The Wayro route from Ixtenco to Tonatico is 170 miles (273 km), about 3 h 23 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 170 mi (273 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 23 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-140D → MEX-190 → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), Guerrero (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-140D, MEX-150D, MEX-94D, MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.8 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 Ixtenco to Tonatico is like
MEX-94D (38 mi) and PUE 438D (34 mi) carry about 42% of the 170 miles. MEX-140D, MEX-94D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-190, MEX-95, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 5 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos, Guerrero, State of Mexico. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ixtenco to Tonatico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-140D | 2–17 | 15 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| connecting roads | 17–20 | 3 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 20–35 | 15 | Puebla |
| local roads | 35–46 | 11 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 46–80 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 80–118 | 38 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 118–122 | 4 | Morelos |
| local roads | 122–130 | 8 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 130–145 | 15 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 145–169 | 24 | Guerrero, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 169–170 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 7 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 143 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 150 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Ixtenco and Tonatico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 150)
- Nature and outdoors: La Malinche National Park (mile 9), Jardín Botánico Universitario de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla (mile 31), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 150)
- Museums and history: Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla (mile 25), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 35), Chalcatzingo (mile 81), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 82)
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.
Convent Church of Santo Domingo, Puebla
Behind the facade of Puebla's Santo Domingo church hides the Capilla del Rosario, inaugurated in 1690. Gold covers its walls, pilasters and vaults, and contemporaries hailed it as the eighth wonder of the New World.
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.
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.
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.
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
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.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
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.
More drives to Tonatico
- Valle de Bravo to Tonatico
- Zitácuaro to Tonatico
- Tlalpujahua to Tonatico
- Amealco to Tonatico
- San Juan del Río to Tonatico
- Tequisquiapan to Tonatico
From Ixtenco to other places in Mexico
- Ixtenco to Omitlán
- Ixtenco to Huasca de Ocampo
- Ixtenco to El Oro
- Ixtenco to Mineral de Pozos
- Ixtenco to Santa Fe de la Laguna
- Ixtenco to Ihuatzio
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ixtenco to Tonatico?
About 3 h 23 min of driving without stops, over 170 miles.
How far is Tonatico from Ixtenco by car?
About 170 miles (273 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 Ixtenco to Tonatico?
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 Ixtenco to Tonatico?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ixtenco to Tonatico use?
In order: MEX-140D, MEX-190, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MEX-95 and MEX-55. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Ixtenco and Tonatico?
Closest to the road: International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 35, 1 mi from the route); Las Pilas archaeological site (archaeological site, mile 82, 1 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 150, 0.1 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.