São Carlos to Muriaé is about 503 road miles (810 km): roughly 11 h 32 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 503 mi (810 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 11 h 32 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-330 → SP-065 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the São Carlos to Muriaé drive plays out
SP-060 (136 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 44% of the 503 miles. It runs through 3 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
São Carlos to Muriaé: the road sequence
| 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, Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 434–438 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-116 | 438–501 | 63 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 501–503 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
- Mile 274 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 433 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
What to see on the way from São Carlos to Muriaé
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 194), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 234), Itatiaia National Park (mile 283), St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (mile 465), Museu Espaço dos Anjos (mile 465)
- Nature and outdoors: Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 129), Itatiaia National Park (mile 283), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 352)
- Museums and history: Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert (mile 36), Monumento Natural Estadual da Pedra Grande (mile 129), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 194), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 234), St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (mile 465), Museu Espaço dos Anjos (mile 465)
Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert
In Rio Claro, Unesp's Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences houses the Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert in its Department of Petrology and Metallogeny building.
Planetário de Campinas
Inside Parque Portugal, the Lagoa do Taquaral park in Campinas, this municipal planetarium has projected the night sky onto its 8-meter dome since 1987, with shows on constellations and astronomy.
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.
Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas
Founded in 1963 and moved to Caçapava a year later, the Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas reopened after renovation in 2023, showing vintage vehicles and engines including a rare Tucker Torpedo and a 1973 Ford Maverick.
Museu Frei Galvão
The Museu Frei Galvão is a municipal cultural institution in Guaratinguetá, in São Paulo state, maintained jointly by the city government and a local association of the museum's friends.
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.
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.
St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina
Seat of the Diocese of Leopoldina, St. Sebastian Cathedral is a Catholic parish church in Leopoldina, Minas Gerais.
Museu Espaço dos Anjos
Leopoldina's Museu Espaço dos Anjos occupies the house where poet Augusto dos Anjos lived, with a covered outdoor space that hosts music, theater and literary gatherings throughout the year.
More drives to Muriaé
- Teresópolis to Muriaé
- Petrópolis to Muriaé
- Rio de Janeiro to Muriaé
- Niterói to Muriaé
- Barra Mansa to Muriaé
- Itaguaí to Muriaé
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 is the drive from São Carlos to Muriaé?
About 11 h 32 min of driving without stops, over 503 miles.
What is the driving distance from São Carlos to Muriaé?
About 503 miles (810 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 Muriaé?
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 São Carlos to Muriaé use?
In order: SP-310, SP-330, SP-065, SP-060, BR-116 and BR-393. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between São Carlos and Muriaé?
Closest to the road: Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 234, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 283, 0.3 mi from the route); St. Sebastian Cathedral, Leopoldina (cathedral, mile 465, 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.