The Wayro route from Tepoztlán to Tonatico is 81 miles (131 km), about 1 h 49 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 81 mi (131 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 1 h 49 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 3.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
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 Tepoztlán to Tonatico is like
MEX-95 (35 mi) and MEX-55 (23 mi) carry about 72% of the 81 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 4 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tepoztlán to Tonatico, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 1–6 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 6–11 | 5 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 11–21 | 10 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 21–32 | 11 | Morelos |
| MEX-95 | 32–57 | 25 | Morelos, Guerrero |
| MEX-55 | 57–80 | 23 | Guerrero, Morelos, State of Mexico |
| local roads | 80–81 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 54 of this route: Morelos → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 59 of this route: Guerrero → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 62 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 70 of this route: State of Mexico → Guerrero (state line)
- Mile 73 of this route: Guerrero → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Tepoztlán and Tonatico
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 62)
- Nature and outdoors: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 11), Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 62)
- Museums and history: Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca (mile 20), Xochicalco (mile 27)
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.
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 Tepoztlán to other places in Mexico
- Tepoztlán to San Miguel, Morelos
- Tepoztlán to Malinalco
- Tepoztlán to Otumba
- Tepoztlán to Jilotepec
- Tepoztlán to Ixtenco
- Tepoztlán to Omitlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tepoztlán to Tonatico?
About 1 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 81 miles.
How far is Tonatico from Tepoztlán by car?
About 81 miles (131 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 Tepoztlán 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 Tepoztlán 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 Tepoztlán 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 Tepoztlán and Tonatico?
Closest to the road: Palace of Cortés, Cuernavaca (fortified palace, mile 20, 2 mi from the route); Xochicalco (archaeological site, mile 27, 5 mi from the route); Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 62, 0.3 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.