Plan on about 13 h 21 min of driving for the 557-mile (897 km) trip from Ipatinga to Itumbiara, 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Total distance | 557 mi (897 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-262 → BR-452 → BR-050 → BR-365 → BR-153 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Goiás |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Ipatinga–Itumbiara drive in a few lines
BR-262 (218 mi) and BR-381 (123 mi) carry about 61% of the 557 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Goiás. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ipatinga to Itumbiara, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–14 | 14 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 14–129 | 115 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 129–136 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 136–139 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 139–147 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 147–358 | 211 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-452 | 358–458 | 100 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 458–460 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-050 | 460–464 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 464–467 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-365 | 467–519 | 52 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-153 | 519–553 | 34 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 553–557 | 4 | Goiás |
- Mile 553 of this route: Minas Gerais → Goiás (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ipatinga and Itumbiara
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 9), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 134)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 134)
- Museums and history: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 9), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 131), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 134), Casa de Cacos (mile 143), Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 144), Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (mile 256), Museu Municipal de Uberlândia (mile 466)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 134)
Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano
Inaugurated in 1993, Saint Sebastian Cathedral in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, shares the role of seat of the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano with Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Itabira.
Cine Theatro Brasil
Built in 1932 on Praça Sete de Setembro in Belo Horizonte as a cinema and theater, Cine Theatro Brasil is an 11-story building whose curved facade marks the corner of Avenida Amazonas and Rua Carijós.
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.
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.
Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture
Known locally as Casa do Registro, the Casa da Cultura Nair Mendes Moreira is an 18th-century house in Contagem. Local tradition links it to a Portuguese Crown post that counted goods and checked tax payments.
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.
Museu Municipal de Uberlândia
Uberlândia's municipal museum fills the Palácio dos Leões on Praça Clarimundo Carneiro downtown. Opened in 1917 as the seat of city government and council, it is one of the few early-20th-century buildings still standing in the city.
More drives to Itumbiara
- Limeira to Itumbiara
- Campinas to Itumbiara
- Itu to Itumbiara
- Bragança Paulista to Itumbiara
- Jundiaí to Itumbiara
- São Paulo to Itumbiara
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 does it take to drive from Ipatinga to Itumbiara?
About 13 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 557 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ipatinga to Itumbiara?
About 557 miles (897 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 Itumbiara drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ipatinga to Itumbiara?
In order: BR-381, BR-262, BR-452, BR-050, BR-365 and BR-153. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ipatinga and Itumbiara?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 9, 0.4 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 134, 0.6 mi from the route); Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (cathedral, mile 256, 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.