The Wayro route from Chilpancingo to Pacanda is 359 miles (578 km), about 6 h 28 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 359 mi (578 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 6 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-95D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Guerrero (Level 4), Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Chilpancingo to Pacanda is like
MEX-15D (89 mi) and MEX-95D (83 mi) carry about 48% of the 359 miles. MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-95, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Chilpancingo to Pacanda, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Guerrero |
| MEX-95D | 4–87 | 83 | Guerrero, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 87–89 | 2 | Morelos |
| local roads | 89–97 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 97–112 | 15 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 112–135 | 23 | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 135–140 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 140–164 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 164–167 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 167–177 | 10 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 177–188 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 188–217 | 29 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 217–220 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 220–221 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 221–310 | 89 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 310–311 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 311–348 | 37 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 348–353 | 5 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 353–359 | 6 | Michoacán |
- Mile 83 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 110 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 114 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 117 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 126 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 129 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 238 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Chilpancingo and Pacanda
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 57), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 117)
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 117), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 160), Rayón National Park (mile 241)
- Museums and history: Cuetlajuchitlán (mile 57), Xochicalco (mile 97), Museo Taller Nishizawa (mile 179), Calixtlahuaca (mile 183), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 350)
Cuetlajuchitlán
Discovered in 1991 while the Autopista del Sol was being built, Cuetlajuchitlán (Los Querende) preserves plazas, ritual baths, sunken courtyards and pink stone walls with drainage channels from a settlement that peaked between 200 BC and AD 200.
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.
Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park
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.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
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.
Museo Taller Nishizawa
A late 18th-century house in Toluca, where painter Luis Nishizawa once taught painting workshops, now preserves and displays his work, a collection of nearly 800 pieces in a range of techniques.
Calixtlahuaca
Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.
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.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
When you get to Pacanda
Lake Pátzcuaro
Boats leave the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro for its islands, including Janitzio, topped by a statue of José María Morelos. Purépecha fishers here are known for butterfly-shaped nets, and whitefish is the local specialty.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
More drives to Pacanda
- Amatitán to Pacanda
- Tequila to Pacanda
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Pacanda
- Real de Asientos to Pacanda
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pacanda
- Zacatecas to Pacanda
From Chilpancingo to other places in Mexico
- Chilpancingo to Oaxtepec
- Chilpancingo to Malinalco
- Chilpancingo to Zacualpan de Amilpas
- Chilpancingo to Tlayacapan
- Chilpancingo to Tepoztlán
- Chilpancingo to Ocuituco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Chilpancingo to Pacanda?
About 6 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 359 miles.
How far is Pacanda from Chilpancingo by car?
About 359 miles (578 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 Chilpancingo to Pacanda?
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 Chilpancingo to Pacanda?
The U.S. State Department rates Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Chilpancingo to Pacanda use?
In order: MEX-95D, MEX-95, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-15D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Chilpancingo and Pacanda?
Closest to the road: Cuetlajuchitlán (archaeological site, mile 57, 0.0 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 117, 0.1 mi from the route); Museo Taller Nishizawa (art museum, mile 179, 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 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.