By road, Teófilo Otoni and Araxá are about 501 miles (806 km) apart, or roughly 12 h 34 min of driving.
- 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 | 501 mi (806 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 12 h 34 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-116 → BR-381 → BR-262 → BR-146 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Teófilo Otoni to Araxá: the shape of the trip
BR-262 (212 mi) and BR-381 (185 mi) carry about 79% of the 501 miles. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Teófilo Otoni to Araxá, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-116 | 2–84 | 82 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 84–146 | 62 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 146–149 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| local roads | 149–158 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 158–273 | 115 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 273–280 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| connecting roads | 280–283 | 3 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 283–291 | 8 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 291–496 | 205 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-146 | 496–501 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
Breaking up the drive: stops between Teófilo Otoni and Araxá
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 153), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 279)
- Nature and outdoors: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 279)
- Museums and history: St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares (mile 84), Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (mile 153), Museu de Artes e Ofícios (mile 275), Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 279), Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center (mile 288), Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (mile 400)
- With kids: Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (mile 279)
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral, Governador Valadares
St. Anthony of Padua Cathedral is the cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Governador Valadares, in the city of the same name in Minas Gerais.
Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano
Inaugurated in 1993, Saint Sebastian Cathedral in Coronel Fabriciano, Minas Gerais, shares the role of seat of the Diocese of Itabira-Fabriciano with Our Lady of the Rosary Cathedral in Itabira.
Cine Theatro Brasil
Built in 1932 on Praça Sete de Setembro in Belo Horizonte as a cinema and theater, Cine Theatro Brasil is an 11-story building whose curved facade marks the corner of Avenida Amazonas and Rua Carijós.
Museu de Artes e Ofícios
The Museu de Artes e Ofícios is a museum in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, worth a look when your route passes through the city.
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.
Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho Cultural Center
The Centro Cultural Francisco Firmo de Mattos Filho is a public museum set in three historic buildings in Contagem, remnants of the town's original Portuguese Crown tax post.
Vale Verde
Vale Verde Parque Ecológico sits in the municipality of Betim, Minas Gerais, on a farm with a still where Cachaça Vale Verde is produced.
Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz
In the town of Luz, Minas Gerais, the diocesan Cathedral of Our Lady of Light is regarded as the town's leading cultural landmark and was listed as historic heritage in November 2016.
More drives to Araxá
- Ribeirão Preto to Araxá
- Bauru to Araxá
- Limeira to Araxá
- Mogi Guaçu to Araxá
- Bragança Paulista to Araxá
- São Paulo to Araxá
From Teófilo Otoni to other places in Brazil
- Teófilo Otoni to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Teófilo Otoni to Guarapari
- Teófilo Otoni to Barbacena
- Teófilo Otoni to Nova Serrana
- Teófilo Otoni to Lavras
- Teófilo Otoni to Barra do Piraí
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Teófilo Otoni to Araxá?
About 12 h 34 min of driving without stops, over 501 miles.
What is the driving distance from Teófilo Otoni to Araxá?
About 501 miles (806 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 Teófilo Otoni to Araxá?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Teófilo Otoni to Araxá?
In order: BR-116, BR-381, BR-262 and BR-146. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Teófilo Otoni and Araxá?
Closest to the road: Saint Sebastian Cathedral, Coronel Fabriciano (cathedral, mile 153, 0.4 mi from the route); Natural Sciences Museum of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais (museum, mile 279, 0.6 mi from the route); Catedral Diocesana Nossa Senhora da Luz (cathedral, mile 400, 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.