Araraquara to Varginha is about 226 road miles (363 km): roughly 5 h 21 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance by road | 226 mi (363 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-215 → BR-267 → MG-877 → BR-146 → MG-453 → BR-491 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Araraquara to Varginha drive plays out
SP-215 (75 mi) and BR-267 (51 mi) carry about 56% of the 226 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Araraquara to Varginha
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 2–29 | 27 | São Paulo |
| SP-215 | 29–88 | 59 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 88–89 | 1 | São Paulo |
| BR-267 | 89–104 | 15 | São Paulo |
| SP-215 | 104–120 | 16 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 120–121 | 1 | São Paulo |
| MG-877 | 121–136 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 136–144 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 144–180 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 180–183 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-453 | 183–199 | 16 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 199–223 | 24 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 223–226 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 121 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Araraquara and Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 25), Porto Ferreira State Park (mile 64), Alfredo e Afonso de Taunay Historical and Pedagogical Museum (mile 88)
- Nature and outdoors: Salto do Pântano (mile 45), Porto Ferreira State Park (mile 64)
- Museums and history: Mother Church Our Lady of Belém (mile 50), Descalvado Municipal Public Museum (mile 50), Alfredo e Afonso de Taunay Historical and Pedagogical Museum (mile 88), Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health (mile 129)
- With kids: Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 25)
Astronomical Observatory Dietrich Schiel
On USP's Campus 1 in São Carlos, the Dietrich Schiel Observatory opened in April 1986, coinciding with the passage of Halley's Comet, and belongs to the university's science outreach center.
Parque Ecológico de São Carlos
Officially named Parque Ecológico Dr. Antônio Teixeira Vianna, this ecological park belongs to the city of São Carlos and sits right next to the Federal University of São Carlos.
Salto do Pântano
About 7 km from the center of Descalvado, this 42-meter waterfall is considered the town's main tourist attraction.
Mother Church Our Lady of Belém
Locals call it the Igreja Matriz de Descalvado. The Catholic church opened on September 6, 1935, on the spot where a chapel had stood since 1832.
Descalvado Municipal Public Museum
Housed in the old Fepasa warehouse on Rua Dom Pedro II in the center of Descalvado, this public municipal museum sits in the interior of São Paulo state.
Porto Ferreira State Park
Porto Ferreira State Park covers about 611 hectares in São Paulo state, where vegetation shifts from cerrado savanna to forest with jequitibá trees, and is set aside for recreation and environmental education.
Alfredo e Afonso de Taunay Historical and Pedagogical Museum
Casa Branca, in the interior of São Paulo state, has a history museum named for Alfredo and Afonso de Taunay, founded in 1958.
Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health
Built in 1937 on the site of the original parish church, the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health (Basílica de Nossa Senhora da Saúde) is a Catholic church in Poços de Caldas, Minas Gerais.
When you get to Varginha
Museu Municipal de Varginha
Varginha's municipal museum occupies a building put up in 1920 as the local Banco do Brasil office, in what was then the town's commercial heart.
More drives to Varginha
- Belo Horizonte to Varginha
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Varginha
- Ribeirão Preto to Varginha
- Sete Lagoas to Varginha
- Mogi das Cruzes to Varginha
- Piracicaba to Varginha
From Araraquara to other places in Brazil
- Araraquara to Ituiutaba
- Araraquara to Itu
- Araraquara to Mogi Guaçu
- Araraquara to Bragança Paulista
- Araraquara to Paranapiacaba
- Araraquara to Cubatão
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Araraquara to Varginha?
About 5 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 226 miles.
What is the driving distance from Araraquara to Varginha?
About 226 miles (363 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
Is it safe to drive from Araraquara to Varginha?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Araraquara to Varginha use?
In order: SP-310, SP-215, BR-267, MG-877, BR-146, MG-453 and BR-491. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Araraquara and Varginha?
Closest to the road: Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (zoo, mile 25, 0.4 mi from the route); Porto Ferreira State Park (state park, mile 64, 0.5 mi from the route); Alfredo e Afonso de Taunay Historical and Pedagogical Museum (history museum, mile 88, 1 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.