The Wayro route from Ajijic to Zacualpan de Amilpas is 390 miles (628 km), about 7 h 30 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 390 mi (628 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 30 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 → MEX-160 |
| 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 15.6 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas is like
MEX-15D (203 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 61% of the 390 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-23, MEX-35, MEX-55, MEX-200, MEX-160 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ajijic to Zacualpan de Amilpas, 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 | 351–372 | 21 | Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 372–383 | 11 | Morelos |
| local roads | 383–390 | 7 | 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 257), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 296), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 332), Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (mile 368)
- Nature and outdoors: Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 331), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 332)
- Museums and history: Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 216), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 257), Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (mile 296), Xochicalco (mile 345), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 345)
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
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.
Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores
Opened in 2021 in downtown Toluca on the site of the former Plaza Ángel María Garibay, this science park adds green space, children's play areas and a planetarium with a 360-degree screen.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
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.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
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.
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.
Monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl
Inscribed by UNESCO in 1994, this World Heritage site groups early 16th-century monasteries that Franciscan, Dominican and Augustinian friars built on the slopes of Popocatépetl, with large open spaces used to evangelize the Indigenous population.
More drives to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Puebla to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Cuernavaca to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Zacatelco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Mexico City to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Chiautempan to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Apizaco to Zacualpan de Amilpas
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
About 7 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 390 miles.
How far is Zacualpan de Amilpas from Ajijic by car?
About 390 miles (628 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas use?
In order: MEX-23, MEX-35, JAL 122, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D, MEX-160D and MEX-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ajijic and Zacualpan de Amilpas?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 257, 0.4 mi from the route); Parque de la Ciencia Fundadores (museum, mile 296, 0.9 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 332, 0.3 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.