Plan on about 9 h 52 min of driving for the 368-mile (592 km) trip from Ipatinga to Itaguaí, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 368 mi (592 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-458 → BR-116 → API-010 → BR-393 → BR-040 → BR-493 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Ipatinga–Itaguaí drive in a few lines
BR-116 (195 mi) and BR-040 (43 mi) carry about 65% of the 368 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ipatinga to Itaguaí
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-458 | 2–32 | 30 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-116 | 32–55 | 23 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 55–59 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 59–60 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-116 | 60–232 | 172 | Minas Gerais |
| API-010 | 232–237 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 237–239 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-393 | 239–270 | 31 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 270–280 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 280–281 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 281–324 | 43 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 324–325 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 325–362 | 37 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 362–368 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 239 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ipatinga and Itaguaí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Caratinga (mile 59), St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (mile 206), Museu Espaço dos Anjos (mile 206)
- Nature and outdoors: Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 291), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 297), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 319)
- Museums and history: St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Caratinga (mile 59), St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (mile 206), Museu Espaço dos Anjos (mile 206), Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument (mile 291), Cathedral of Petrópolis (mile 306), Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 308), Valongo Wharf (mile 324)
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Caratinga
Also called Caratinga Cathedral, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is a Catholic church in the town of Caratinga, in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais.
St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina
Seat of the Diocese of Leopoldina, St. Sebastian Cathedral is a Catholic parish church in Leopoldina, Minas Gerais.
Museu Espaço dos Anjos
Leopoldina's Museu Espaço dos Anjos occupies the house where poet Augusto dos Anjos lived, with a covered outdoor space that hosts music, theater and literary gatherings throughout the year.
Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument
The Pedra do Elefante Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Cathedral of Petrópolis
Dedicated to the city's patron, Saint Peter of Alcantara, the Cathedral of Petrópolis is the final resting place of Dom Pedro II, Brazil's last emperor, and his family.
Casa Stefan Zweig
Founded in 2006, Casa Stefan Zweig is a writer's house museum in Petrópolis, set in the home where Stefan Zweig lived with his wife.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
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 Ipatinga to other places in Brazil
- Ipatinga to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Ipatinga to Ubá
- Ipatinga to Barbacena
- Ipatinga to Nova Friburgo
- Ipatinga to Barra do Piraí
- Ipatinga to Passos
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ipatinga to Itaguaí?
About 9 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 368 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ipatinga to Itaguaí?
About 368 miles (592 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 Ipatinga to Itaguaí drive?
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 Ipatinga to Itaguaí use?
In order: BR-458, BR-116, API-010, BR-393, BR-040 and BR-493. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ipatinga and Itaguaí?
Closest to the road: St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Caratinga (cathedral, mile 59, 0.2 mi from the route); St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (cathedral, mile 206, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Espaço dos Anjos (museum, mile 206, 0.5 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.