The Wayro route from Oaxtepec to Tonatico is 93 miles (149 km), about 2 h 0 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 93 mi (149 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160D → MEX-95D → MEX-95 → MEX-55 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), Guerrero (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-160D, MEX-95D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 3.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
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 Oaxtepec to Tonatico is like
MEX-95 (34 mi) and MEX-55 (24 mi) carry about 62% of the 93 miles. MEX-160D, MEX-95D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-95, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, Guerrero, State of Mexico. Of the 7 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Oaxtepec to Tonatico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 1–17 | 16 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 17–23 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 23–32 | 9 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 32–43 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 43–68 | 25 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 68–92 | 24 | Guerrero, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 92–93 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 66 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 81 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 85 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Oaxtepec and Tonatico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 73)
- Nature and outdoors: El Tepozteco National Park (mile 12), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 22), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 73)
- Museums and history: El Tepozteco (mile 12), Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca (mile 24), Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca (mile 31), Xochicalco (mile 39)
El Tepozteco
High on a hill above Tepoztlán, El Tepozteco holds the remains of a shrine to Ometochtli-Tepoztécatl, god of pulque, fertility and the harvest, along with terraced platforms built from around AD 1200.
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.
Lagunas de Zempoala National Park
Seven lagoons, three of them permanent, sit among pine, oak and fir forest above 3,000 meters in this park, decreed in 1936 on the Morelos–State of Mexico line. Hiking, horseback riding, camping and rowboats are popular here.
Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca
The Museo Fotográfico de Cuernavaca is a photography museum in Cuernavaca, Morelos, housed in a building that resembles a French-style castle.
Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca
Begun in the 16th century, the Palace of Cortés in Cuernavaca now holds the Museo Regional de los Pueblos de Morelos, reopened in 2023. Out on the east terrace, Diego Rivera's mural on the history of Morelos is back on view.
Xochicalco
A fortified hilltop city that thrived between about 650 and 900, Xochicalco is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see the Pyramid of the Plumed Serpent with its carved reliefs, ball courts, an underground observatory and a site museum.
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 Oaxtepec to other places in Mexico
- Oaxtepec to Omitlán
- Oaxtepec to El Oro
- Oaxtepec to Huasca de Ocampo
- Oaxtepec to Tetela de Ocampo
- Oaxtepec to Metztitlán
- Oaxtepec to Bernal
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Oaxtepec to Tonatico?
About 2 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 93 miles.
How far is Tonatico from Oaxtepec by car?
About 93 miles (149 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 Oaxtepec 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 Oaxtepec to Tonatico?
The U.S. State Department rates 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 Oaxtepec to Tonatico use?
In order: MEX-160D, MEX-95D, 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 Oaxtepec and Tonatico?
Closest to the road: El Tepozteco (archaeological site, mile 12, 1 mi from the route); El Tepozteco National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 12, 1 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 73, 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.