The Wayro route from Cabo Frio to Pouso Alegre is 332 miles (535 km), about 7 h 18 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.”
| Total distance | 332 mi (535 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-048 → BR-459 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Cabo Frio–Pouso Alegre drive in a few lines
BR-116 (135 mi) and BR-459 (77 mi) carry about 64% of the 332 miles. It runs through 3 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Cabo Frio and Pouso Alegre
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 2–9 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 12–47 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 47–93 | 46 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 93–102 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 102–104 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 104–239 | 135 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-048 | 239–254 | 15 | São Paulo |
| BR-459 | 254–331 | 77 | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 331–332 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 208 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 260 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Places worth a stop between Cabo Frio and Pouso Alegre
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Maré (mile 95), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198)
- Nature and outdoors: Costa do Sol State Park (mile 12), Praia do Buraco (mile 79), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198)
- Museums and history: Janete Costa Museum (mile 85), Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá (mile 86), Museu de Arte do Rio (mile 89), Museu da Maré (mile 95), Museum Dom João VI (mile 96)
- With kids: AquaRio (mile 91)
Costa do Sol State Park
Scattered along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Costa do Sol State Park protects fragments of Atlantic Forest coastal habitat under pressure from urban growth.
Praia do Buraco
About four kilometers from Praia Central in Balneário Camboriú, Praia do Buraco borders Praia do Canto; strong waves make it unsafe for swimming, so it draws mostly fishermen and photographers.
Janete Costa Museum
The Janete Costa Museum of Popular Art occupies an 1892 mansion in Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, with about 1,400 square meters including its annex.
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá is a fort in the city of Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Museu de Arte do Rio
Opened on March 1, 2013, Museu de Arte do Rio is an art museum maintained through a partnership of municipal institutions and private initiatives.
AquaRio
AquaRio, the Marine Aquarium of Rio de Janeiro, is a public aquarium in the Gamboa neighborhood of the city's port zone, with about 26,000 square meters of built area.
Museu da Maré
Recording the history of the Maré communities in Rio de Janeiro, Museu da Maré centers on a permanent exhibition and also runs oral history research, storytelling and traveling exhibitions.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
In Pouso Alegre itself
Good Jesus Cathedral, Pouso Alegre
Good Jesus Cathedral is the Catholic seat of the Archdiocese of Pouso Alegre, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
More drives to Pouso Alegre
- São José dos Campos to Pouso Alegre
- São Paulo to Pouso Alegre
- Itu to Pouso Alegre
- Santos to Pouso Alegre
- São Vicente to Pouso Alegre
- Sorocaba to Pouso Alegre
From Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cabo Frio to Pouso Alegre?
About 7 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 332 miles.
How far is Pouso Alegre from Cabo Frio by car?
About 332 miles (535 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cabo Frio to Pouso Alegre drive?
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 Cabo Frio to Pouso Alegre use?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-048 and BR-459. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cabo Frio to Pouso Alegre?
Closest to the road: Museu da Maré (museum, mile 95, 0.4 mi from the route); Museum Dom João VI (museum, mile 96, 1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 198, 0.2 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.