By road, Tepic and Malinalco are about 452 miles (728 km) apart, or roughly 7 h 44 min of driving.
| Distance | 452 mi (728 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 44 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 |
| Mexican states on the route | Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-A10D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
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 Tepic to Malinalco is like
MEX-15D (358 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 87% of the 452 miles. It runs through 4 states: Nayarit, Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-15D, MEX-M40D and MEX-55D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Tepic to Malinalco: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Nayarit |
| MEX-15D | 5–110 | 105 | Nayarit, Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 110–122 | 12 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 122–375 | 253 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 375–378 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 378–412 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 412–418 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 418–452 | 34 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 62 of this route: Nayarit → Jalisco (state line)
- Mile 190 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 357 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Tepic and Malinalco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 377)
- Nature and outdoors: Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos (mile 413), Nevado de Toluca National Park (mile 429)
- Museums and history: Guachimontones (mile 96), Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi (mile 126), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 336), Cathedral of Atlacomulco (mile 377), Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (mile 417)
Guachimontones
About 40 circular buildings and two ball courts spread over 20 hectares at Guachimontones, outside Teuchitlán. INAH calls it western Mexico's first large population center, dating back to around 1000 BC.
Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi
The Museo del Tequila y el Mariachi is a space devoted to showing and sharing the culture of tequila and mariachi, both part of Mexico's heritage and cultural identity.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Opera singer Ángela Peralta performed at the opening of Maravatío's Teatro Morelos on January 11, 1879. Architect Rafael Guerrero Torres designed the building in a neoclassical style with French influence.
Cathedral of Atlacomulco
The seat of the Diocese of Atlacomulco is the Catedral de la Divina Providencia, which serves as the main Catholic church in town and takes its dedication from Divine Providence.
Parque Estatal Sierra Morelos
This Toluca park, one of the State of Mexico's protected natural areas, is home to more than 500 species of plants and animals. Families come for the axolotl center, bat house, small farm and jogging track.
Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez
In Toluca's historic center, a building from the late 18th and early 19th centuries holds about 225 watercolors, oils and drawings tracing the work of painter Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez. It opened in December 1992.
Teatro Morelos
In Toluca's historic center, just west of the State of Mexico's Palace of Justice, Teatro Morelos stages plays along with other shows and cultural events.
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.
Arriving in Malinalco
Malinalco
Carved straight into the hillside above Malinalco, the Cuauhcalli is a rock-cut temple at the heart of this archaeological zone. The Mexica took the Matlatzinca town around 1476 and used it to train and consecrate elite warriors.
Desierto del Carmen National Park
Declared a national park on October 10, 1942, Desierto del Carmen is a protected area in the municipality of Tenancingo, in the State of Mexico.
More drives to Malinalco
- Valle de Bravo to Malinalco
- Zitácuaro to Malinalco
- Tlalpujahua to Malinalco
- San Juan del Río to Malinalco
- Tequisquiapan to Malinalco
- Salvatierra to Malinalco
From Tepic to other places in Mexico
- Tepic to Amatitán
- Tepic to Ajijic
- Tepic to Tepatitlán
- Tepic to Temacapulín
- Tepic to Nochistlán
- Tepic to San Juan de los Lagos
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepic to Malinalco?
About 7 h 44 min of driving without stops, over 452 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Tepic by car?
About 452 miles (728 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 Tepic to Malinalco?
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 Tepic to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Nayarit Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Jalisco Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Michoacán 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.
Which highways go from Tepic to Malinalco?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D and MEX-55. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tepic and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Atlacomulco (cathedral, mile 377, 0.4 mi from the route); Museo Felipe Santiago Gutiérrez (art museum, mile 417, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Morelos (theater, mile 417, 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 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.