Motion Sickness: Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra Drive
The Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra trip covers about 21 miles (34 km) and takes around 1 hours. The terrain is escarpment switchback climb, which makes it a very high motion sickness risk route.
The SC-390 climbs the Serra do Rio do Rastro escarpment between Lauro Muller and Bom Jardim da Serra, with 284 curves credited to the serra stretch. The steepest 12 km gains about 1,200 m from the lowlands to the rim at around 1,460 m. Hairpins are cut into a near vertical wall, and fog rolls in fast from the plateau.
In the Nausea Index table of the 46 road trips we cover, the Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra trip is rated notorious, one of 17 in the top band. Full table: the bumpiest road trips, ranked.
Key facts
- The Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra trip covers about 21 miles, which is 34 km.
- It takes about 1 hours.
- The terrain is escarpment switchback climb, which puts the route in the very high band for motion sickness.
- 3 sections are flagged as motion sickness pressure points, starting with The 12 km escarpment wall.
- Steadiest place to sit: Front passenger seat, eyes on the road cut ahead rather than the drop.
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Where Motion Sickness Hits Hardest
The sections most likely to trigger motion sickness are: The 12 km escarpment wall, Hairpins below the summit viewpoint, Forest curves above Lauro Muller. Drive it in the morning; afternoon fog can cut visibility to a few meters. The summit viewpoint is the natural break, with the whole road visible below. The road is lit at night, but daylight is still the safer choice in fog.
Measured bends
We counted every bend on this route from OpenStreetMap data: 35.1 km, ranked 4 of 26 road trips for bends per km.
- Bends
- 132
- Bends per km
- 3.76
- Hairpins
- 23
- Busiest 10 km
- 74 bends
Route facts, checked at the source
Each fact below was checked against the linked official or operator page.
- Location and elevation: The serra sits between Lauro Muller and Bom Jardim da Serra on the SC-390, with the highest point at 1,460 m. pm.sc.gov.br
- Monitoring: The Military Police permanently monitor the highway from posts at the foot in Lauro Muller and at the top next to the viewpoint. pm.sc.gov.br
- Summit viewpoint: The summit mirante with services sits at the top near the highway police post. turismo.bomjardimdaserra.sc.gov.br
Where you can stop
The summit mirante, with services, is the designed stop at the top of the wall, per the municipal tourism office; break there rather than on the climb.
Best Seat for Motion Sickness on This Drive
Front passenger seat, eyes on the road cut ahead rather than the drop.
Going on the Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra drive? Have Dizzout ready
Stop car sickness
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Prevention Tips for the Lauro Muller to Bom Jardim da Serra Drive
- Have Dizzout downloaded before you start, so it is ready the moment symptoms begin
- If you plan to take an over-the-counter tablet such as Bonine or Dramamine, those need 30 to 60 minutes before departure to do anything. Ask a pharmacist first
- Eat lightly before the drive; a heavy meal makes symptoms worse for most people
- Take breaks every 90 minutes minimum on long stretches
- Keep the car cool and well-ventilated
- Avoid reading or phone use in the back seat
Which of those actually hold up when they are tested is a separate question, and we keep the answers in one place: the remedy verdicts, ranked by evidence.
Frequently asked questions
How high does the Serra do Rio do Rastro climb?
To 1,460 m at its highest point, per the Santa Catarina Military Police page on the highway, with the steep wall section gaining most of that height in a short distance. The rim arrives suddenly: one moment you are in the switchbacks, the next on the plateau with the whole road below you.
Is the Serra do Rio do Rastro monitored?
Yes, permanently: the Military Police keep posts at the foot of the climb in Lauro Muller and at the top in Bom Jardim da Serra beside the viewpoint. For drivers that means help has fixed addresses at both ends of the hardest stretch, a reassurance most mountain roads cannot offer.
Where do you stop on the Serra do Rio do Rastro?
At the summit mirante, the viewpoint complex at the top with services, per the municipal tourism office. It is positioned exactly where a queasy passenger needs it, at the end of the wall, with the full sequence of hairpins laid out below. Break there in both directions if you are driving the serra twice.
When is the serra hardest to drive?
Afternoons, when fog rolls off the plateau and can cut visibility sharply; mornings are typically the clear window, which is why our tips put the climb early in the day. Fog on hairpins means creeping and braking, the jerkiest possible rhythm. If the top is already in cloud, wait it out below.
How many curves does the SC-390 climb have?
The number you will hear is 284, credited to the serra stretch in Brazilian media rather than pinned by an official measurement we can cite. What is beyond dispute is the shape: a near vertical wall of stacked hairpins, dense enough that the exact count hardly matters from the passenger seat.
What's the fastest way to stop car sickness mid-drive?
Once symptoms have started, pull over for fresh air if you can and look at the distant horizon. Motion sickness tablets are designed to be taken before the drive, so mid-drive they are a plan for next time. Sound therapy through headphones is built for the moment it starts: Dizzout states relief in about 90 seconds.
Other drives we have looked at
Route facts last checked September 2026. Roads, rules and seasons change; the linked official pages are the live word.