Plan on about 3 h 33 min of driving for the 130-mile (210 km) trip from Espita to Kabah, before any stops.
| Distance | 130 mi (210 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 3 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | YUC 13 → MEX-180D → MEX-180 → YUC 18 → MEX-184 → MEX-261 |
| Mexican states on the route | Yucatán |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-180D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 3 |
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.
The Espita–Kabah drive in a few lines
MEX-180D (29 mi) and YUC 18 (10 mi) carry about 30% of the 130 miles. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-180D. Of the 3 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Espita to Kabah: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–20 | 20 | Yucatán |
| YUC 13 | 20–29 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180D | 29–58 | 29 | Yucatán |
| MEX-180 | 58–66 | 8 | Yucatán |
| connecting roads | 66–68 | 2 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 68–88 | 20 | Yucatán |
| YUC 18 | 88–98 | 10 | Yucatán |
| MEX-184 | 98–102 | 4 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 102–116 | 14 | Yucatán |
| connecting roads | 116–117 | 1 | Yucatán |
| local roads | 117–126 | 9 | Yucatán |
| MEX-261 | 126–130 | 4 | Yucatán |
Stops between Espita and Kabah
Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988, is a former Maya city between Mérida and Valladolid where you can walk past El Castillo (Temple of Kukulkan), the Temple of the Warriors, the Great Ball Court and the round El Caracol observatory.
Sacred Cenote
At the Maya site of Chichen Itza, the Sacred Cenote is a water-filled limestone sinkhole where, by Maya and Spanish accounts, offerings and human sacrifices were made to the rain god Chaac.
Ring of cenotes
Yucatán's Ring of cenotes (Anillo de cenotes) is a state-protected natural area: a semicircle of cenotes linked to the asteroid impact that formed the Chicxulub crater some 65 to 70 million years ago.
Once you reach Kabah
Sayil
Sayil is a pre-Columbian city built by the Maya in the Terminal Classic period, located in southwestern Yucatán state, south of Uxmal.
Kabah
Kabah is a Maya archaeological site in the Puuc region south of Mérida, inscribed in 1996 together with Uxmal, Sayil and Labna as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Uxmal
Founded around A.D. 700, the Maya city of Uxmal is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where Puuc-style buildings such as the Pyramid of the Soothsayer, the Governor's Palace and the Nunnery Quadrangle carry carvings of the rain god Chaac.
More drives to Kabah
- Hecelchakán to Kabah
- Campeche to Kabah
- Champotón to Kabah
- Teapa to Kabah
- Tapijulapa to Kabah
- Ocosingo to Kabah
From Espita to other places in Mexico
- Espita to Sisal
- Espita to Celestún
- Espita to Hecelchakán
- Espita to Hopelchén
- Espita to Palizada
- Espita to Tapijulapa
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Espita to Kabah?
About 3 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 130 miles.
How far is Kabah from Espita by car?
About 130 miles (210 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 Espita to Kabah?
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 Espita to Kabah?
The U.S. State Department rates Yucatán Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Espita to Kabah?
In order: YUC 13, MEX-180D, MEX-180, YUC 18, MEX-184 and MEX-261. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Espita and Kabah?
Closest to the road: Sacred Cenote (cenote, mile 29, 3 mi from the route); Chichen Itza (ancient city, mile 29, 3 mi from the route); Ring of cenotes (nature area, mile 83, 0.2 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 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: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place 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.