The Wayro route from Montes Claros to Teresópolis is 490 miles (789 km), about 11 h 54 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance | 490 mi (789 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 54 min |
| Main roads, in order | CMG-135 → MGC-135 → BR-135 → BR-040 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Montes Claros–Teresópolis drive in a few lines
BR-135 (227 mi) and BR-040 (203 mi) carry about 88% of the 490 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Which roads connect Montes Claros and Teresópolis
| 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 | 464–468 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 468–490 | 22 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 439 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Montes Claros and Teresópolis
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Cabral State Park (mile 88), Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 475), Montanhas de Teresópolis Municipal Nature Park (mile 479)
- Museums and history: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (mile 157), Pampulha Art Museum (mile 252), Museu da Loucura (mile 360)
- 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 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.
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.
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.
Montanhas de Teresópolis Municipal Nature Park
Montanhas de Teresópolis Municipal Nature Park protects an area of Atlantic Forest in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Once you reach Teresópolis
Castelo Montebello
Castelo Montebello (Castelo Montebello Medieval) stands in the city of Teresópolis, in the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro.
Casa da Memória Arthur Dalmasso
Teresópolis keeps its local history at the Casa da Memória Arthur Dalmasso, a museum in a 1920s mansion built by mayor José Lino de Oliveira Leite and once named Villa Cecília after his wife.
Mirante da Granja Guarani
Built by Arnaldo Guinle in 1929, this Teresópolis lookout faces the Verruga do Frade peak and is decorated with tiles by Portuguese ceramist Jorge Colaço, painted in Lisbon.
More drives to Teresópolis
- Rio de Janeiro to Teresópolis
- Taubaté to Teresópolis
- São José dos Campos to Teresópolis
- Jacareí to Teresópolis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Teresópolis
- São Paulo to Teresópolis
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 Teresópolis?
About 11 h 54 min of driving without stops, over 490 miles.
What is the driving distance from Montes Claros to Teresópolis?
About 490 miles (789 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 Teresópolis?
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 Teresópolis use?
In order: CMG-135, MGC-135, BR-135 and BR-040. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Montes Claros to Teresópolis?
Closest to the road: Basilica of St. Gerard Majella (basilica, mile 157, 1 mi from the route); Piemonte Tower (observation tower, mile 263, 1 mi from the route); Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos (calvary, 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.