By road, Araxá and Itabira are about 290 miles (466 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 17 min of driving.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 290 mi (466 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-146 → BR-262 → BR-381 → BR-040 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Araxá–Itabira drive in a few lines
BR-262 (205 mi) and BR-381 (44 mi) carry about 86% of the 290 miles. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Araxá to Itabira: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 1–5 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 5–210 | 205 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 210–218 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 218–221 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 221–227 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 227–231 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 231–267 | 36 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 267–279 | 12 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 279–282 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 282–288 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 288–290 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
Where to stop on the way to Itabira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 222)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 217), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 222)
- Museums and history: Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (mile 101), Casa de Cacos (mile 214), Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 214), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 222), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 226), Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 226)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 222)
Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz
In the town of Luz, Minas Gerais, the diocesan Cathedral of Our Lady of Light is regarded as the town's leading cultural landmark and was listed as historic heritage in November 2016.
Vale Verde
Vale Verde Parque Ecológico sits in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, on a farm with a still where Cachaça Vale Verde is produced.
Casa de Cacos
Casa de Cacos in Contagem is a museum and an example of fantastic architecture, built and decorated entirely by geologist Carlos Luís de Almeida and considered the only one of its kind in Brazil.
Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture
Known locally as Casa do Registro, the Casa da Cultura Nair Mendes Moreira is an 18th-century house in Contagem. Local tradition links it to a Portuguese Crown post that counted goods and checked tax payments.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais
On the PUC Minas campus in Belo Horizonte, this natural sciences museum shows Brazilian fauna, largely from the cerrado, alongside fossil South American mammals and an 'Age of Reptiles' hall with dinosaurs, pterosaurs and a large crocodile.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in an organic modern style, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a chapel in the Pampulha area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The Museum of Morphological Sciences at the Federal University of Minas Gerais' Institute of Biological Sciences is a science museum focused on people, health and science education for the public.
Once you reach Itabira
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Itabira
Known locally as Itabira Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Itabira
- Sete Lagoas to Itabira
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Itabira
- Barbacena to Itabira
- Juiz de Fora to Itabira
- Petrópolis to Itabira
- Teresópolis to Itabira
From Araxá to other places in Brazil
- Araxá to Paranapiacaba
- Araxá to Itanhaém
- Araxá to Penedo
- Araxá to Barra do Piraí
- Araxá to Historic Village of Mambucaba
- Araxá to Trindade
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Araxá to Itabira?
About 7 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 290 miles.
How far is Itabira from Araxá by car?
About 290 miles (466 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 Araxá to Itabira?
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 Araxá to Itabira use?
In order: BR-146, BR-262, BR-381, BR-040, MG-434, MG-129 and AMG-1210. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Araxá and Itabira?
Closest to the road: Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (cathedral, mile 101, 1 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 222, 0.5 mi from the route); Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (museum, mile 226, 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.