By road, Nova Friburgo and Caraguatatuba are about 326 miles (524 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 34 min of driving.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance by road | 326 mi (524 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-116 → RJ-122 → BR-116 → BR-493 → SPI 117/070 → SP-099 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Nova Friburgo–Caraguatatuba drive in a few lines
BR-116 (173 mi) and SP-099 (45 mi) carry about 67% of the 326 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-116 | 1–29 | 28 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-122 | 29–52 | 23 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 52–53 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 53–75 | 22 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 75–105 | 30 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 105–106 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 106–257 | 151 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 257–278 | 21 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 278–279 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-099 | 279–324 | 45 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 324–326 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 185 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Nova Friburgo and Caraguatatuba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Três Picos State Park (mile 19), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 228)
- Nature and outdoors: Três Picos State Park (mile 19), Serra dos Órgãos National Park (mile 52), Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 71), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 75), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 228), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 252), Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 253), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 257)
Três Picos State Park
Três Picos State Park protects a large mountainous area of Atlantic Forest in Rio de Janeiro state.
Serra dos Órgãos National Park
Serra dos Órgãos National Park protects the Serra dos Órgãos range between Petrópolis and Teresópolis, where a roughly 28 km traverse climbs past the Castelos do Açu to Pedra do Sino at 2,263 meters.
Taquara Municipal Nature Park
Taquara Municipal Nature Park is a municipal nature park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Valongo Wharf
Built in 1811 in Rio's old port, the Valongo Wharf was where up to 900,000 enslaved Africans landed. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2017, its excavated stone paving is left open to view.
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.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida houses the image of Our Lady Aparecida that fishermen pulled from the Paraíba do Sul River in 1717. Work on the current basilica began in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980.
Museu Mazzaropi
On the grounds of Amácio Mazzaropi's former studio in Taubaté, a museum honors the comedian and filmmaker with photos, furniture, props and equipment his PAM Filmes used from 1950 to 1980.
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Taubaté's tribute to children's author Monteiro Lobato dates to 1958. The museum occupies the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, with a historic main house and exhibitions.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Photos, furniture, machinery and a period classroom recall immigrant life at the Italian Immigration Museum, housed in the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm, a district of Taubaté.
Once you reach Caraguatatuba
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 Nova Friburgo to other places in Brazil
- Nova Friburgo to Itaguaí
- Nova Friburgo to Pindamonhangaba
- Nova Friburgo to Bragança Paulista
- Nova Friburgo to Paranapiacaba
- Nova Friburgo to Itu
- Nova Friburgo to Itanhaém
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba?
About 7 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 326 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba?
About 326 miles (524 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 Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba?
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 Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba use?
In order: RJ-116, RJ-122, BR-116, BR-493, SPI 117/070 and SP-099. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba?
Closest to the road: Três Picos State Park (state park, mile 19, 0.3 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 175, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 228, 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.