The Wayro route from Rio das Ostras to Varginha is 338 miles (544 km), about 8 h 36 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Total distance | 338 mi (544 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 36 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-162 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → BR-354 → BR-460 → BR-383 → BR-267 → MG-167 → AMG-1010 → BR-491 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
What the drive from Rio das Ostras to Varginha is like
BR-116 (102 mi) and BR-101 (90 mi) carry about 57% of the 338 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Rio das Ostras and Varginha
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | |
| RJ-162 | 2–11 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 11–101 | 90 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 101–110 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 110–112 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 112–214 | 102 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-354 | 214–255 | 41 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 255–258 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-460 | 258–263 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 263–267 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-383 | 267–278 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-267 | 278–307 | 29 | Minas Gerais |
| MG-167 | 307–318 | 11 | Minas Gerais |
| AMG-1010 | 318–324 | 6 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-491 | 324–334 | 10 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 334–338 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 231 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from Rio das Ostras to Varginha
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 206)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 64), Tijuca National Park (mile 101), Itatiaia National Park (mile 206), Nova Baden State Park (mile 303)
- Museums and history: Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 93), Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro (mile 97), Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 101)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Also called Museu do Ingá, this history and art museum occupies the Palácio Nilo Peçanha on Rua Presidente Pedreira in Niterói's Ingá area and is linked to the state arts foundation.
Convent of Santo Antônio
Atop Morro de Santo Antônio and facing Largo da Carioca, this Franciscan convent in central Rio forms, with the neighboring Church of the Third Order of St. Francis of Penance, one of the city's surviving colonial ensembles.
Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro
Founded in 1977 with the donation of a menorah, the Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro keeps permanent exhibits on the city's Jewish community and on Jewish religious, cultural and historical traditions.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
The Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro covers the history of the state's prisons and displays contraband seized in prison units, from cell phones to tools used in escape attempts.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
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.
In Varginha itself
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 Rio das Ostras to other places in Brazil
- Rio das Ostras to Itaguaí
- Rio das Ostras to Barra do Piraí
- Rio das Ostras to Resende
- Rio das Ostras to Penedo
- Rio das Ostras to Fumaça
- Rio das Ostras to Historic Village of Mambucaba
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Rio das Ostras to Varginha?
About 8 h 36 min of driving without stops, over 338 miles.
What is the driving distance from Rio das Ostras to Varginha?
About 338 miles (544 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 Rio das Ostras to Varginha drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Rio das Ostras to Varginha?
In order: RJ-162, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, BR-354, BR-460, BR-383, BR-267, MG-167, AMG-1010 and BR-491. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Rio das Ostras and Varginha?
Closest to the road: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (protected area, mile 64, 1 mi from the route); Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (history museum, mile 93, 2 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 206, 0.2 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.