The Wayro route from Cuernavaca to Ixtenco is 127 miles (204 km), about 2 h 22 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 127 mi (204 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 22 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-95D → MEX-160D → MEX-160 → PUE 438D → MEX-190D → MEX-190 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Puebla (Level 2), Tlaxcala (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-95D, MEX-160D, MEX-190D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.1 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 Cuernavaca to Ixtenco is like
PUE 438D (34 mi) and MEX-160D (21 mi) carry about 43% of the 127 miles. MEX-95D, MEX-160D, MEX-190D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160, MEX-190 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, Puebla, Tlaxcala. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Cuernavaca to Ixtenco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 4–9 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 9–30 | 21 | Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 30–47 | 17 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 47–81 | 34 | Morelos, Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 81–91 | 10 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 91–92 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 92–107 | 15 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 107–109 | 2 | Puebla |
| local roads | 109–127 | 18 | Puebla, Tlaxcala |
- Mile 55 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 120 of this route: Puebla → Tlaxcala (state line)
Stops between Cuernavaca and Ixtenco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 15)
- Nature and outdoors: El Tepozteco National Park (mile 14), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 98), La Malinche National Park (mile 118)
- Museums and history: Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (mile 15), Chalcatzingo (mile 47), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 92)
El Tepozteco National Park
Eroded volcanic hills of the Sierra de Tepoztlán fill this national park, about half of which lies in Mexico City's Milpa Alta borough. A short, steep climb leads to the Tepozteco archaeological zone; wear good shoes, since the rocks get slippery.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
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.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In the town of Hueyapan, the 16th-century church and former convent of Santo Domingo de Guzmán keeps original frescoes and moldings inside, around a modest cloister typical of its era.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla
On the Ciudad Universitaria campus of BUAP in Puebla, the university botanical garden covers about 10.7 hectares and was formerly named after Ignacio Rodríguez Alconedo.
La Malinche National Park
Tlaxcala's La Malinche National Park surrounds the inactive Matlalcuéyetl volcano, with pine, oak and fir forests on its slopes, hiking trails, birdwatching, and stone cabins and campsites at the Malintzi Vacation Center.
When you get to Ixtenco
Museo Nacional del Títere
On the main square of Huamantla, the National Puppet Museum (Museo Nacional del Títere) fills eight galleries with puppets from Mexico and abroad, including pieces tied to the Rosete Aranda family, whose company toured Mexico for generations.
More drives to Ixtenco
- Huejotzingo to Ixtenco
- Otumba to Ixtenco
- Pachuca to Ixtenco
- Mexico City to Ixtenco
- Tepotzotlán to Ixtenco
- Actopan to Ixtenco
From Cuernavaca to other places in Mexico
- Cuernavaca to Valle de Bravo
- Cuernavaca to Zitácuaro
- Cuernavaca to El Oro
- Cuernavaca to Tlalpujahua
- Cuernavaca to San Juan del Río
- Cuernavaca to Amealco
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cuernavaca to Ixtenco?
About 2 h 22 min of driving without stops, over 127 miles.
How far is Ixtenco from Cuernavaca by car?
About 127 miles (204 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 Cuernavaca to Ixtenco?
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 Cuernavaca to Ixtenco?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cuernavaca to Ixtenco use?
In order: MEX-95D, MEX-160D, MEX-160, PUE 438D, MEX-190D and MEX-190. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Cuernavaca and Ixtenco?
Closest to the road: El Tepozteco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 14, 1 mi from the route); Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum (museum, mile 15, 0.6 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 92, 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.