The Wayro route from Ajijic to Tlayacapan is 372 miles (599 km), about 7 h 9 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 372 mi (599 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 9 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-23 → MEX-35 → JAL 122 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D → MOR 2 |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving this route in a car with U.S. plates
| Temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) | Required: this route is outside the zones where U.S.-registered cars can skip the temporary import permit (Baja California, Baja California Sur and part of Sonora) |
|---|---|
| Mexican auto insurance | Required for all vehicles: buy a Mexican policy before you drive |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Mexico travel information (updated August 11, 2026); permits are issued by Banjercito.
What the drive from Ajijic to Tlayacapan is like
MEX-15D (203 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 64% of the 372 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-23, MEX-35, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ajijic to Tlayacapan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-23 | 1–16 | 15 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 16–17 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-35 | 17–46 | 29 | Jalisco |
| JAL 122 | 46–52 | 6 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 52–255 | 203 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 255–258 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 258–292 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 292–297 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 297–303 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 303–304 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 304–313 | 9 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 313–315 | 2 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 315–319 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 319–324 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 324–339 | 15 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 339–345 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 345–351 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 351–364 | 13 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 364–365 | 1 | Morelos |
| MOR 2 | 365–369 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 369–372 | 3 | Morelos |
- Mile 69 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 237 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 331 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Ajijic and Tlayacapan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 257), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 297), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 297), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 332), Museo Carlos Pellicer (mile 357)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 234), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 332)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 257), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 297), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 297), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 345), Teopanzolco (mile 345), El Tepozteco (mile 356), Museo Carlos Pellicer (mile 357)
Rayón National Park
Just outside Tlalpujahua, Rayón National Park (Parque Nacional Rayón) marks the start of the area's famous butterfly reserve country, which stretches south and west from here.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
Atlacomulco's cathedral, the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, is the seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco and is dedicated to Divine Providence, making it the town's principal Catholic church.
José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum
The Museo de Historia Universitaria José María Morelos y Pavón is a history museum located in the city of Toluca de Lerdo.
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
Museo Carlos Pellicer
Tepoztlán's Museo de Arte Prehispánico Carlos Pellicer, opened in 1965 and named for the poet and museographer, displays a collection of pre-Hispanic objects in the former granary of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Natividad.
When you get to Tlayacapan
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
Templo y exconvento de San Guillermo
Augustinian friars began the Templo y Exconvento de San Guillermo in Totolapan in the mid-16th century; part of the UNESCO-listed Popocatépetl monasteries, it was badly damaged in the 2017 earthquake, and INAH has supervised its restoration.
More drives to Tlayacapan
- Atlixco to Tlayacapan
- Otumba to Tlayacapan
- Calpulalpan to Tlayacapan
- Metepec to Tlayacapan
- Toluca to Tlayacapan
- Puebla to Tlayacapan
From Ajijic to other places in Mexico
- Ajijic to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Ajijic to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Ajijic to Real de Asientos
- Ajijic to Nombre de Dios
- Ajijic to Mineral de Pozos
- Ajijic to Bernal
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ajijic to Tlayacapan?
About 7 h 9 min of driving without stops, over 372 miles.
How far is Tlayacapan from Ajijic by car?
About 372 miles (599 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.
Do I need a permit to drive my U.S. car from Ajijic to Tlayacapan?
Yes. A temporary vehicle import permit (TIP) is required for a U.S.-registered car on this route, which is outside the zones where it can be skipped. Mexican auto insurance is required for every vehicle.
Is it safe to drive from Ajijic to Tlayacapan?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ajijic to Tlayacapan use?
In order: MEX-23, MEX-35, JAL 122, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-160D and MOR 2. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ajijic and Tlayacapan?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 257, 0.4 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 332, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Carlos Pellicer (museum, mile 357, 0.5 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 mile 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 (roughly 2 to 7 miles depending on the type, farther for World Heritage sites): at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, with no more than five of one type, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place and city 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 September 29, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.