Plan on about 13 h 19 min of driving for the 506-mile (815 km) trip from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá, before any 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 506 mi (815 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-482 → ES-166 → ES-165 → ES-379 → ES-185 → BR-262 → BR-381 → BR-146 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá drive plays out
BR-262 (351 mi) and BR-381 (77 mi) carry about 85% of the 506 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-482 | 4–11 | 7 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-166 | 11–23 | 12 | Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 23–25 | 2 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-165 | 25–36 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-379 | 36–62 | 26 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-185 | 62–70 | 8 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-262 | 70–209 | 139 | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 209–278 | 69 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 278–285 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 285–288 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 288–296 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 296–501 | 205 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 501–506 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 86 of this route: Espírito Santo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Stops between Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Araxá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 284)
- Nature and outdoors: Mata das Flores State Park (mile 22), Caparaó National Park (mile 82), Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 278), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 284)
- Museums and history: Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 278), Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 280), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 284), Casa de Cacos (mile 293), Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (mile 406)
- With kids: Belo Horizonte Aquarium (mile 281), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 284)
Mata das Flores State Park
Mata das Flores State Park is a state park in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil.
Caparaó National Park
Created in 1961, Caparaó National Park protects the Caparaó Mountains on the Minas Gerais–Espírito Santo border, including Pico da Bandeira, one of Brazil's highest peaks.
Museu de História Natural e Jardim Botânico da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The Federal University of Minas Gerais runs this natural history museum and botanical garden in Belo Horizonte, with an auditorium, a plant nursery, a lagoon, an ecological amphitheater and a sensory garden.
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.
Belo Horizonte Aquarium
Opened in 2010 in Belo Horizonte's Pampulha area, the Belo Horizonte Aquarium shows more than fifty species collected along the 2,800-km São Francisco River.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Araxá
- Ribeirão Preto to Araxá
- Bauru to Araxá
- Limeira to Araxá
- Mogi Guaçu to Araxá
- Bragança Paulista to Araxá
- São Paulo to Araxá
From Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to other places in Brazil
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Rio das Ostras
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Teresópolis
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Barra do Piraí
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Itaguaí
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Barra Mansa
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá?
About 13 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 506 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá?
About 506 miles (815 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 Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Araxá?
In order: BR-482, ES-166, ES-165, ES-379, ES-185, BR-262, BR-381 and BR-146. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Araxá?
Closest to the road: Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (museum, mile 280, 1 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 284, 0.6 mi from the route); Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (cathedral, mile 406, 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.