Plan on about 11 h 57 min of driving for the 518-mile (833 km) trip from São Carlos to Itaperuna, 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Distance by road | 518 mi (833 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 57 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-330 → SP-065 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → RJ-198 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The São Carlos–Itaperuna drive in a few lines
SP-060 (136 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 43% of the 518 miles. It runs through 3 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: São Carlos to Itaperuna
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 3–50 | 47 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 50–81 | 31 | São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 81–168 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 168–169 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 169–305 | 136 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 305–311 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 311–313 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 313–318 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 318–388 | 70 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 388–394 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 394–395 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 395–401 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 401–434 | 33 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 434–436 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| CMG-393 | 436–464 | 28 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 464–508 | 44 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-198 | 508–516 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 516–518 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 274 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 435 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 469 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between São Carlos and Itaperuna
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Itatiaia National Park (mile 283), Santana Cathedral (mile 339), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 353), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 367)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estadual de Itaberaba (mile 140), Itatiaia National Park (mile 283), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 352)
- Museums and history: Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert (mile 36), Mata de Santa Genebra (mile 84), Santana Cathedral (mile 339), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 353), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 367)
Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert
On the Unesp university campus in Rio Claro, the Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert occupies the building of the Department of Petrology and Metallogeny at the Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences.
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.
Parque Estadual de Itaberaba
Created in 2010, Itaberaba State Park (Parque Estadual Itaberaba) protects land in São Paulo state spread across Arujá, Guarulhos, Mairiporã, Nazaré Paulista and Santa Isabel.
Municipal Market of São José dos Campos
Completed in 1923 on the site of an 1896 market, the heritage-listed Municipal Market of São José dos Campos sells cheeses, spices, medicinal herbs, preserves, fish and meat, and is known for pastel with sugarcane juice.
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.
Santana Cathedral
Dedicated to St. Anne, this cathedral in Barra do Piraí is the seat of the Diocese of Barra do Piraí–Volta Redonda; Emperor Pedro II attended the laying of its cornerstone during a visit to the parish.
Serra da Concórdia State Park
Serra da Concórdia State Park (Parque Estadual da Serra da Concórdia) is a state park in Rio de Janeiro state that protects an area of Atlantic Forest.
Museu Casa da Hera
Also known as Chácara da Hera, this house museum in central Vassouras, Rio de Janeiro state, shows how a wealthy family lived at the height of the Paraíba Valley coffee boom.
Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte
Dating from the coffee era in Rio de Janeiro state's Paraíba Valley, Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte is a historic estate listed by the state heritage institute.
More drives to Itaperuna
- Rio de Janeiro to Itaperuna
- Niterói to Itaperuna
- Barra Mansa to Itaperuna
- Itaguaí to Itaperuna
- Pindamonhangaba to Itaperuna
- São José dos Campos to Itaperuna
From São Carlos to other places in Brazil
- São Carlos to Bragança Paulista
- São Carlos to Paranapiacaba
- São Carlos to Cubatão
- São Carlos to Itanhaém
- São Carlos to Pindamonhangaba
- São Carlos to Itapetininga
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from São Carlos to Itaperuna?
About 11 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 518 miles.
What is the driving distance from São Carlos to Itaperuna?
About 518 miles (833 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 São Carlos to Itaperuna?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from São Carlos to Itaperuna?
In order: SP-310, SP-330, SP-065, SP-060, BR-116, BR-393, CMG-393, RJ-186 and RJ-198. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São Carlos to Itaperuna?
Closest to the road: Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 283, 0.3 mi from the route); Museu Casa da Hera (museum, mile 353, 0.6 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 367, 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.