Plan on about 3 h 9 min of driving for the 118-mile (190 km) trip from Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo, 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 by road | 118 mi (190 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 3 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | MG-353 → BR-040 → BR-492 → RJ-130 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
Driving Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo: the shape of the trip
BR-040 (42 mi) and BR-492 (28 mi) carry about 59% of the 118 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 3 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| MG-353 | 0–5 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 5–6 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 6–48 | 42 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 48–49 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-492 | 49–77 | 28 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 77–79 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 79–89 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-130 | 89–116 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 116–118 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 24 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Juiz de Fora and Nova Friburgo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 74), Jardim do Nêgo (mile 108)
- Nature and outdoors: Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 74), Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 79)
- Museums and history: Jardim do Nêgo (mile 108)
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Araponga Municipal Nature Park
Araponga Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a protected green area along the way.
Jardim do Nêgo
Sculptor Geraldo Simplício, known as Nêgo, created this open-air sculpture museum on the RJ-130 road in Campo do Coelho, a district of Nova Friburgo, carving his figures straight into the earthen banks.
More drives to Nova Friburgo
- Niterói to Nova Friburgo
- Petrópolis to Nova Friburgo
- Jacareí to Nova Friburgo
- São Paulo to Nova Friburgo
- Jundiaí to Nova Friburgo
- Santos to Nova Friburgo
From Juiz de Fora to other places in Brazil
- Juiz de Fora to Niterói
- Juiz de Fora to Araruama
- Juiz de Fora to Cabo Frio
- Juiz de Fora to Rio das Ostras
- Juiz de Fora to Macaé
- Juiz de Fora to Bragança Paulista
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo?
About 3 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 118 miles.
How far is Nova Friburgo from Juiz de Fora by car?
About 118 miles (190 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 Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Juiz de Fora to Nova Friburgo?
In order: MG-353, BR-040, BR-492 and RJ-130. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Juiz de Fora and Nova Friburgo?
Closest to the road: Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (protected area, mile 74, 0.7 mi from the route); Araponga Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 79, 3 mi from the route); Jardim do Nêgo (open-air museum, mile 108, 0.4 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.