The Wayro route from Pelotas to Lages is 374 miles (602 km), about 9 h 40 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 by road | 374 mi (602 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 40 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → ERS-240 → ERS-122 → RSC-453 → BR-453 → VRS-815 |
| States on the route | Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Pelotas–Lages drive in a few lines
BR-116 (253 mi) and ERS-122 (36 mi) carry about 77% of the 374 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Pelotas to Lages
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 6–178 | 172 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-240 | 178–186 | 8 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| ERS-122 | 186–222 | 36 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 222–227 | 5 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-453 | 227–245 | 18 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-453 | 245–252 | 7 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 252–266 | 14 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| VRS-815 | 266–270 | 4 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 270–288 | 18 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-116 | 288–369 | 81 | Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina |
| local roads | 369–374 | 5 | Santa Catarina |
- Mile 333 of this route: Rio Grande do Sul → Santa Catarina (state line)
Stops between Pelotas and Lages
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 63), Salto Ventoso (mile 217)
- Nature and outdoors: Salto Ventoso (mile 217)
- Museums and history: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (mile 63), Estância das Pedras Brancas (mile 144), Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana (mile 157), Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante (mile 176), Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra (mile 235), St. Theresa's Cathedral, Caxias do Sul (mile 236), National Monument to the Immigrant (mile 240)
Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves
Created by state decree in 1972 and linked to Rio Grande do Sul's culture department, this historic park stands on the old Sesmaria do Cristal, land once granted to the father of Farroupilha leader Bento Gonçalves da Silva.
Estância das Pedras Brancas
Estância das Pedras Brancas is a historic ranch tied to the history of Rio Grande do Sul and the town of Guaíba. Its first owner was Antônio Ferreira Leitão.
Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana
Housed in the former Hotel Majestic building in Porto Alegre, Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana is a cultural center; the hotel's heyday ran from the 1930s to the 1950s.
Casa da Feitoria Velha - Atual Museu do Imigrante
The Casa da Feitoria in São Leopoldo, in the Rio dos Sinos valley, housed a royal hemp-linen farm from 1788 until March 1824 and is also known as the Casa do Imigrante.
Salto Ventoso
Salto Ventoso is a waterfall in Farroupilha, Brazil, and a tourist attraction of regional importance.
Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra
Known simply as Casa de Pedra, this history museum in Caxias do Sul opened in 1975 during the centenary of Italian immigration to Rio Grande do Sul and preserves everyday objects of immigrant families.
St. Theresa's Cathedral, Caxias do Sul
St. Theresa's Cathedral is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Caxias do Sul, in Brazil's Rio Grande do Sul state.
National Monument to the Immigrant
Standing at the entrance to Caxias do Sul on BR-116, the National Monument to the Immigrant is listed by Brazil's national heritage institute (IPHAN).
Arriving in Lages
Memorial Nereu Ramos
On Rua Frei Rogério in Lages, Memorial Nereu Ramos is a biographical museum honoring Nereu Ramos, the only Santa Catarina native to serve as president of Brazil.
More drives to Lages
- Itajaí to Lages
- São Leopoldo to Lages
- Porto Alegre to Lages
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Lages
- Sorocaba to Lages
- Praia Grande to Lages
From Pelotas to other places in Brazil
- Pelotas to São Leopoldo
- Pelotas to Novo Hamburgo
- Pelotas to Santana do Livramento
- Pelotas to Bento Gonçalves
- Pelotas to Criciúma
- Pelotas to Tubarão
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Pelotas to Lages?
About 9 h 40 min of driving without stops, over 374 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pelotas to Lages?
About 374 miles (602 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 Pelotas to Lages?
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 Pelotas to Lages use?
In order: BR-116, ERS-240, ERS-122, RSC-453, BR-453 and VRS-815. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Pelotas to Lages?
Closest to the road: Parque Histórico General Bento Gonçalves (museum, mile 63, 0.5 mi from the route); Salto Ventoso (waterfall, mile 217, 0.6 mi from the route); Museu Ambiência Casa de Pedra (museum, mile 235, 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.