Nova Friburgo to Jaú is about 498 road miles (801 km): roughly 10 h 21 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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 by road | 498 mi (801 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-116 → RJ-122 → BR-116 → BR-493 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 → SP-225 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Nova Friburgo to Jaú: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (205 mi) and SP-065 (88 mi) carry about 59% of the 498 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Nova Friburgo to Jaú
| 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 | 408–441 | 33 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 441–442 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-225 | 442–493 | 51 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 493–498 | 5 | São Paulo |
- Mile 185 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Jaú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Três Picos State Park (mile 19), Itatiaia National Park (mile 175)
- 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), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 329)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 75), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 329), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti (mile 367), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 392)
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.
Municipal Market of São José dos Campos
Completed in 1923 on the site of an 1896 market, the heritage-listed Municipal Market of São José dos Campos sells cheeses, spices, medicinal herbs, preserves, fish and meat, and is known for pastel with sugarcane juice.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Topping the Serra do Itapetinga at about 1,400 meters, Pedra Grande is Atibaia's highest point, a protected state natural monument where hang gliders and paragliders launch and a trail leads to views over nearby towns.
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti
Campinas's Museum of Contemporary Art (MACC), founded in 1965, sits on Avenida Benjamin Constant downtown, beside the city hall and municipal library. Its collection focuses on postwar Brazilian art, with paintings, sculpture, works on paper and installations.
Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão
Americana's municipal history museum occupies the old headquarters of the Fazenda Salto Grande, near where the Atibaia and Jaguari rivers meet to form the Piracicaba, and is run by the city's culture and tourism department.
In Jaú itself
Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio
Jaú's Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio is the seat of the Diocese of Jaú and the church of a parish created on August 15, 1853.
More drives to Jaú
- Bragança Paulista to Jaú
- São Vicente to Jaú
- Santos to Jaú
- Mogi das Cruzes to Jaú
- Taubaté to Jaú
- Guarujá to Jaú
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 does it take to drive from Nova Friburgo to Jaú?
About 10 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 498 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nova Friburgo to Jaú?
About 498 miles (801 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 Jaú drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Nova Friburgo to Jaú?
In order: RJ-116, RJ-122, BR-116, BR-493, SP-065, SP-330, SP-310 and SP-225. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nova Friburgo to Jaú?
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); Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (museum, mile 392, 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.