Macaé to Jaú is about 542 road miles (873 km): roughly 11 h 7 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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.”
| Total distance | 542 mi (873 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 7 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 → SP-225 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Macaé to Jaú
BR-116 (209 mi) and BR-101 (102 mi) carry about 57% of the 542 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Macaé to Jaú: the road sequence
| 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 | 12–114 | 102 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 114–123 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 123–125 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 125–334 | 209 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 334–421 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 421–422 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 422–452 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 452–453 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 453–487 | 34 | São Paulo |
| SP-225 | 487–537 | 50 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 537–542 | 5 | São Paulo |
- Mile 230 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Macaé and Jaú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 113), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220)
- Nature and outdoors: Tijuca National Park (mile 115), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220)
- Museums and history: Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 113), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 298), Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro (mile 321), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 437)
Convent of Santo Antônio
Atop Morro de Santo Antônio and facing Largo da Carioca, this Franciscan convent in central Rio forms, with the neighboring Church of the Third Order of St. Francis of Penance, one of the city's surviving colonial ensembles.
Baths of King João VI at Caju
Also known as the Museu da Limpeza Urbana, the Baths of King João VI (Casa de Banho de Dom João VI) is a museum on Praia do Caju in Rio de Janeiro's Caju neighborhood.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga
Also known as Nova Iguaçu Cathedral, the Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga stands on Avenida Marechal Floriano Peixoto and is the mother church of the Diocese of Nova Iguaçu.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Plays featuring characters from Monteiro Lobato's stories, exhibitions, a historic main house and green areas make up the Museu Monteiro Lobato in Taubaté, a tribute to the children's author.
Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
Aircraft such as the Bandeirante and Tucano share space with the VLS-1 rocket, engines, simulators and satellite parts at this memorial to Brazil's aerospace history in São José dos Campos.
Planetário de Campinas
Inside Parque Portugal, the Lagoa do Taquaral park in Campinas, this municipal planetarium has projected the night sky onto its 8-meter dome since 1987, with shows on constellations and astronomy.
Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão
Americana's municipal history museum occupies the old headquarters of the Fazenda Salto Grande, near where the Atibaia and Jaguari rivers meet to form the Piracicaba, and is run by the city's culture and tourism department.
Once you reach Jaú
Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio
Jaú's Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio is the seat of the Diocese of Jaú and the church of a parish created on August 15, 1853.
More drives to Jaú
- Bragança Paulista to Jaú
- São Vicente to Jaú
- Santos to Jaú
- Mogi das Cruzes to Jaú
- Taubaté to Jaú
- Guarujá to Jaú
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 does it take to drive from Macaé to Jaú?
About 11 h 7 min of driving without stops, over 542 miles.
What is the driving distance from Macaé to Jaú?
About 542 miles (873 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 Macaé to Jaú drive?
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 Jaú?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-065, SP-330, SP-310 and SP-225. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Macaé and Jaú?
Closest to the road: Baths of King João VI at Caju (museum, mile 113, 0.1 mi from the route); Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (cathedral, mile 133, 0.9 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 220, 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.