Plan on about 11 h 41 min of driving for the 407-mile (655 km) trip from Cariacica to Lavras, 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance | 407 mi (655 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 41 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-319 → ES-297 → RJ-186 → BR-356 → MGC-265 → AMG-0515 → MG-447 → MG-285 → BR-120 → BR-265 → MG-448 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Cariacica to Lavras
BR-265 (117 mi) and BR-101 (96 mi) carry about 52% of the 407 miles. It runs through 3 states: Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Cariacica to Lavras: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–11 | 11 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 11–107 | 96 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-319 | 107–120 | 13 | Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 120–136 | 16 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| connecting roads | 136–137 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-186 | 137–148 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-356 | 148–194 | 46 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 194–196 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-265 | 196–206 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 206–215 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-0515 | 215–221 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-447 | 221–229 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-285 | 229–233 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-120 | 233–258 | 25 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 258–260 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 260–286 | 26 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-448 | 286–303 | 17 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 303–304 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 304–314 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 314–405 | 91 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 405–407 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 112 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
- Mile 130 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 179 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cariacica and Lavras
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Loucura (mile 317)
- Nature and outdoors: Paulo César Vinha State Park (mile 25), Frade e a Freira Natural Monument (mile 73), Itabira Natural Monument (mile 77), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94)
- Museums and history: Itabira Natural Monument (mile 77), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 94), Museu da Loucura (mile 317), Casa do Padre Toledo (mile 346), Museu de Arte Sacra (mile 351)
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.
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
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.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Casa do Padre Toledo
In Tiradentes, Minas Gerais, this 18th-century mansion was the home of Father Carlos Correia de Toledo e Melo.
Teatro Municipal
São João del-Rei's municipal theater (Theatro Municipal) was built in 1893 and went through a major renovation between 1922 and 1925.
Museu de Arte Sacra
Inside São João del-Rei's former jail, the Museu de Arte Sacra holds about 450 religious objects, including liturgical vestments and sacred images, from local confraternities and orders.
When you get to Lavras
Museu Bi Moreira
On the historic campus of the Federal University of Lavras, Museu Bi Moreira holds around five thousand historical, ethnographic, archaeological and science-and-technology artifacts tied to the history of Lavras and the university.
More drives to Lavras
- Barbacena to Lavras
- Juiz de Fora to Lavras
- Barra Mansa to Lavras
- Teresópolis to Lavras
- Itu to Lavras
- Rio de Janeiro to Lavras
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 Lavras?
About 11 h 41 min of driving without stops, over 407 miles.
How far is Lavras from Cariacica by car?
About 407 miles (655 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 Lavras?
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 Lavras use?
In order: BR-101, BR-319, ES-297, RJ-186, BR-356, MGC-265, AMG-0515, MG-447, MG-285, BR-120, BR-265, MG-448 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cariacica and Lavras?
Closest to the road: Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 317, 0.5 mi from the route); Teatro Municipal (theater, mile 351, 1 mi from the route); Museu de Arte Sacra (museum, mile 351, 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.