Plan on about 12 h 52 min of driving for the 536-mile (862 km) trip from Montes Claros to Itaguaí, 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 | 536 mi (862 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | CMG-135 → MGC-135 → BR-135 → BR-040 → RJ-131 → BR-393 → RJ-127 → BR-493 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Montes Claros–Itaguaí drive in a few lines
BR-135 (227 mi) and BR-040 (183 mi) carry about 76% of the 536 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Montes Claros and Itaguaí
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| CMG-135 | 2–6 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| MGC-135 | 6–28 | 22 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 28–30 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-135 | 30–257 | 227 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 257–385 | 128 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 385–389 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 389–444 | 55 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 444–445 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-131 | 445–453 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 453–492 | 39 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-127 | 492–519 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 519–523 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 523–529 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 529–536 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 439 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Itaguaí
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 475), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 489)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Cabral State Park (mile 88)
- Museums and history: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (mile 157), Museu da Loucura (mile 360), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 475), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 489)
- With kids: Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte (mile 252)
Serra do Cabral State Park
Serra do Cabral State Park is a state park in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Basilica of St. Gerard Majella
Known locally as the Basilica of Curvelo, the Basilica of St. Gerard Majella is a Catholic church in Curvelo, in the state of Minas Gerais.
Pampulha Modern Ensemble
Laid out around the artificial Lake Pampulha in Belo Horizonte, the Pampulha Modern Ensemble is an urban project that includes a casino, a ballroom, the Golf Yacht Club and the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte
Opened in January 1959 in the Pampulha area, the Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte is one of the city's main visitor attractions.
Piemonte Tower
Rising 101 meters on a mountain ridge between the Serra do Curral and Serra do Rola-Moça, Piemonte Tower (Torre Piemonte) is a tourist structure at the Alta Vila shopping center on the Nova Lima–Belo Horizonte line.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
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.
Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte
Dating from the coffee era in Rio de Janeiro state's Paraíba Valley, Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte is a historic estate listed by the state heritage institute.
Museu Casa da Hera
Also known as Chácara da Hera, this house museum in central Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro state, shows how a wealthy family lived at the height of the Paraíba Valley coffee boom.
More drives to Itaguaí
- São José dos Campos to Itaguaí
- Jacareí to Itaguaí
- Jundiaí to Itaguaí
- Santos to Itaguaí
- São Vicente to Itaguaí
- Praia Grande to Itaguaí
From Montes Claros to other places in Brazil
- Montes Claros to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Montes Claros to Itabira
- Montes Claros to Jequié
- Montes Claros to Lavras
- Montes Claros to Varginha
- Montes Claros to Passos
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Montes Claros to Itaguaí?
About 12 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 536 miles.
What is the driving distance from Montes Claros to Itaguaí?
About 536 miles (862 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 Montes Claros to Itaguaí?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Montes Claros to Itaguaí?
In order: CMG-135, MGC-135, BR-135, BR-040, RJ-131, BR-393, RJ-127 and BR-493. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Montes Claros and Itaguaí?
Closest to the road: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (basilica, mile 157, 1 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 475, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Casa da Hera (museum, mile 489, 0.6 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.