By road, Belo Horizonte and Jaú are about 415 miles (668 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 46 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.”
| Distance by road | 415 mi (668 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 8 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-262 → MG-050 → BR-265 → SP-351 → SP-334 → SP-330 → SP-255 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Belo Horizonte to Jaú: the shape of the trip
MG-050 (217 mi) and SP-255 (93 mi) carry about 75% of the 415 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Belo Horizonte to Jaú: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 7–16 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 16–30 | 14 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 30–247 | 217 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 247–263 | 16 | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| local roads | 263–272 | 9 | São Paulo |
| SP-351 | 272–293 | 21 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 293–295 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-334 | 295–313 | 18 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 313–319 | 6 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 319–320 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-255 | 320–413 | 93 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 413–415 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 262 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Jaú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (mile 48), Museu Casa de Portinari (mile 301)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 8), Cachoeira da Capivara (mile 190)
- Museums and history: Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 12), Casa de Cacos (mile 12), Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (mile 48), Holy Spirit Cathedral, Divinópolis (mile 71), Museu Casa de Portinari (mile 301), Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa (mile 371)
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.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
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.
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.
Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco
In Itaúna, Minas Gerais, this municipal museum occupies the old railway station, which served trains from its opening in 1917 until passenger service through the town ended in 1986.
Holy Spirit Cathedral, Divinópolis
The Holy Spirit Cathedral in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, is the Roman Catholic church that serves as seat of the Diocese of Divinópolis.
Cachoeira da Capivara
In Capitólio, the Ribeirão da Capivara spills over this waterfall on its way into Furnas Lake. A trail of about 900 meters leads to the falls, which drop into a pool roughly 16 meters deep.
Museu Casa de Portinari
In Brodowski, Candido Portinari's childhood home is now the Museu Casa de Portinari, where the painter often returned to stay with family. Inside are several of his works, mostly murals painted in fresco and tempera.
Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa
Araraquara's Casa da Cultura occupies a 1914 mansion protected by São Paulo's heritage council, CONDEPHAAT. It holds historical collections ranging from documents to artworks, plus a small theater and rooms for cultural workshops.
When you get to Jaú
Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio
Jaú's Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio is the seat of the Diocese of Jaú and the church of a parish created on August 15, 1853.
More drives to Jaú
- Bragança Paulista to Jaú
- São Vicente to Jaú
- Santos to Jaú
- Mogi das Cruzes to Jaú
- Taubaté to Jaú
- Guarujá to Jaú
From Belo Horizonte to other places in Brazil
- Belo Horizonte to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Belo Horizonte to Juiz de Fora
- Belo Horizonte to Muriaé
- Belo Horizonte to Passos
- Belo Horizonte to Araxá
- Belo Horizonte to Itaperuna
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Belo Horizonte to Jaú?
About 8 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 415 miles.
What is the driving distance from Belo Horizonte to Jaú?
About 415 miles (668 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 Belo Horizonte to Jaú?
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 Belo Horizonte to Jaú use?
In order: BR-381, BR-262, MG-050, BR-265, SP-351, SP-334, SP-330 and SP-255. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Belo Horizonte and Jaú?
Closest to the road: Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (museum, mile 48, 0.5 mi from the route); Cachoeira da Capivara (waterfall, mile 190, 1 mi from the route); Museu Casa de Portinari (museum, mile 301, 0.3 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.