Amealco to Ixcateopan Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Amealco to Ixcateopan is 186 miles (299 km), about 4 h 14 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: Querétaro — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico — Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero — Level 4, Do Not TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Guerrero is the Mexican state that contains Ixcateopan. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Cathedral of AtlacomulcoJosé María Morelos y Pavón University History MuseumNevado de Toluca National ParkDesierto del Carmen National ParkXochicalcoGrutas de Cacahuamilpa National ParkChurch of Santa Prisca de TaxcoMuseo de Arte Virreinal de TaxcoAmealcoIxcateopan
Route from Amealco to Ixcateopan with the 8 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance186 mi (299 km)
Driving time, no stops4 h 14 min
Main roads, in orderQRO 300 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-95 → MEX-92D
Mexican states on the routeQuerétaro (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4)
Toll roadsMEX-55D, MEX-92D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 7.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below8

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 insuranceRequired 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 Amealco to Ixcateopan is like

MEX-55D (58 mi) and MEX-55 (38 mi) carry about 52% of the 186 miles. MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Querétaro, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 8 stops listed below, 5 are within a mile of the road.

The route from Amealco to Ixcateopan, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
QRO 3000–1313Querétaro
local roads13–2916Querétaro, State of Mexico
MEX-5529–4516State of Mexico
connecting roads45–472State of Mexico
MEX-55D47–8134State of Mexico
MEX-5581–865State of Mexico
local roads86–9913State of Mexico
connecting roads99–1001State of Mexico
MEX-55D100–12424State of Mexico
connecting roads124–1284State of Mexico
local roads128–1357State of Mexico
MEX-55135–15217State of Mexico, Guerrero
MEX-95152–1564Guerrero
connecting roads156–1582Guerrero
MEX-92D158–1635Guerrero
connecting roads163–1641Guerrero
local roads164–18622Guerrero
  • Mile 15 of this route: Querétaro → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 147 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)

Stops between Amealco and Ixcateopan

  • Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 46), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 86), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 147), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 164), Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (mile 164)
  • Nature and outdoors: Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 104), Desierto del Carmen National Park (mile 121), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 147)
  • Museums and history: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 46), José María Morelos y Pavón University History Museum (mile 86), Xochicalco (mile 145), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 164), Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco (mile 164)

Cathedral of Atlacomulco

Mile 46 · Catholic cathedral · 0.4 mi from the route

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

Mile 86 · History museum · 0.8 mi from the route

The Museo de Historia Universitaria José María Morelos y Pavón is a history museum located in the city of Toluca de Lerdo.

Nevado de Toluca National Park

Mile 104 · Flora and fauna protection area · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.

Desierto del Carmen National Park

Mile 121 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.

Xochicalco

Mile 145 · Archaeological site · 16 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park

Mile 147 · National Park of Mexico · 0.1 mi from the route

Protected as a national park since 1936, this area near Taxco centers on the Cacahuamilpa caverns, where a guided route of about 4 km passes chambers up to 80 meters high, decorated with flowstone and floor-to-ceiling columns.

Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco

Mile 164 · Church building · 0.4 mi from the route

Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.

Museo de Arte Virreinal de Taxco

Mile 164 · Museum · 0.4 mi from the route

Housed in the historic Casa Humboldt in Taxco, the Museo de Arte Virreinal shows colonial sacred art recovered from the Santa Prisca parish church, along with permanent exhibitions on Alexander von Humboldt and the town's history.

When you get to Ixcateopan

Ixcateopan

Archaeological site · in Ixcateopan

Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.

More drives to Ixcateopan

From Amealco to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Amealco to Ixcateopan?

About 4 h 14 min of driving without stops, over 186 miles.

How far is Ixcateopan from Amealco by car?

About 186 miles (299 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 Amealco to Ixcateopan?

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 Amealco to Ixcateopan?

The U.S. State Department rates Querétaro Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Amealco to Ixcateopan use?

In order: QRO 300, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Amealco and Ixcateopan?

Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (catholic cathedral, mile 46, 0.4 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 147, 0.1 mi from the route); Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church building, mile 164, 0.4 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.