The Wayro route from Chipilo to Ihuatzio is 302 miles (486 km), about 4 h 55 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 302 mi (486 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 4 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-150D → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.1 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 Chipilo to Ihuatzio is like
MEX-M40D (139 mi) and MEX-15D (89 mi) carry about 75% of the 302 miles. MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota). It runs through 5 states: Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Chipilo to Ihuatzio, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 7–26 | 19 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 26–27 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-M40D | 27–166 | 139 | Puebla, Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 166–167 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 167–256 | 89 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 256–257 | 1 | Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 257–294 | 37 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 294–299 | 5 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 299–302 | 3 | Michoacán |
- Mile 31 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
- Mile 54 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 74 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 91 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 105 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
- Mile 135 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 185 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Chipilo and Ihuatzio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Constancia Mexicana (mile 9)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 19), Tula National Park (mile 121)
- Museums and history: La Constancia Mexicana (mile 9), Cacaxtla (mile 21), Teotihuacan (mile 73), Tula (mile 122), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 167), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 205)
La Constancia Mexicana
A textile factory founded in 1835 in Puebla now houses the La Constancia museum complex, with a children's museum, a puppet house, a Mexican music museum, an automobile museum and a park of miniature world monuments.
Parque nacional Xicoténcatl
Covering roughly 600 hectares in central Tlaxcala, Xicohténcatl National Park takes in the historic center of Tlaxcala city plus Quiahuixtlán, Ocotelulco and Tepeticpac, which correspond to three of the old Tlaxcalan lordships.
Cacaxtla
Built on a hill rising above the Tlaxcala-Puebla valley, Cacaxtla is known for its pre-Hispanic murals on the Gran Basamento, a large platform now sheltered under a roof. INAH manages it together with nearby Xochitécatl.
Teotihuacan
Built between the 1st and 7th centuries AD, this UNESCO-listed ancient city lines the Avenue of the Dead, where you can walk between the Pyramid of the Sun, the Pyramid of the Moon and the Temple of the Feathered Serpent.
Tula National Park
This park protects the ruins of Tula, ancient capital of the Toltecs. Walk up to the main pyramid to stand beside the Atlantes, basalt warrior figures more than four meters tall, and look for the Coatepantli wall's reliefs of snakes devouring skeletons.
Tula
Once the Toltec capital, the Tula archaeological zone is best known for its Atlantes, basalt warrior figures over four meters (13 feet) tall crowning the main pyramid. Visitors also see a ball court, the Burnt Palace and the Coatepantli wall, carved with snakes devouring skeletons.
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.
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.
Historic Centre of Morelia
Morelia's old core, founded in the 16th century as Valladolid, keeps more than 200 historic buildings in the region's pink stone around its cathedral and checkerboard streets. UNESCO added it to the World Heritage List in 1991.
When you get to Ihuatzio
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.
Tzintzuntzan
Once the political and economic capital of the Purépecha empire, governed by a hereditary line of uacúsecha, or 'eagle lords,' Tzintzuntzan preserves its yácatas, temple bases that combine rectangular and semicircular platforms around ritual plazas.
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 Ihuatzio
- Amatitán to Ihuatzio
- Tequila to Ihuatzio
- Pabellón de Hidalgo to Ihuatzio
- Calvillo to Ihuatzio
- Real de Asientos to Ihuatzio
- Zacatecas to Ihuatzio
From Chipilo to other places in Mexico
- Chipilo to Omitlán
- Chipilo to Huasca de Ocampo
- Chipilo to Bernal
- Chipilo to Mineral de Pozos
- Chipilo to Tócuaro
- Chipilo to Pacanda
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Chipilo to Ihuatzio?
About 4 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 302 miles.
How far is Ihuatzio from Chipilo by car?
About 302 miles (486 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 Chipilo to Ihuatzio?
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 Chipilo to Ihuatzio?
The U.S. State Department rates Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Hidalgo Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; 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 Chipilo to Ihuatzio use?
In order: MEX-150D, MEX-M40D, 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 Chipilo and Ihuatzio?
Closest to the road: La Constancia Mexicana (museum, mile 9, 0.4 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 121, 1 mi from the route); Tula (archaeological site, mile 122, 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.