Plan on about 10 h 56 min of driving for the 408-mile (656 km) trip from Fortaleza to Mandacaru, 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 408 mi (656 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 56 min |
| Main roads, in order | CE-020 → BR-222 → CE-187 → CE-232 → PI-213 → BR-343 → BR-402 → MA-346 → MA-345 → MA-034 → MA-315 |
| States on the route | Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
How the Fortaleza to Mandacaru drive plays out
BR-222 (188 mi) and MA-315 (34 mi) carry about 54% of the 408 miles. It runs through 3 states: Ceará, Piauí, Maranhão. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Fortaleza to Mandacaru: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Ceará |
| CE-020 | 4–7 | 3 | Ceará |
| connecting roads | 7–10 | 3 | Ceará |
| BR-222 | 10–198 | 188 | Ceará |
| CE-187 | 198–216 | 18 | Ceará |
| CE-232 | 216–238 | 22 | Ceará |
| PI-213 | 238–267 | 29 | Ceará, Piauí |
| BR-343 | 267–296 | 29 | Piauí |
| BR-402 | 296–304 | 8 | Piauí |
| connecting roads | 304–305 | 1 | Piauí |
| MA-346 | 305–314 | 9 | Maranhão |
| BR-402 | 314–318 | 4 | Maranhão |
| MA-345 | 318–331 | 13 | Maranhão |
| MA-034 | 331–352 | 21 | Maranhão |
| local roads | 352–356 | 4 | Maranhão |
| MA-315 | 356–390 | 34 | Maranhão |
| local roads | 390–408 | 18 | Maranhão |
- Mile 242 of this route: Ceará → Piauí (state line)
- Mile 305 of this route: Piauí → Maranhão (state line)
What to see on the way from Fortaleza to Mandacaru
- Nature and outdoors: Praia de Iparana (mile 9), Ubajara National Park (mile 180)
- Museums and history: Sobral Cathedral (mile 142), Museu Madi (mile 142)
Praia de Iparana
About 18 km from Fortaleza in Caucaia, Praia de Iparana has calm water, small bays and long stretches of fine sand, with easy access that draws visitors.
Sobral Cathedral
Sobral Cathedral (Catedral de Sobral), also called the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Conception, is the main church of the Diocese of Sobral in Brazil.
Museu Madi
On the banks of the Acaraú River in Sobral, Ceará, the Museu Madi was the first Madi museum opened in Brazil.
Ubajara National Park
Ubajara National Park is a national park in the state of Ceará, best known for the Ubajara grotto, a cave that gives the park its reputation.
Once you reach Mandacaru
Preguiças Lighthouse
Also called Mandacaru Lighthouse, Preguiças Lighthouse in Maranhão is a white, tapered concrete tower marked by four black bands, with four ribs and a double gallery.
More drives to Mandacaru
From Fortaleza to other places in Brazil
- Fortaleza to Canoa Quebrada
- Fortaleza to Mossoró
- Fortaleza to Parnamirim
- Fortaleza to Fazenda Nova
- Fortaleza to Olinda
- Fortaleza to Garanhuns
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Fortaleza to Mandacaru?
About 10 h 56 min of driving without stops, over 408 miles.
What is the driving distance from Fortaleza to Mandacaru?
About 408 miles (656 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 Fortaleza to Mandacaru?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Fortaleza to Mandacaru?
In order: CE-020, BR-222, CE-187, CE-232, PI-213, BR-343, BR-402, MA-346, MA-345, MA-034 and MA-315. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Fortaleza to Mandacaru?
Closest to the road: Praia de Iparana (beach, mile 9, 3 mi from the route); Museu Madi (museum, mile 142, 1 mi from the route); Sobral Cathedral (cathedral, mile 142, 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.