Plan on about 9 h 15 min of driving for the 380-mile (611 km) trip from Pindamonhangaba to Itabira, 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.”
| Total distance | 380 mi (611 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-132 → SP-123 → SP-046 → MG-173 → SP-042 → BR-459 → BR-381 → BR-040 → MG-434 → MG-129 → AMG-1210 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Pindamonhangaba to Itabira: the shape of the trip
BR-381 (265 mi) and MG-173 (38 mi) carry about 80% of the 380 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Pindamonhangaba and Itabira
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-132 | 1–12 | 11 | São Paulo |
| SP-123 | 12–17 | 5 | São Paulo |
| SP-046 | 17–22 | 5 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 22–27 | 5 | São Paulo |
| MG-173 | 27–32 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| SP-042 | 32–37 | 5 | São Paulo |
| MG-173 | 37–70 | 33 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-459 | 70–77 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 77–78 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 78–308 | 230 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 308–310 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 310–318 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 318–321 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 321–356 | 35 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-434 | 357–368 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-129 | 368–372 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1210 | 372–378 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 378–380 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 27 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 32 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
- Mile 37 of this route: São Paulo → Minas Gerais (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Pindamonhangaba and Itabira
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Arqueológico, Histórico, Cultural e Ambiental de Conceição dos Ouros (mile 57), Cachoeira dos Pilões (mile 57), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 313)
- Nature and outdoors: Mananciais de Campos do Jordão State Park (mile 17), Cachoeira das Três Cruzes (mile 52), Cachoeira dos Pilões (mile 57), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 313)
- Museums and history: Museu Arqueológico, Histórico, Cultural e Ambiental de Conceição dos Ouros (mile 57), Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 303), Casa de Cacos (mile 304), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 313), Church of Saint Francis of Assisi, Pampulha (mile 316), Museu da Força Expedicionária Brasileira (mile 316)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 313)
Mananciais de Campos do Jordão State Park
Mananciais de Campos do Jordão State Park is a protected state park in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
Cachoeira das Três Cruzes
Cachoeira das Três Cruzes is a waterfall in the rural Três Cruzes area of Conceição dos Ouros, southern Minas Gerais, listed among the municipality's main natural attractions.
Museu Arqueológico, Histórico, Cultural e Ambiental de Conceição dos Ouros
Known locally as the Museu do Índio, this museum in Conceição dos Ouros, southern Minas Gerais, gathers archaeological, historical, cultural, and environmental material on human settlement in the area.
Cachoeira dos Pilões
Also called Prainha dos Pilões, Cachoeira dos Pilões is a waterfall in Conceição dos Ouros, southern Minas Gerais, recorded in the municipal heritage inventory as a natural landscape ensemble.
Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture
Known locally as Casa do Registro, the Casa da Cultura Nair Mendes Moreira is an 18th-century house in Contagem. Local tradition links it to a Portuguese Crown post that counted goods and checked tax payments.
Casa de Cacos
Casa de Cacos in Contagem is a museum and an example of fantastic architecture, built and decorated entirely by geologist Carlos Luís de Almeida and considered the only one of its kind in Brazil.
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 da Força Expedicionária Brasileira
In Belo Horizonte, the Museu da Força Expedicionária Brasileira covers Brazil's role in World War II, with a focus on soldiers from Minas Gerais sent to Italy, including the taking of Montese.
Once you reach Itabira
Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral, Itabira
Known locally as Itabira Cathedral, Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral is a Catholic cathedral in the municipality of Itabira, Minas Gerais.
More drives to Itabira
- Sete Lagoas to Itabira
- Conselheiro Lafaiete to Itabira
- Barbacena to Itabira
- Juiz de Fora to Itabira
- Araxá to Itabira
- Petrópolis to Itabira
From Pindamonhangaba to other places in Brazil
- Pindamonhangaba to Paranapiacaba
- Pindamonhangaba to Itanhaém
- Pindamonhangaba to Mogi Guaçu
- Pindamonhangaba to Botucatu
- Pindamonhangaba to Jaú
- Pindamonhangaba to Araxá
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Pindamonhangaba to Itabira?
About 9 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 380 miles.
What is the driving distance from Pindamonhangaba to Itabira?
About 380 miles (611 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 Pindamonhangaba to Itabira 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 Pindamonhangaba to Itabira use?
In order: SP-132, SP-123, SP-046, MG-173, SP-042, BR-459, BR-381, BR-040, MG-434, MG-129 and AMG-1210. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Pindamonhangaba and Itabira?
Closest to the road: Museu Arqueológico, Histórico, Cultural e Ambiental de Conceição dos Ouros (history museum, mile 57, 0.2 mi from the route); Cachoeira dos Pilões (waterfall, mile 57, 0.2 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 313, 0.6 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.