The Wayro route from Macaé to Varginha is 351 miles (565 km), about 8 h 55 min of driving without 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 | 351 mi (565 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-168 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → BR-354 → BR-460 → BR-383 → BR-267 → MG-167 → AMG-1010 → BR-491 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Macaé to Varginha
BR-101 (102 mi) and BR-116 (102 mi) carry about 58% of the 351 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Macaé to Varginha, road by road
| 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 | 125–227 | 102 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-354 | 227–268 | 41 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 268–272 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-460 | 272–276 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 276–280 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-383 | 280–291 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 291–321 | 30 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-167 | 321–331 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1010 | 331–337 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 337–347 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 347–351 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 244 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Macaé to Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 113), Museu da Maré (mile 117), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 78), Itatiaia National Park (mile 220), Nova Baden State Park (mile 317)
- Museums and history: Janete Costa Museum (mile 106), Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá (mile 107), Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 113), Museu da Maré (mile 117), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 133)
- With kids: AquaRio (mile 113)
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.
Janete Costa Museum
The Janete Costa Museum of Popular Art occupies an 1892 mansion in Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, with about 1,400 square meters including its annex.
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá is a fort in the city of Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
AquaRio
AquaRio, the Marine Aquarium of Rio de Janeiro, is a public aquarium in the Gamboa neighborhood of the city's port zone, with about 26,000 square meters of built area.
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.
Museu da Maré
Recording the history of the Maré communities in Rio de Janeiro, Museu da Maré centers on a permanent exhibition and also runs oral history research, storytelling and traveling exhibitions.
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
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Nova Baden State Park
Nova Baden State Park in Minas Gerais protects rugged, forested terrain that is home to several rare or endangered mammal species.
In Varginha itself
Museu Municipal de Varginha
Varginha's municipal museum occupies a building put up in 1920 as the local Banco do Brasil office, in what was then the town's commercial heart.
More drives to Varginha
- Belo Horizonte to Varginha
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Varginha
- Ribeirão Preto to Varginha
- Sete Lagoas to Varginha
- Mogi das Cruzes to Varginha
- Araraquara to Varginha
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 Varginha?
About 8 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 351 miles.
How far is Varginha from Macaé by car?
About 351 miles (565 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 Varginha 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 Varginha?
In order: RJ-168, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, BR-354, BR-460, BR-383, BR-267, MG-167, AMG-1010 and BR-491. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Macaé to Varginha?
Closest to the road: Baths of King João VI at Caju (museum, mile 113, 0.1 mi from the route); Museu da Maré (museum, mile 117, 0.4 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.