Plan on about 13 h 16 min of driving for the 533-mile (858 km) trip from Passos to Santa Leopoldina, 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance | 533 mi (858 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 13 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | MG-050 → BR-262 → BR-381 → BR-040 → ES-484 → ES-165 → ES-264 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Passos to Santa Leopoldina
BR-262 (185 mi) and MG-050 (184 mi) carry about 69% of the 533 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Passos to Santa Leopoldina, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-050 | 2–186 | 184 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 186–201 | 15 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 201–209 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 209–211 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 211–219 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 219–221 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 221–288 | 67 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 288–458 | 170 | Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| ES-484 | 458–463 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 463–472 | 9 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-165 | 472–477 | 5 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-264 | 477–533 | 56 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 412 of this route: Minas Gerais → Espírito Santo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Passos and Santa Leopoldina
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (mile 168), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 213), Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 217), Museu do Tropeiro (mile 434), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 511)
- Nature and outdoors: Cachoeira da Capivara (mile 27), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 213), Caparaó National Park (mile 416)
- Museums and history: Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (mile 168), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 213), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 217), Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (mile 217), Museu do Tropeiro (mile 434), Museu da Imigração Pomerana (mile 511)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 213)
Cachoeira da Capivara
In Capitólio, the Ribeirão da Capivara spills over this waterfall on its way into Furnas Lake. A trail of about 900 meters leads to the falls, which drop into a pool roughly 16 meters deep.
Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco
In Itaúna, Minas Gerais, this municipal museum occupies the old railway station, which served trains from its opening in 1917 until passenger service through the town ended in 1986.
Vale Verde
Vale Verde Parque Ecológico sits in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, on a farm with a still where Cachaça Vale Verde is produced.
Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais
On the PUC Minas campus in Belo Horizonte, this natural sciences museum shows Brazilian fauna, largely from the cerrado, alongside fossil South American mammals and an 'Age of Reptiles' hall with dinosaurs, pterosaurs and a large crocodile.
Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in an organic modern style, the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi is a chapel in the Pampulha area of Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais.
Museu de Ciências Morfológicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais
The Museum of Morphological Sciences at the Federal University of Minas Gerais' Institute of Biological Sciences is a science museum focused on people, health and science education for the public.
Caparaó National Park
Created in 1961, Caparaó National Park protects the Caparaó Mountains on the Minas Gerais–Espírito Santo border, including Pico da Bandeira, one of Brazil's highest peaks.
Museu do Tropeiro
Opened in 2011 in Ibatiba, in the Caparaó region of Espírito Santo, the Museu do Tropeiro displays items tied to the muleteers who opened roads and trade in the area.
Museu da Imigração Pomerana
Museu da Imigração Pomerana in Santa Maria de Jetibá holds a collection on German immigration to Brazil, especially the Pomeranian settlers of Espírito Santo.
Arriving in Santa Leopoldina
Museu do Colono
Opened in April 1969, the Museu do Colono is a museum in Santa Leopoldina, Espírito Santo, and is run today by the state's Department of Culture.
Historic Center of Santa Leopoldina
Squeezed between hills and the Santa Maria River, the Historic Center of Santa Leopoldina (Núcleo Histórico de Santa Leopoldina) keeps buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s. Espírito Santo listed it as a State Historic Site in 1983.
Igreja Sagrada Família
Igreja Sagrada Família, the mother church of Santa Leopoldina, Espírito Santo, was built in 1911 on top of a hill above the Santa Maria River valley.
More drives to Santa Leopoldina
- Guarapari to Santa Leopoldina
- Cachoeiro de Itapemirim to Santa Leopoldina
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Santa Leopoldina
- Itaperuna to Santa Leopoldina
- Muriaé to Santa Leopoldina
- Ipatinga to Santa Leopoldina
From Passos to other places in Brazil
- Passos to Paranapiacaba
- Passos to Itanhaém
- Passos to Trindade
- Passos to Itaperuna
- Passos to Muriaé
- Passos to Ubá
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Passos to Santa Leopoldina?
About 13 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 533 miles.
How far is Santa Leopoldina from Passos by car?
About 533 miles (858 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 Passos to Santa Leopoldina?
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 Passos to Santa Leopoldina use?
In order: MG-050, BR-262, BR-381, BR-040, ES-484, ES-165 and ES-264. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Passos and Santa Leopoldina?
Closest to the road: Museu Municipal Francisco Manoel Franco (museum, mile 168, 0.5 mi from the route); Museu do Tropeiro (museum, mile 434, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu da Imigração Pomerana (museum, mile 511, 0.1 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.