Plan on about 9 h 13 min of driving for the 359-mile (578 km) trip from Sete Lagoas to Angra dos Reis, 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: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Distance | 359 mi (578 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 13 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-040 → RJ-131 → BR-393 → RJ-127 → RJ-145 → RJ-139 → BR-494 → BR-101 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Sete Lagoas–Angra dos Reis drive in a few lines
BR-040 (219 mi) and BR-393 (38 mi) carry about 72% of the 359 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Sete Lagoas and Angra dos Reis
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 4–169 | 165 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 169–173 | 4 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-040 | 173–227 | 54 | Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 227–229 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-131 | 229–237 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-393 | 237–275 | 38 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-127 | 275–285 | 10 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 285–292 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-145 | 292–309 | 17 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-139 | 309–316 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-494 | 316–349 | 33 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 349–350 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 350–355 | 5 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 355–359 | 4 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 222 of this route: Minas Gerais → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Sete Lagoas and Angra dos Reis
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 258), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 273)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 40)
- Museums and history: Pampulha Art Museum (mile 35), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 40), Museu da Imagem e Memória (mile 88), Museu da Loucura (mile 144), Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (mile 258), Museu Casa da Hera (mile 273)
- With kids: Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte (mile 35), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 40)
Pampulha Art Museum
Designed by Oscar Niemeyer as the Cassino da Pampulha, the Pampulha Art Museum in Belo Horizonte is part of the Pampulha Modern Ensemble, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2016.
Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte
Opened in January 1959 in the Pampulha area, the Zoological Garden of Belo Horizonte is one of the city's main visitor attractions.
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.
Piemonte Tower
Rising 101 meters on a mountain ridge between the Serra do Curral and Serra do Rola-Moça, Piemonte Tower (Torre Piemonte) is a tourist structure at the Alta Vila shopping center on the Nova Lima–Belo Horizonte line.
Museu da Imagem e Memória
Housed in the two-story Casarão dos Fonseca, the Museu da Imagem e Memória in Congonhas shows photographs, documents and old objects that tell the history of the town and its people.
Sanctuary of Bom Jesus de Matosinhos
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, this hilltop sanctuary in Congonhas is famous for Aleijadinho's 12 soapstone prophets on the front terraces and six chapels holding 64 life-size cedar figures of the Passion.
Museu da Loucura
Housed in the restored 1922 Torreão of the former Hospital Colônia de Barbacena, the Museu da Loucura opened in 1996 and uses objects, equipment, photos and documents to tell the history of psychiatric care in Minas Gerais.
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.
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.
Arriving in Angra dos Reis
São Bernardino de Sena Convent
The ruins of the São Bernardino de Sena Convent, named for the Franciscan saint, stand on Santo Antônio hill in Angra dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro state.
Anil Beach
Anil Beach (Praia do Anil) is an urban beach in Angra dos Reis, lying in front of the town's railway line with modest homes on the hillsides.
More drives to Angra dos Reis
- Niterói to Angra dos Reis
- Jacareí to Angra dos Reis
- Mogi das Cruzes to Angra dos Reis
- São Paulo to Angra dos Reis
- Jundiaí to Angra dos Reis
- Sorocaba to Angra dos Reis
From Sete Lagoas to other places in Brazil
- Sete Lagoas to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Sete Lagoas to Barbacena
- Sete Lagoas to Muriaé
- Sete Lagoas to Itaperuna
- Sete Lagoas to Pouso Alegre
- Sete Lagoas to Teresópolis
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Sete Lagoas to Angra dos Reis?
About 9 h 13 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
What is the driving distance from Sete Lagoas to Angra dos Reis?
About 359 miles (578 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 Sete Lagoas to Angra dos Reis drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Sete Lagoas to Angra dos Reis?
In order: BR-040, RJ-131, BR-393, RJ-127, RJ-145, RJ-139, BR-494 and BR-101. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Sete Lagoas and Angra dos Reis?
Closest to the road: Piemonte Tower (observation tower, mile 47, 1 mi from the route); Fazenda São Luiz da Boa Sorte (historic estate, mile 258, 0.1 mi from the route); Museu Casa da Hera (museum, mile 273, 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.