Plan on about 10 h 8 min of driving for the 409-mile (658 km) trip from Macaé to Divinópolis, 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.”
| Distance | 409 mi (658 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 10 h 8 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-493 → BR-116 → BR-040 → BR-265 → BR-494 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Macaé to Divinópolis is like
BR-040 (144 mi) and BR-494 (99 mi) carry about 59% of the 409 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Macaé to Divinópolis
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-168 | 2–11 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 11–12 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 12–89 | 77 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 89–91 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 91–94 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 94–100 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 100–103 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 103–107 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 107–120 | 13 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 120–121 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 121–239 | 118 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 239–242 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 242–268 | 26 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-265 | 268–303 | 35 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 303–306 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-494 | 306–405 | 99 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 405–409 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 186 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Macaé to Divinópolis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu da Loucura (mile 270)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 116), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 150)
- Museums and history: Casa Stefan Zweig (mile 137), Cathedral of Petrópolis (mile 141), Imperial Museum of Brazil (mile 141), Museu da Loucura (mile 270), Museu de Arte Sacra (mile 305)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
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.
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.
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.
Imperial Museum of Brazil
Housed in the Petrópolis Imperial Palace, the former summer residence of Emperor Pedro II, the Imperial Museum sits in the historic center of Petrópolis; work on the palace began in 1845.
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.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
Historic center of São João del-Rei
São João del-Rei's historic center is the town's preserved colonial core, with churches, chapels, bridges, fountains, townhouses and street layouts dating from its 18th-century mining origins.
Museu de Arte Sacra
Inside São João del-Rei's former jail, the Museu de Arte Sacra holds about 450 religious objects, including liturgical vestments and sacred images, from local confraternities and orders.
When you get to Divinópolis
Holy Spirit Cathedral, Divinópolis
The Holy Spirit Cathedral in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais, is the Roman Catholic church that serves as seat of the Diocese of Divinópolis.
More drives to Divinópolis
- Belo Horizonte to Divinópolis
- Ipatinga to Divinópolis
- Governador Valadares to Divinópolis
- Petrópolis to Divinópolis
- Uberaba to Divinópolis
- Rio de Janeiro to Divinópolis
From Macaé to other places in Brazil
- Macaé to Araruama
- Macaé to Itaguaí
- Macaé to Barra Mansa
- Macaé to Angra dos Reis
- Macaé to Resende
- Macaé to Penedo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Macaé to Divinópolis?
About 10 h 8 min of driving without stops, over 409 miles.
What is the driving distance from Macaé to Divinópolis?
About 409 miles (658 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 Macaé to Divinópolis?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Macaé to Divinópolis?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-493, BR-116, BR-040, BR-265 and BR-494. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Macaé to Divinópolis?
Closest to the road: Museu da Loucura (museum, mile 270, 0.6 mi from the route); Historic center of São João del-Rei (old town, mile 305, 1 mi from the route); Museu de Arte Sacra (museum, mile 305, 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.