flights | return ORD to PDP, estimated from distance and season, changing at GRU, full-service airlines, with a hold bag | £535–£1,115 |
| To the UK airport | parking or the train, there and back | £35–£65 |
| Hire car | 6 days, shared | £85–£140 |
| Food | 7 days eating out | £185–£345 |
| Board and wetsuit | 5 days, or about £85 to fly your own | £85–£140 |
| Total | £925–£1,805 |
Prices from public sources, checked in 2026: where they come from. Lessons, lift-pass deals and insurance are extra.
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