The Wayro route from Niterói to Caraguatatuba is 265 miles (427 km), about 5 h 53 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Total distance | 265 mi (427 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 53 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-099 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 10.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Niterói–Caraguatatuba drive in a few lines
BR-116 (176 mi) and SP-099 (45 mi) carry about 83% of the 265 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Niterói to Caraguatatuba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 1–9 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 9–18 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 18–20 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 20–196 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 196–197 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 197–218 | 21 | São Paulo |
| SP-099 | 218–263 | 45 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 263–265 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 124 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Caraguatatuba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Shanghai (mile 14), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27), Itatiaia National Park (mile 114), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 164)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Shanghai (mile 14), Itatiaia National Park (mile 114)
- Museums and history: Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) (mile 8), Museu da Chácara do Céu (mile 9), Museum Dom João VI (mile 12), Catedral de Santo Antônio de Jacutinga (mile 27), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 164), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 192), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 197)
Cemitério dos Pretos Novos (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
An archaeological site and cultural center in Rio's Gamboa neighborhood, the Cemitério dos Pretos Novos stands over a cemetery for enslaved Africans used between 1769 and 1830, in an 18th-century house.
Museu da Chácara do Céu
In Rio de Janeiro's Santa Teresa neighborhood, Museu da Chácara do Céu is an art museum that, together with Museu do Açude, makes up the Castro Maya Museums.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
Parque Shanghai
Parque Shanghai is an amusement park in the Penha neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro, close to the Church of Our Lady of Penha.
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 Frei Galvão
Guaratinguetá's city government and a local association of museum friends jointly maintain the Museu Frei Galvão, a municipal cultural institution in São Paulo state.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Founded in 1958 on the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, Taubaté's Museu Monteiro Lobato honors the children's author with exhibitions, a historic main house, green areas and plays featuring characters from his stories.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
In Quiririm, a district of Taubaté, the Italian Immigration Museum fills the brick Casa Indiani, built between 1897 and 1903 by a family from Cremona, with photos, furniture, machinery and a period classroom recalling immigrant life.
In Caraguatatuba itself
Prainha (Caraguatatuba)
Prainha is a beach in Caraguatatuba between Martim de Sá and Pedra da Freira; a trail along the hillside leads to the Pedra do Jacaré rock.
Martim de Sá Beach
About 2.5 km from downtown Caraguatatuba, Martim de Sá Beach sits between Prainha to the south and Praia Brava to the north.
Brava Beach (Caraguatatuba)
Close to Martim de Sá in Caraguatatuba, Praia Brava sees few visitors because of its isolated access, and nudism is permitted on the beach.
More drives to Caraguatatuba
- Pindamonhangaba to Caraguatatuba
- Guarujá to Caraguatatuba
- São Paulo to Caraguatatuba
- Jundiaí to Caraguatatuba
- Sorocaba to Caraguatatuba
- Itu to Caraguatatuba
From Niterói to other places in Brazil
- Niterói to Petrópolis
- Niterói to Itaguaí
- Niterói to Barra do Piraí
- Niterói to Penedo
- Niterói to Guaratinguetá
- Niterói to Pindamonhangaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Niterói to Caraguatatuba?
About 5 h 53 min of driving without stops, over 265 miles.
What is the driving distance from Niterói to Caraguatatuba?
About 265 miles (427 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 Niterói to Caraguatatuba?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Niterói to Caraguatatuba?
In order: BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SPI 117/070 and SP-099. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Niterói and Caraguatatuba?
Closest to the road: Parque Shanghai (park, mile 14, 1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 114, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 164, 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.