Colatina to Araxá is about 540 road miles (869 km): roughly 14 h 12 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 540 mi (869 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 14 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-259 → BR-474 → MG-108 → BR-262 → BR-381 → BR-146 |
| States on the route | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Colatina–Araxá drive in a few lines
BR-262 (327 mi) and BR-381 (78 mi) carry about 75% of the 540 miles. It runs through 2 states: Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Colatina to Araxá: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| BR-259 | 4–37 | 33 | Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais |
| BR-474 | 37–60 | 23 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-108 | 60–127 | 67 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 127–242 | 115 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 242–312 | 70 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 312–319 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 319–322 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 322–330 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 330–535 | 205 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 535–539 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 539–540 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 34 of this route: Espírito Santo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Colatina and Araxá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 318)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 318), Serra do Rola-Moça State Park (mile 322)
- Museums and history: Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 314), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 318), Casa de Cacos (mile 326), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 327), Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (mile 440)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 318)
Pampulha Modern Ensemble
Laid out around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project that includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in an organic modern style, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a chapel in the Pampulha area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
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.
Serra do Rola-Moça State Park
On the edge of metropolitan Belo Horizonte, Serra do Rola-Moça State Park protects rugged ridges of the Espinhaço range where cerrado savanna meets Atlantic Forest.
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.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
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 Colatina to other places in Brazil
- Colatina to Barbacena
- Colatina to Itaguaí
- Colatina to Passos
- Colatina to Lavras
- Colatina to Nova Serrana
- Colatina to Jequié
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Colatina to Araxá?
About 14 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 540 miles.
What is the driving distance from Colatina to Araxá?
About 540 miles (869 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 Colatina 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 Colatina to Araxá?
In order: BR-259, BR-474, MG-108, 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 Colatina and Araxá?
Closest to the road: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 318, 0.6 mi from the route); Vale Verde (distillery, mile 341, 2 mi from the route); Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (cathedral, mile 440, 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.