The Wayro route from Petrópolis to Araraquara is 429 miles (690 km), about 8 h 35 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 429 mi (690 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 35 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → BR-493 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Petrópolis to Araraquara: the shape of the trip
BR-116 (184 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 63% of the 429 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.
Petrópolis to Araraquara: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 4–19 | 15 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 19–21 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-493 | 21–50 | 29 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 50–234 | 184 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 234–321 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 321–322 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 322–352 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 352–353 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 353–426 | 73 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 426–429 | 3 | São Paulo |
- Mile 130 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Places worth a stop between Petrópolis and Araraquara
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 404)
- Nature and outdoors: Taquara Municipal Nature Park (mile 15), Itatiaia National Park (mile 120), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273)
- Museums and history: Valongo Wharf (mile 21), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 173), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 202), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 273), Mata de Santa Genebra (mile 319), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 337)
- With kids: Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (mile 404)
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
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
Construction of the current basilica at Aparecida started in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980. As Brazil's National Shrine, it keeps the image of Our Lady Aparecida found by fishermen in 1717.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
Between 1897 and 1903, a family from Cremona built the brick Casa Indiani in Quiririm. Today the house in this Taubaté district holds the Italian Immigration Museum.
Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande
Hang gliders and paragliders launch from Pedra Grande, and a trail leads to views over nearby towns. At about 1,400 meters, it's the highest point in Atibaia.
Mata de Santa Genebra
Mata de Santa Genebra is a forest in Campinas protected as an Area of Relevant Ecological Interest. The José Pedro de Oliveira Foundation has hosted guided trail walks there with wildlife researchers from Unicamp.
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.
Parque Ecológico de São Carlos
Officially named Parque Ecológico Dr. Antônio Teixeira Vianna, this ecological park belongs to the city of São Carlos and sits right next to the Federal University of São Carlos.
When you get to Araraquara
Casa da Cultura Luís Antonio Martinez Corrêa
A small theater, rooms for cultural workshops and historical collections from documents to artworks fill Araraquara's Casa da Cultura.
More drives to Araraquara
- Limeira to Araraquara
- Campinas to Araraquara
- Jundiaí to Araraquara
- São Paulo to Araraquara
- São Vicente to Araraquara
- Santos to Araraquara
From Petrópolis to other places in Brazil
- Petrópolis to Guaratinguetá
- Petrópolis to Pindamonhangaba
- Petrópolis to Jacareí
- Petrópolis to Caraguatatuba
- Petrópolis to Bragança Paulista
- Petrópolis to Paranapiacaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Petrópolis to Araraquara?
About 8 h 35 min of driving without stops, over 429 miles.
How far is Araraquara from Petrópolis by car?
About 429 miles (690 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 Petrópolis to Araraquara 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 Petrópolis to Araraquara use?
In order: BR-040, BR-493, BR-116, 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 Petrópolis to Araraquara?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 120, 0.4 mi from the route); Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 173, 0.4 mi from the route); Parque Ecológico de São Carlos (zoo, mile 404, 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.