Cariacica to Guaratinguetá is about 477 road miles (768 km): roughly 11 h 4 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 477 mi (768 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 11 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → CA-M-197 → RJ-238 → RJ-180 → BR-040 → BR-116 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Cariacica–Guaratinguetá drive in a few lines
RJ-180 (152 mi) and BR-101 (145 mi) carry about 62% of the 477 miles. It runs through 3 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cariacica to Guaratinguetá, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 11–146 | 135 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 146–147 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 147–152 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CA-M-197 | 152–155 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-238 | 155–159 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 159–311 | 152 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 311–321 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 321–329 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 329–332 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 332–476 | 144 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| local roads | 476–477 | 1 | São Paulo |
- Mile 109 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 436 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
What to see on the way from Cariacica to Guaratinguetá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 426)
- Nature and outdoors: Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 25), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 73), Itatiaia National Park (mile 426)
- Museums and history: Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Niterói (mile 313), Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 313), Naval Museum (mile 317), Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro (mile 318), Civil Police Museum (mile 321)
- With kids: Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden (mile 322)
Paulo César Vinha State Park
Along the Atlantic shore in Guarapari, Paulo César Vinha State Park protects dunes, lagoons and marshes. Its trails lead to the beach and to Lagoa de Caraís.
Frade e a Freira Natural Monument
Created by state decree in 2007, the Frade e a Freira Natural Monument is a state-run protected area in Espírito Santo spanning parts of Itapemirim, Cachoeiro de Itapemirim and Vargem Alta.
Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Niterói
Built in a late colonial style, the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist (Niterói Cathedral) is the Catholic cathedral of Niterói, in Rio de Janeiro state.
Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Also called Museu do Ingá, this history and art museum occupies the Palácio Nilo Peçanha on Rua Presidente Pedreira in Niterói's Ingá area and is linked to the state arts foundation.
Naval Museum
Dedicated to preserving Brazil's naval history, the Naval Museum (Museu Naval) is in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
Presbyterian Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro's Presbyterian Cathedral is the historic congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Brazil and was the first Presbyterian church in the country.
Civil Police Museum
Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Museum shows documents and objects tracing the work of the Civil Police in the city since colonial times.
Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden
Located in the São Cristóvão district, the Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden runs environmental and educational activities built around its animal collection of mainly fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
When you get to Guaratinguetá
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, who lived in Guaratinguetá and served as Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906, is honored at the town's history museum.
Museu Frei Galvão
In Guaratinguetá, São Paulo state, the Museu Frei Galvão operates as a municipal cultural institution backed by the city and a local friends' association.
Our Lady of Aparecida Museum
Within the Aparecida basilica complex, the Our Lady of Aparecida Museum (Museu Nossa Senhora Aparecida) gathers objects from the region, including archaeological pieces and sacred items. It opened in 1956.
More drives to Guaratinguetá
- Jacareí to Guaratinguetá
- São Paulo to Guaratinguetá
- Jundiaí to Guaratinguetá
- Sorocaba to Guaratinguetá
- Itu to Guaratinguetá
- Limeira to Guaratinguetá
From Cariacica to other places in Brazil
- Cariacica to Governador Valadares
- Cariacica to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Cariacica to Sete Lagoas
- Cariacica to Itaguaí
- Cariacica to Barra Mansa
- Cariacica to Angra dos Reis
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cariacica to Guaratinguetá?
About 11 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 477 miles.
How far is Guaratinguetá from Cariacica by car?
About 477 miles (768 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 Cariacica to Guaratinguetá drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cariacica to Guaratinguetá?
In order: BR-101, CA-M-197, RJ-238, RJ-180, BR-040 and BR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cariacica to Guaratinguetá?
Closest to the road: Metropolitan Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Niterói (cathedral, mile 313, 1 mi from the route); Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden (zoo, mile 322, 1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 426, 0.4 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.