The Wayro route from Nova Friburgo to Varginha is 304 miles (490 km), about 7 h 48 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.”
| Distance | 304 mi (490 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 7 h 48 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-130 → BR-492 → RJ-134 → BR-040 → BR-267 → MG-167 → AMG-1010 → BR-491 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
The Nova Friburgo–Varginha drive in a few lines
BR-267 (78 mi) and BR-040 (54 mi) carry about 43% of the 304 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 4 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Nova Friburgo to Varginha, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-130 | 2–29 | 27 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 29–40 | 11 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 40–41 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-492 | 41–56 | 15 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-134 | 56–66 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 66–70 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 70–124 | 54 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 124–142 | 18 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 142–213 | 71 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 213–273 | 60 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-167 | 273–284 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1010 | 284–290 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 290–300 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 300–304 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 93 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
Stops between Nova Friburgo and Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Jardim do Nêgo (mile 11), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 45)
- Nature and outdoors: Araponga Municipal Nature Park (mile 39), Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (mile 45), Nova Baden State Park (mile 270)
- Museums and history: Jardim do Nêgo (mile 11)
Jardim do Nêgo
Sculptor Geraldo Simplício, known as Nêgo, created this open-air sculpture museum on the RJ-130 road in Campo do Coelho, a district of Nova Friburgo, carving his figures straight into the earthen banks.
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.
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument
Pedra das Flores Natural Monument is a municipal natural monument, a protected area in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Nova Baden State Park
Nova Baden State Park in Minas Gerais protects rugged, forested terrain that is home to several rare or endangered mammal species.
Arriving in Varginha
Museu Municipal de Varginha
Varginha's municipal museum occupies a building put up in 1920 as the local Banco do Brasil office, in what was then the town's commercial heart.
More drives to Varginha
- Belo Horizonte to Varginha
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Varginha
- Ribeirão Preto to Varginha
- Sete Lagoas to Varginha
- Mogi das Cruzes to Varginha
- Araraquara to Varginha
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 Varginha?
About 7 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 304 miles.
How far is Varginha from Nova Friburgo by car?
About 304 miles (490 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 Varginha?
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 Varginha?
In order: RJ-130, BR-492, RJ-134, BR-040, BR-267, MG-167, AMG-1010 and BR-491. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nova Friburgo to Varginha?
Closest to the road: Jardim do Nêgo (open-air museum, mile 11, 0.4 mi from the route); Araponga Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 39, 3 mi from the route); Pedra das Flores Natural Monument (protected area, mile 45, 0.7 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.