The Wayro route from Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo is 329 miles (530 km), about 6 h 31 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 329 mi (530 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 31 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-131 → MEX-190 → MEX-135D → MEX-150D |
| Mexican states on the route | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-135D, MEX-150D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 13.2 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.
Driving Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo: the shape of the trip
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-131 (81 mi) carry about 71% of the 329 miles. It runs through 2 states: Oaxaca, Puebla. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-135D and MEX-150D. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Santa Catarina Juquila and Chipilo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–19 | 19 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 19–78 | 59 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 78–82 | 4 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-131 | 82–104 | 22 | Oaxaca |
| local roads | 104–120 | 16 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 120–126 | 6 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-135D | 126–277 | 151 | Oaxaca, Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 277–320 | 43 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 320–324 | 4 | Puebla |
| local roads | 324–329 | 5 | Puebla |
- Mile 225 of this route: Oaxaca → Puebla (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Santa Catarina Juquila and Chipilo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zaachila (mile 111), Oaxaca Cathedral (mile 118)
- Nature and outdoors: Benito Juárez National Park (mile 126), Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 234), La Malinche National Park (mile 318)
- Museums and history: Zaachila (mile 111), Oaxaca Cathedral (mile 118), Monte Albán (mile 119), Archaeological Zone of Atzompa (mile 122), Museo del Valle de Tehuacán (mile 248)
Zaachila
Occupied as far back as about 1500 BC, Zaachila was a Zapotec city, later shared with Mixtecs. People still lived there when the Spanish arrived.
Monastery of Santiago Apóstol, Cuilapan de Guerrero
In the town of Cuilapan de Guerrero, the fortress-like former monastery of Santiago Apóstol is easy to spot from the highway south of Oaxaca City toward Villa de Zaachila and draws Mexican and international visitors.
Oaxaca Cathedral
Oaxaca Cathedral, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca. Construction began around 1535, and the church was consecrated on July 12, 1733.
Monte Albán
Carved into a mountaintop above the Valley of Oaxaca, Monte Albán was a Zapotec capital for some 1,300 years; visitors walk a 300-meter ceremonial plaza lined with temples, a ball court, tombs and carved reliefs. It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Archaeological Zone of Atzompa
About 8 km west of Oaxaca City on Cerro del Bonete, in Santa María Atzompa, this archaeological site was a monumental complex that belonged to nearby Monte Albán.
Benito Juárez National Park
Just north of Oaxaca City, Benito Juárez National Park covers about 2,737 hectares of pine and oak forest. Trails wind through the woods, including La Coronilla, a moderate loop of roughly 5 km.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
In 2018 UNESCO inscribed the arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, which spans Puebla and Oaxaca, as a mixed World Heritage site. A major center of cactus diversity, it also keeps ancient canals, terraces and dams.
Museo del Valle de Tehuacán
The history of corn and how it connects to the valley's early peoples is the focus of the Valley of Tehuacán Museum, which opened in 2002 in a former Carmelite convent.
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.
Arriving in Chipilo
Convent Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen, Puebla
An early 17th-century example of Puebla Baroque, the Church of the Virgin of Carmen has two richly decorated chapels and a neoclassical altarpiece holding an image of the Virgin by sculptor José Antonio Villegas Cora.
Museo Amparo
Opened in 1991 in Puebla's historic center, Museo Amparo was sponsored by the Amparo Foundation, created in 1979 by Manuel Espinosa Yglesias in honor of his wife.
Convent Church of San Francisco, Puebla
The Convent Church of San Francisco is a historic church that you'll find in the city of Puebla, in the Mexican state of Puebla.
More drives to Chipilo
- Apizaco to Chipilo
- Calpulalpan to Chipilo
- Pachuca to Chipilo
- Cuernavaca to Chipilo
- Tepotzotlán to Chipilo
- Actopan to Chipilo
From Santa Catarina Juquila to other places in Mexico
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Huatulco
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Capulalpam de Méndez
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Tlacotalpan
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Ixtenco
- Santa Catarina Juquila to San Miguel, Morelos
- Santa Catarina Juquila to Boca del Cielo
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo?
About 6 h 31 min of driving without stops, over 329 miles.
What is the driving distance from Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo?
About 329 miles (530 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 Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo?
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 Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo?
The U.S. State Department rates Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo use?
In order: MEX-131, MEX-190, MEX-135D and MEX-150D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Santa Catarina Juquila to Chipilo?
Closest to the road: Zaachila (archaeological site, mile 111, 0.4 mi from the route); Monastery of Santiago Apóstol, Cuilapan de Guerrero (monastery, mile 112, 2 mi from the route); Oaxaca Cathedral (cathedral, mile 118, 0.7 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.