Plan on about 11 h 25 min of driving for the 553-mile (890 km) trip from Nova Friburgo to Catanduva, 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.”
| Total distance | 553 mi (890 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 25 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-116 → RJ-122 → BR-116 → BR-493 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Nova Friburgo to Catanduva: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (205 mi) and SP-310 (143 mi) carry about 63% of the 553 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.
Which roads connect Nova Friburgo and Catanduva
| 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 | 106–289 | 183 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 289–377 | 88 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 377–408 | 31 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 408–551 | 143 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 551–553 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 185 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Stops between Nova Friburgo and Catanduva
- 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: Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 228), Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro (mile 277), Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp (mile 371), Memorial Casa Ronald Golias (mile 459)
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.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
In 1717, fishermen on the Paraíba do Sul River pulled up an image of Our Lady Aparecida. Today it rests in Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida, a basilica consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1980.
Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro
Located within the DCTA aerospace complex, the Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro tells the story of Brazilian aerospace through aircraft, a rocket, engines, simulators and pieces of satellites.
Centro de Convivência
The Centro de Convivência Cultural "Carlos Gomes" is an architectural complex in the Cambuí neighborhood of Campinas. Designed by architect Fábio Penteado, it opened on September 9, 1976.
Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp
Run by the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), the Museu Exploratório de Ciências aims to reveal the relationship between humans and nature; its headquarters design came from an international competition held in 2009.
Memorial Casa Ronald Golias
Opened in March 2016 in São Carlos, this memorial preserves the legacy of Ronald Golias, the nationally known comedian born in the city on May 4, 1929.
More drives to Catanduva
- Limeira to Catanduva
- Mogi Guaçu to Catanduva
- Itu to Catanduva
- Poços de Caldas to Catanduva
- Jundiaí to Catanduva
- Sorocaba to Catanduva
From Nova Friburgo to other places in Brazil
- Nova Friburgo to Itaguaí
- Nova Friburgo to Pindamonhangaba
- Nova Friburgo to Caraguatatuba
- Nova Friburgo to Bragança Paulista
- Nova Friburgo to Paranapiacaba
- Nova Friburgo to Itu
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nova Friburgo to Catanduva?
About 11 h 25 min of driving without stops, over 553 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nova Friburgo to Catanduva?
About 553 miles (890 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 Nova Friburgo to Catanduva 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 Nova Friburgo to Catanduva use?
In order: RJ-116, RJ-122, BR-116, BR-493, SP-065, SP-330 and SP-310. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nova Friburgo to Catanduva?
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.