Plan on about 10 h 21 min of driving for the 409-mile (659 km) trip from São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance by road | 409 mi (659 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 21 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-393 → CMG-393 → RJ-186 → ES-297 → BR-101 → ES-496 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim drive plays out
SP-060 (120 mi) and BR-393 (78 mi) carry about 48% of the 409 miles. It runs through 4 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais, Espírito Santo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 6 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 5–125 | 120 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 125–132 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 132–137 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 137–209 | 72 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 209–214 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 214–215 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 215–221 | 6 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 221–254 | 33 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 254–255 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| CMG-393 | 255–283 | 28 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 283–284 | 1 | Minas Gerais |
| RJ-186 | 284–347 | 63 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 347–348 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| ES-297 | 348–376 | 28 | Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo |
| BR-101 | 376–403 | 27 | Espírito Santo |
| ES-496 | 403–407 | 4 | Espírito Santo |
| local roads | 407–409 | 2 | Espírito Santo |
- Mile 94 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 255 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Minas Gerais (state line)
- Mile 289 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: Espírito Santo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
- Mile 372 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → Espírito Santo (state line)
Places worth a stop between São José dos Campos and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 50), Itatiaia National Park (mile 103), Santana Cathedral (mile 159), Fazenda São João da Prosperidade (mile 161), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 173), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 187)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 103), Serra da Concórdia State Park (mile 172), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 389)
- Museums and history: Museu Monteiro Lobato (mile 25), Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (mile 50), Santana Cathedral (mile 159), Fazenda São João da Prosperidade (mile 161), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 173), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 187), Serra das Torres Natural Monument (mile 389)
Museu Monteiro Lobato
Taubaté's tribute to children's author Monteiro Lobato dates to 1958. The museum occupies the grounds known as the Sítio do Picapau Amarelo, with a historic main house and exhibitions.
Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida
Brazil's National Shrine in Aparecida houses the image of Our Lady Aparecida that fishermen pulled from the Paraíba do Sul River in 1717. Work on the current basilica began in 1955, and Pope John Paul II consecrated it in 1980.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
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.
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade
Fazenda São João da Prosperidade is a historic rural estate in Barra do Piraí, Rio de Janeiro state, founded in the 19th century by Antônio Gonçalves de Morais.
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.
Serra das Torres Natural Monument
Covering about 10,459 hectares of Atlantic Forest in Atílio Vivácqua, Mimoso do Sul and Muqui, the Serra das Torres Natural Monument was created in 2010 to protect the peaks of a mountain range in southern Espírito Santo.
When you get to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
Itabira Natural Monument
Itabira Natural Monument is a protected area in the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, listed in the natural monument category.
Casa de Cultura Roberto Carlos
In Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espírito Santo, the Casa de Cultura Roberto Carlos is the house where singer Roberto Carlos was born and lived with his family until age thirteen.
Teatro Municipal Rubem Braga
Opened by the city of Cachoeiro de Itapemirim on April 28, 2000, the Teatro Municipal Rubem Braga seats 292 and hosts plays, dance, concerts and films.
More drives to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Juiz de Fora to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Ipatinga to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Niterói to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Sete Lagoas to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Angra dos Reis to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
- Divinópolis to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim
From São José dos Campos to other places in Brazil
- São José dos Campos to Bragança Paulista
- São José dos Campos to Jundiaí
- São José dos Campos to Itu
- São José dos Campos to Limeira
- São José dos Campos to São Carlos
- São José dos Campos to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim?
About 10 h 21 min of driving without stops, over 409 miles.
What is the driving distance from São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim?
About 409 miles (659 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 José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from São José dos Campos to Cachoeiro de Itapemirim?
In order: SP-060, BR-116, BR-393, CMG-393, RJ-186, ES-297, BR-101 and ES-496. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between São José dos Campos and Cachoeiro de Itapemirim?
Closest to the road: Basilica of Our Lady of Aparecida (basilica, mile 50, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 103, 0.3 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 187, 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.