The Wayro route from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros is 263 miles (424 km), about 5 h 60 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 263 mi (424 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 60 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-135 → MGC-135 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
On the road from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros
BR-135 (158 mi) and BR-040 (68 mi) carry about 86% of the 263 miles. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 6–74 | 68 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-135 | 74–232 | 158 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 232–235 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-135 | 235–259 | 24 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 259–263 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
Breaking up the drive: stops between Belo Horizonte and Montes Claros
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Cabral State Park (mile 175)
- Museums and history: Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 10), Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (mile 105)
- With kids: Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte (mile 11)
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.
Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte
Opened in January 1959 in the Pampulha area, the Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte is one of the city's main visitor attractions.
Basilica of St. Gerard Majella
Known locally as the Basilica of Curvelo, the Basilica of St. Gerard Majella is a Catholic church in Curvelo, in the state of Minas Gerais.
Serra do Cabral State Park
Serra do Cabral State Park is a state park in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
When you get to Montes Claros
Our Lady of Apparition Cathedral, Montes Claros
Also known as Montes Claros Cathedral, Our Lady of Apparition Cathedral is a Catholic church in the municipality of Montes Claros, in northern Minas Gerais.
More drives to Montes Claros
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
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros?
About 5 h 60 min of driving without stops, over 263 miles.
What is the driving distance from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros?
About 263 miles (424 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 Montes Claros?
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 Montes Claros use?
In order: BR-040, BR-135 and MGC-135. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Belo Horizonte to Montes Claros?
Closest to the road: Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (museum, mile 10, 3 mi from the route); Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte (zoo, mile 11, 3 mi from the route); Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (basilica, mile 105, 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.