The Wayro route from Araruama to Nova Serrana is 397 miles (639 km), about 9 h 37 min of driving without stops.
- 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance | 397 mi (639 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 37 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 → BR-381 → BR-262 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Araruama to Nova Serrana: the shape of the trip
BR-040 (243 mi) and BR-262 (60 mi) carry about 76% of the 397 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Araruama to Nova Serrana: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 6–24 | 18 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 24–44 | 20 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 44–46 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 46–50 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 50–55 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 55–58 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 58–63 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 63–75 | 12 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 75–76 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 76–194 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 194–198 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 198–323 | 125 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 323–327 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 327–336 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 336–396 | 60 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 396–397 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 144 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Nova Serrana
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 33), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 72), Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park (mile 97), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 104)
- Museums and history: Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 93), Museu da Loucura (mile 222), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 325)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park
Petrópolis Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
More drives to Nova Serrana
- Itabira to Nova Serrana
- Barbacena to Nova Serrana
- Poços de Caldas to Nova Serrana
- Governador Valadares to Nova Serrana
- Resende to Nova Serrana
- Pindamonhangaba to Nova Serrana
From Araruama to other places in Brazil
- Araruama to Itaguaí
- Araruama to Resende
- Araruama to Penedo
- Araruama to Fumaça
- Araruama to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Araruama to Guaratinguetá
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Araruama to Nova Serrana?
About 9 h 37 min of driving without stops, over 397 miles.
How far is Nova Serrana from Araruama by car?
About 397 miles (639 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 Araruama to Nova Serrana?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Araruama to Nova Serrana?
In order: RJ-124, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116, BR-040, BR-381 and BR-262. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Araruama to Nova Serrana?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 33, 1 mi from the route); Casa Stefan Zweig (museum, mile 93, 2 mi from the route); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (calvary, mile 278, 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.