Plan on about 12 h 57 min of driving for the 533-mile (858 km) trip from Montes Claros 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Total distance | 533 mi (858 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | CMG-135 → MGC-135 → BR-135 → BR-040 → BR-492 → RJ-130 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Montes Claros to Nova Friburgo drive plays out
BR-135 (227 mi) and BR-040 (203 mi) carry about 81% of the 533 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 Nova Friburgo
| 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 | 389–464 | 75 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 464–465 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-492 | 465–492 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 492–494 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 494–505 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-130 | 505–532 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 532–533 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 439 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Montes Claros to Nova Friburgo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 489), Jardim do Nêgo (mile 524)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Cabral State Park (mile 88), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 489), Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 495)
- Museums and history: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (mile 157), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 252), Museu da Loucura (mile 360), Jardim do Nêgo (mile 524)
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.
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
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.
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 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 is the drive from Montes Claros to Nova Friburgo?
About 12 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 533 miles.
How far is Nova Friburgo from Montes Claros by car?
About 533 miles (858 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 Montes Claros to Nova Friburgo drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Montes Claros to Nova Friburgo use?
In order: CMG-135, MGC-135, BR-135, 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 Montes Claros and Nova Friburgo?
Closest to the road: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (basilica, mile 157, 1 mi from the route); Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (protected area, mile 489, 0.8 mi from the route); Jardim do Nêgo (open-air museum, mile 524, 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.