The Wayro route from Tequila to Tepoztlán is 393 miles (632 km), about 7 h 4 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 393 mi (632 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 4 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-15D → MEX-15 → MEX-55D → MEX-55 → EM 44 → MEX-200 → MEX-95D → MEX-160D |
| Mexican states on the route | Jalisco (Level 3), Michoacán (Level 4), State of Mexico (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3) |
| Toll roads | MEX-15D, MEX-M40D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.7 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 Tequila to Tepoztlán is like
MEX-15D (275 mi) and MEX-55D (34 mi) carry about 79% of the 393 miles. MEX-15D, MEX-55D, MEX-95D, MEX-160D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-15, MEX-55, MEX-200 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico, Morelos. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Tequila to Tepoztlán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–4 | 4 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 4–25 | 21 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15 | 25–36 | 11 | Jalisco |
| MEX-15D | 36–290 | 254 | Jalisco, Michoacán, State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 290–293 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 293–327 | 34 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 327–332 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 332–338 | 6 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 338–339 | 1 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 339–347 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 347–350 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 350–354 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 354–359 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 359–373 | 14 | State of Mexico, Morelos |
| connecting roads | 373–380 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 380–386 | 6 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 386–391 | 5 | Morelos |
| local roads | 391–393 | 2 | Morelos |
- Mile 104 of this route: Jalisco → Michoacán (state line)
- Mile 272 of this route: Michoacán → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 365 of this route: State of Mexico → Morelos (state line)
Stops between Tequila and Tepoztlán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 367)
- Nature and outdoors: Rayón National Park (mile 268), La Marquesa National Park (mile 347), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 367)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de la Cerámica (mile 44), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 250), Cuernavaca Cathedral (mile 380), Teopanzolco (mile 380)
Exconvento del Carmen
Built in the 17th century for the Discalced Carmelites, the Ex Convento del Carmen in Guadalajara is now a cultural venue with a long religious history.
Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro
Better known as El Perpetuo Socorro, this Guadalajara church is home to a Passionist convent that has housed the order's postulants since 2020.
Museo Regional de la Cerámica
On Calle Independencia in central Tlaquepaque, Jalisco, the Museo Regional de la Cerámica is one of the town's two main ceramics museums.
Teatro Morelos de Maravatío
Maravatío's Teatro Morelos is a late-19th-century theater in a French-influenced neoclassical style, designed by architect Rafael Guerrero Torres. It opened on January 11, 1879, with a performance by opera singer Ángela Peralta.
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.
La Marquesa National Park
Set in high-altitude conifer forest along the Mexico City–Toluca highway, La Marquesa National Park offers roadside eateries, horse and ATV rentals, mountain biking and camping, and marks the site of the 1810 Battle of Monte de las Cruces.
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.
Cuernavaca Cathedral
Franciscans built this 16th-century convent church, now Cuernavaca's cathedral and part of the UNESCO-listed monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl; visitors can see its murals, side chapels and a sacred art museum.
Teopanzolco
Now surrounded by the city of Cuernavaca, Teopanzolco preserves a Late Postclassic pyramid base that once carried twin temples to Tlaloc and Huitzilopochtli, a layout closely tied to Tenochtitlan's sacred precinct.
When you get to Tepoztlán
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.
Tepoztlán Ex Convento Museum
Tepoztlán's Dominican monastery, built between 1555 and 1580, keeps original 16th-century murals in its cloister. Upstairs, the museum covers local daily life, faith, festivals and dances, and the complex is part of a UNESCO World Heritage listing.
Museo Carlos Pellicer
Tepoztlán's Museo de Arte Prehispánico Carlos Pellicer, opened in 1965 and named for the poet and museographer, displays a collection of pre-Hispanic objects in the former granary of the Church of Nuestra Señora de la Natividad.
More drives to Tepoztlán
- Mexico City to Tepoztlán
- Metepec to Tepoztlán
- Toluca to Tepoztlán
- Atlixco to Tepoztlán
- Taxco to Tepoztlán
- Tepotzotlán to Tepoztlán
From Tequila to other places in Mexico
- Tequila to Temacapulín
- Tequila to Pabellón de Hidalgo
- Tequila to San José de Gracia, Aguascalientes
- Tequila to Calvillo
- Tequila to Real de Asientos
- Tequila to El Rosario, Sinaloa
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tequila to Tepoztlán?
About 7 h 4 min of driving without stops, over 393 miles.
How far is Tepoztlán from Tequila by car?
About 393 miles (632 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 Tequila to Tepoztlán?
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 Tequila to Tepoztlán?
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; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Tequila to Tepoztlán use?
In order: MEX-15D, MEX-15, MEX-55D, MEX-55, EM 44, MEX-200, MEX-95D and MEX-160D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Tequila and Tepoztlán?
Closest to the road: Convento de Nuestra Señora del Perpetuo Socorro (convent, mile 40, 1 mi from the route); Museo Regional de la Cerámica (museum, mile 44, 1 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 367, 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.