Huamantla to Sayula Road Trip: Where to Stop on the Way

By admin, 3 October, 2026

The Wayro route from Huamantla to Sayula is 475 miles (765 km), about 7 h 57 min of driving without stops.

U.S. State Department travel advisory: 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; Jalisco — Level 3, Reconsider TravelAdvisory issued May 29, 2026; checked September 29, 2026. Jalisco is the Mexican state that contains Sayula. This route passes through a state at the advisory's highest level. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive.
Parque nacional XicoténcatlEx Convento de Santa María de la Concepción AtlihuetziaAqueduct of Padre TemblequeTeotihuacanChurch and former convent of Todos los SantosMuseo Arqueológico de ApaxcoAtlantean figuresTula National ParkRayón National ParkHuamantlaSayula
Route from Huamantla to Sayula with the 9 stops listed below (blue dots).
Distance475 mi (765 km)
Driving time, no stops7 h 57 min
Main roads, in orderMEX-136 → MEX-M40D → MEX-15D → JAL 122 → MEX-35 → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-54D → MEX-54
Mexican states on the routeTlaxcala (Level 2), Hidalgo (Level 2), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4), Jalisco (Level 3)
Toll roadsMEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-54D
Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg)about 19.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic
Stops listed below9

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 Huamantla to Sayula is like

MEX-15D (203 mi) and MEX-M40D (121 mi) carry about 68% of the 475 miles. MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-54D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-136, MEX-35, MEX-54 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.

The route from Huamantla to Sayula, road by road

RoadRoute miles (from–to)Length, miState
MEX-1360–4343Tlaxcala
MEX-M40D43–164121Tlaxcala, Hidalgo, State of Mexico
connecting roads164–1651State of Mexico
MEX-15D165–368203State of Mexico, Michoacán, Jalisco
JAL 122368–3735Jalisco
MEX-35373–40330Jalisco
connecting roads403–4041Jalisco
MEX-GUA 10D404–42723Jalisco
connecting roads427–4281Jalisco
MEX-54D428–46941Jalisco
connecting roads469–4701Jalisco
MEX-54470–4744Jalisco
local roads474–4751Jalisco
  • Mile 52 of this route: Tlaxcala → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 60 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 72 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 89 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 103 of this route: State of Mexico → Hidalgo (state line)
  • Mile 134 of this route: Hidalgo → State of Mexico (state line)
  • Mile 183 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
  • Mile 351 of this route: Michoacán → Jalisco (state line)

Stops between Huamantla and Sayula

  • Nature and outdoors: Parque nacional Xicoténcatl (mile 19), Tula National Park (mile 120), Rayón National Park (mile 186)
  • Museums and history: Teotihuacan (mile 71), Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco (mile 104)

Parque nacional Xicoténcatl

Mile 19 · National Park of Mexico · 7 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia

Mile 19 · Convent · 1 mi from the route

The ruined walls of this 16th-century Franciscan convent in Atlihuetzia rise as high as 21 meters beside the 17th-century Purísima Concepción church. The site also holds a sanctuary to Cristóbal, honored as the first Catholic child martyr in the Americas.

Aqueduct of Padre Tembleque

Mile 69 · Aqueduct · 2 mi from the route

Built by Franciscan friar Francisco de Tembleque between 1554 and 1572, this 16th-century water system runs more than 48 km between Zempoala and Otumba. Its tallest arcade at Tepeyahualco reaches almost 40 meters, and UNESCO listed it in 2015.

Teotihuacan

Mile 71 · Historic site · 13 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

Church and former convent of Todos los Santos

Mile 73 · Convent · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Franciscan friars built this fortress-style convent in Zempoala, and the complex still keeps the classic layout of atrium, church, open chapel and cloister. It pairs well with a drive through the area's old pulque haciendas.

Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco

Mile 104 · Museum · 3 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

Founded in 1985, the Museo Arqueológico de Apaxco sits across from the parish church of San Francisco de Asís and beside the town hall in Apaxco, State of Mexico.

Atlantean figures

Mile 120 · Atlantean figures · 1 mi from the route

Crowning the main pyramid at the Tula archaeological zone, these basalt sculptures of Toltec warriors stand more than four meters tall in what was once the Toltec capital; the nearby Wall of Snakes shows carved serpents devouring skeletons.

Tula National Park

Mile 120 · National Park of Mexico · 1 mi from the route

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.

Rayón National Park

Mile 186 · National Park of Mexico · 5 mi from the route · side trip; actual detour depends on access roads

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.

More drives to Sayula

From Huamantla to other places in Mexico

Frequently asked questions

How long is the drive from Huamantla to Sayula?

About 7 h 57 min of driving without stops, over 475 miles.

How far is Sayula from Huamantla by car?

About 475 miles (765 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 Huamantla to Sayula?

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 Huamantla to Sayula?

The U.S. State Department rates 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; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.

What roads does the drive from Huamantla to Sayula use?

In order: MEX-136, MEX-M40D, MEX-15D, JAL 122, MEX-35, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-54D and MEX-54. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.

What are good stops between Huamantla and Sayula?

Closest to the road: Ex Convento de Santa María de la Concepción Atlihuetzia (convent, mile 19, 1 mi from the route); Atlantean figures (atlantean figures, mile 120, 1 mi from the route); Tula National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 120, 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.