The Wayro route from Sayula to Ixcateopan is 452 miles (727 km), about 8 h 15 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 452 mi (727 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-54 → MEX-54D → MEX-GUA 10D → MEX-35 → JAL 122 → MEX-15D → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → MEX-95 → MEX-92D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Guerrero (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 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 Sayula to Ixcateopan is like
MEX-15D (203 mi) and MEX-55D (58 mi) carry about 58% of the 452 miles. MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-92D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-54, MEX-35, MEX-55, MEX-95 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Guerrero. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Sayula to Ixcateopan, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54 | 1–5 | 4 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 5–7 | 2 | Jalisco |
| MEX-54D | 7–48 | 41 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 48–49 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-GUA 10D | 49–71 | 22 | Jalisco |
| connecting roads | 71–72 | 1 | Jalisco |
| MEX-35 | 72–101 | 29 | Jalisco |
| JAL 122 | 101–107 | 6 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 107–310 | 203 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 310–313 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 313–347 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 347–352 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 352–365 | 13 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 365–366 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 366–390 | 24 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 390–394 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 394–402 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 402–419 | 17 | State of Mexico, Guerrero |
| MEX-95 | 419–422 | 3 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 422–424 | 2 | Guerrero |
| MEX-92D | 424–429 | 5 | Guerrero |
| connecting roads | 429–430 | 1 | Guerrero |
| local roads | 430–452 | 22 | Guerrero |
- Mile 124 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 293 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 403 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 406 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 416 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
Stops between Sayula and Ixcateopan
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 352), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 414), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 430), William Spratling Museum (mile 430)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 289), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 370), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 414)
- Museums and history: Calixtlahuaca (mile 347), Museum José María Velasco (mile 352), Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario (mile 352), Xochicalco (mile 412), Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (mile 430), William Spratling Museum (mile 430)
Rayón National Park
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.
Calixtlahuaca
Spread over the slopes of Cerro Tenismó near Toluca, this site's standout is the round Temple of Ehécatl-Quetzalcóatl, rebuilt in four phases. Nearby, a Mexica-era skull rack displays stone skulls set into cross-shaped walls.
Museum José María Velasco
In Toluca's historic center, the Museo José María Velasco shares the work of 19th-century Mexican painter José María Velasco, with Plaza de los Mártires to the south and the Government Palace to the east.
Museo Galería de Arte Mexiquense Torres Bicentenario
Set in Toluca's Torres Bicentenario complex, built to celebrate Mexican independence, this gallery shows paintings, prints and sculpture by artists from the State of Mexico, and many works are for sale.
Nevado de Toluca National Park
The Nevado de Toluca volcano was declared a flora and fauna protection area in 2013, a protected zone spanning ten municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Toluca, Zinacantepec and Temascaltepec.
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.
Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco
Silver baron José de la Borda paid for Santa Prisca with the bonanza from his San Ignacio mine in Taxco, and the church was dedicated in 1759, the same year his nearby house on the plaza was finished.
William Spratling Museum
Taxco's archaeological museum grew from the collection of William Spratling, the American who revived the town's silver craft in the 1930s. It shows pre-Hispanic pieces, including Olmec and Mezcala-style works, plus a gallery on silversmithing.
When you get to Ixcateopan
Ixcateopan
Some 36 kilometers from Taxco in the rugged mountains of northern Guerrero, the ruins at Ixcateopan de Cuauhtémoc belong to a city that served as an important regional ceremonial center.
More drives to Ixcateopan
- Tlaltizapán to Ixcateopan
- Tepoztlán to Ixcateopan
- Metepec to Ixcateopan
- Oaxtepec to Ixcateopan
- Tlayacapan to Ixcateopan
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixcateopan
From Sayula to other places in Mexico
- Sayula to Amatitán
- Sayula to Temacapulín
- Sayula to Nochistlán
- Sayula to Jalpa de Cánovas
- Sayula to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Sayula to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Sayula to Ixcateopan?
About 8 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.
How far is Ixcateopan from Sayula by car?
About 452 miles (727 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 Sayula to Ixcateopan?
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 Sayula to Ixcateopan?
The U.S. State Department rates Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Guerrero Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Sayula to Ixcateopan use?
In order: MEX-54, MEX-54D, MEX-GUA 10D, MEX-35, JAL 122, MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-55, MEX-95 and MEX-92D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Sayula and Ixcateopan?
Closest to the road: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 414, 0.1 mi from the route); Church of Santa Prisca de Taxco (church building, mile 430, 0.4 mi from the route); William Spratling Museum (museum, mile 430, 0.4 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.