By road, Cariacica and Itaguaí are about 362 miles (583 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 52 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 362 mi (583 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → CA-M-197 → RJ-238 → RJ-180 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Cariacica to Itaguaí drive plays out
BR-101 (168 mi) and RJ-180 (152 mi) carry about 88% of the 362 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Cariacica to Itaguaí
| 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 | 321–337 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 337–360 | 23 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 360–362 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 109 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Cariacica to Itaguaí
- Nature and outdoors: Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 25), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 73), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94), Pedra Branca State Park (mile 342)
- Museums and history: Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94), Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro (mile 316), Museu do Negro (mile 317), Museu da Chácara do Céu (mile 320), Museu Aeroespacial (mile 336), Ponte do Guandu (mile 354)
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.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rio's Old Cathedral is a Carmelite church that served as cathedral from around 1808 to 1976 and as Royal and then Imperial Chapel.
Museu do Negro
Museu do Negro is a museum in Rio de Janeiro dedicated to the history of Black people in Brazil, with a particular focus on religion.
Museu da Chácara do Céu
In Rio de Janeiro's Santa Teresa neighborhood, Museu da Chácara do Céu is an art museum that, together with Museu do Açude, makes up the Castro Maya Museums.
Museu Aeroespacial
Museu Aeroespacial is a national aviation museum in Realengo, on Rio de Janeiro's West Side, a place known as the cradle of Brazilian aviation.
Pedra Branca State Park
In the state of Rio de Janeiro, Pedra Branca State Park ranks among the world's largest urban nature parks.
Ponte do Guandu
Also known as Ponte dos Jesuítas, Ponte do Guandu in Santa Cruz, in Rio de Janeiro's West Zone, was a bridge-dam completed in 1752 to control floodwaters and link local farms.
More drives to Itaguaí
- São José dos Campos to Itaguaí
- Jacareí to Itaguaí
- Jundiaí to Itaguaí
- Santos to Itaguaí
- São Vicente to Itaguaí
- Praia Grande to Itaguaí
From Cariacica to other places in Brazil
- Cariacica to Governador Valadares
- Cariacica to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Cariacica to Sete Lagoas
- Cariacica to Barra Mansa
- Cariacica to Angra dos Reis
- Cariacica to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cariacica to Itaguaí?
About 8 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cariacica to Itaguaí?
About 362 miles (583 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 Cariacica to Itaguaí?
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 Cariacica to Itaguaí use?
In order: BR-101, CA-M-197, RJ-238, RJ-180 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Cariacica to Itaguaí?
Closest to the road: Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (protected area, mile 73, 1 mi from the route); Museu Aeroespacial (aviation museum, mile 336, 2 mi from the route); Ponte do Guandu (historic bridge, mile 354, 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.