The Wayro route from Zacatelco to Malinalco is 137 miles (220 km), about 3 h 5 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 137 mi (220 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 3 h 5 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-119D → PUE 438D → MEX-94D → MOR 21 → MEX-185 → MEX-181 |
| Mexican states on the route | Tlaxcala (Level 2), Puebla (Level 2), Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2) |
| Toll roads | MEX-119D, MEX-94D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 5.5 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 Zacatelco to Malinalco is like
PUE 438D (34 mi) and MEX-94D (32 mi) carry about 48% of the 137 miles. MEX-119D, MEX-94D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-185, MEX-181 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 4 states: Tlaxcala, Puebla, Morelos, State of Mexico. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Zacatelco to Malinalco, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Tlaxcala |
| MEX-119D | 2–7 | 5 | Tlaxcala, Puebla |
| local roads | 7–28 | 21 | Puebla |
| PUE 438D | 28–62 | 34 | Puebla, Morelos |
| MEX-94D | 62–94 | 32 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 94–98 | 4 | Morelos |
| MOR 21 | 98–107 | 9 | Morelos |
| local roads | 107–127 | 20 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-185 | 127–132 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-181 | 132–136 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 136–137 | 1 | State of Mexico |
- Mile 5 of this route: Tlaxcala → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 55 of this route: Puebla → Morelos (state line)
- Mile 125 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
Stops between Zacatelco and Malinalco
- Nature and outdoors: Grutas de Cacahuamilpa National Park (mile 117)
- Museums and history: Museo Regional de Cholula (mile 12), International Museum of the Baroque (mile 17), Chalcatzingo (mile 63), Las Pilas archaeological site (mile 64), Museo de sitio de Xochicalco (mile 111)
Great Pyramid of Cholula
Under a hilltop church dedicated to the Virgin of los Remedios lies Tlachihualtepetl, a pyramid built in superimposed stages with a base about 400 meters per side. Excavations have opened roughly 8 km of tunnels inside the mound.
Museo Regional de Cholula
Right beside the Great Pyramid and archaeological zone of Cholula, this public museum displays collections ranging from pre-Hispanic and colonial art to contemporary and folk art.
International Museum of the Baroque
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito and opened in 2016, Puebla's baroque museum wraps its galleries in curving white concrete walls beside a reflecting pond. Exhibits cover baroque painting, sculpture, architecture, music, theater and literature.
Convento de San Juan Bautista
This convent in Tetela del Volcán, known for its carved wooden sacristy and light-filled cloister walks, was cleaned of soot left from its use as a barracks during the Mexican Revolution in a conservation project completed in 2009.
Convento de Santiago Apóstol
In the town of Ocuituco, the Temple and Ex-convent of Santiago Apóstol (Templo y Exconvento de Santiago Apóstol) belongs to the UNESCO-listed group of 16th-century monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, inscribed in 1994.
Chalcatzingo
At the foot of Cerro Chalcatzingo in eastern Morelos, this early site is known for stone reliefs carved mainly between 700 and 500 BC, some among the region's earliest stone sculpture and several in Olmec style, spread across the hillside.
Las Pilas archaeological site
Set inside a bathing park in Jonacatepec, Las Pilas was a ceremonial center devoted to water, where inhabitants built channels to collect and store underground water for irrigation; burials were found within the channel system.
Museo de sitio de Xochicalco
Next to the Xochicalco archaeological zone in Morelos, the site museum sits along the Xochicalco–Tetlama federal road.
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.
When you get to 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 Zacatelco to other places in Mexico
- Zacatelco to Tlaxco
- Zacatelco to Calpulalpan
- Zacatelco to Otumba
- Zacatelco to Atlatlahucan
- Zacatelco to Omitlán
- Zacatelco to Huasca de Ocampo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Zacatelco to Malinalco?
About 3 h 5 min of driving without stops, over 137 miles.
How far is Malinalco from Zacatelco by car?
About 137 miles (220 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 Zacatelco 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 Zacatelco to Malinalco?
The U.S. State Department rates Tlaxcala Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Morelos Level 3: Reconsider 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 Zacatelco to Malinalco use?
In order: MEX-119D, PUE 438D, MEX-94D, MOR 21, MEX-185 and MEX-181. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacatelco and Malinalco?
Closest to the road: Museo Regional de Cholula (anthropology museum, mile 12, 1 mi from the route); International Museum of the Baroque (art museum, mile 17, 1 mi from the route); Las Pilas archaeological site (archaeological site, mile 64, 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 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.