Plan on about 9 h 28 min of driving for the 538-mile (866 km) trip from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo, before any stops.
| Total distance | 538 mi (866 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | PUE 438D → MEX-190D → MEX-190 → MEX-150D → MEX-135D → MEX-185D → MEX-200 |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| Toll roads (as marked in OpenStreetMap) | MEX-190D, MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-185D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.5 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.
The Zacualpan de Amilpas–Boca del Cielo drive in a few lines
MEX-135D (151 mi) and MEX-190D (115 mi) carry about 49% of the 538 miles. It runs through 4 states: Morelos, Puebla, Oaxaca, Chiapas. OpenStreetMap marks tolled sections on MEX-190D, MEX-150D and MEX-135D. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Morelos |
| PUE 438D | 3–32 | 29 | Morelos, Puebla |
| MEX-190D | 32–42 | 10 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 42–43 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-190 | 43–57 | 14 | Puebla |
| connecting roads | 57–58 | 1 | Puebla |
| MEX-150D | 58–101 | 43 | Puebla |
| MEX-135D | 101–252 | 151 | Puebla, Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 252–284 | 32 | Oaxaca |
| connecting roads | 284–286 | 2 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190D | 286–391 | 105 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-185D | 391–421 | 30 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-190 | 421–470 | 49 | Oaxaca |
| MEX-200 | 470–517 | 47 | Oaxaca, Chiapas |
| local roads | 517–538 | 21 | Chiapas |
- Mile 6 of this route: Morelos → Puebla (state line)
- Mile 153 of this route: Puebla → Oaxaca (state line)
- Mile 489 of this route: Oaxaca → Chiapas (state line)
Places worth a stop between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Boca del Cielo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Oaxaca Cathedral (mile 259), Dainzú (mile 272), Yagul (mile 280)
- Nature and outdoors: Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve (mile 144), Benito Juárez National Park (mile 252), Hierve el Agua (mile 296)
- Museums and history: Historic centre of Puebla (mile 42), Oaxaca Cathedral (mile 259), Dainzú (mile 272), Yagul (mile 280), Los Horcones (mile 513)
Historic centre of Puebla
Laid out from scratch in 1531, Puebla's UNESCO-listed core is a grid of tile-covered houses, colonial churches and the 16th–17th-century cathedral, with the old archbishop's palace that houses the Palafox Library, established in 1646.
Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve
In 2018 UNESCO inscribed the arid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, which spans Puebla and Oaxaca, as a mixed World Heritage site. A major center of cactus diversity, it also keeps ancient canals, terraces and dams.
Benito Juárez National Park
Hikers heading just north of Oaxaca City reach Benito Juárez National Park, where trails cross roughly 2,737 hectares of pine and oak. La Coronilla, a moderate loop, runs about 5 km.
Oaxaca Cathedral
Oaxaca Cathedral, the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption, is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Antequera, Oaxaca. Construction began around 1535, and the church was consecrated on July 12, 1733.
Dainzú
About 20 km southeast of Oaxaca city, Dainzú is a Zapotec archaeological site, an ancient village that developed earlier than nearby Monte Albán and Mitla and was later contemporary with them.
Yagul
On a rocky hill in Oaxaca's Tlacolula Valley, Yagul is a Zapotec site whose builders linked platforms by paths. Explore the Palace of the Six Patios, a ball court, tombs and a fortress wall with lookouts.
Hierve el Agua
About 70 km east of Oaxaca City, Hierve el Agua's two cliffs rise 50 to 90 meters above the valley, draped in near-white travertine formations that look like waterfalls.
Los Horcones
On the north side of Cerro de Bernal, atop a small ridge on the south side of a coastal plain, Los Horcones is an archaeological zone in the municipality of Tonalá, Chiapas.
More drives to Boca del Cielo
- Copainalá to Boca del Cielo
- San Cristóbal de las Casas to Boca del Cielo
- San Juan Chamula to Boca del Cielo
- Comitán to Boca del Cielo
- Tapijulapa to Boca del Cielo
- Palizada to Boca del Cielo
From Zacualpan de Amilpas to other places in Mexico
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Ixtenco
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Omitlán
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Tetela de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Huasca de Ocampo
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to El Oro
- Zacualpan de Amilpas to Metztitlán
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo?
About 9 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 538 miles.
How far is Boca del Cielo from Zacualpan de Amilpas by car?
About 538 miles (866 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo?
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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; Puebla Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Oaxaca Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Chiapas Level 3: Reconsider Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Boca del Cielo use?
In order: PUE 438D, MEX-190D, MEX-190, MEX-150D, MEX-135D, MEX-185D and MEX-200. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Boca del Cielo?
Closest to the road: Oaxaca Cathedral (cathedral, mile 259, 0.7 mi from the route); Dainzú (archaeological site, mile 272, 0.6 mi from the route); Yagul (archaeological site, mile 280, 0.9 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.