The Wayro route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Pacanda is 276 miles (444 km), about 5 h 29 min of driving without stops.
| Distance | 276 mi (444 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 5 h 29 min |
| Main roads, in order | MEX-160 → MEX-160D → MEX-95D → MEX-106 → MEX-200 → EM 44 → MEX-55 → MEX-55D → MEX-15D → MEX-37D |
| Mexican states on the route | Morelos (Level 3), State of Mexico (Level 2), Michoacán (Level 4) |
| Toll roads | MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 11.0 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 Zacualpan de Amilpas to Pacanda is like
MEX-15D (90 mi) and MEX-37D (37 mi) carry about 46% of the 276 miles. MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-55D, MEX-15D, MEX-37D are toll highways (cuota); MEX-160, MEX-106, MEX-200, MEX-55 are free federal roads (libre). It runs through 3 states: Morelos, State of Mexico, Michoacán. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Pacanda, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Morelos |
| MEX-160 | 7–17 | 10 | Morelos |
| MEX-160D | 17–38 | 21 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 38–39 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-95D | 39–49 | 10 | Morelos |
| connecting roads | 49–50 | 1 | Morelos |
| MEX-106 | 50–68 | 18 | Morelos, State of Mexico |
| MEX-200 | 68–72 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 72–77 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| connecting roads | 77–80 | 3 | State of Mexico |
| EM 44 | 80–88 | 8 | State of Mexico |
| local roads | 88–93 | 5 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 93–104 | 11 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55D | 104–133 | 29 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-55 | 133–137 | 4 | State of Mexico |
| MEX-15D | 137–227 | 90 | State of Mexico, Michoacán |
| MEX-37D | 227–264 | 37 | Michoacán |
| connecting roads | 264–269 | 5 | Michoacán |
| local roads | 269–276 | 7 | Michoacán |
- Mile 58 of this route: Morelos → State of Mexico (state line)
- Mile 155 of this route: State of Mexico → Michoacán (state line)
Stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Pacanda
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (mile 22), Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 59), Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 95)
- Nature and outdoors: Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (mile 59), Cumbres del Ajusco National Park (mile 61), La Marquesa National Park (mile 80)
- Museums and history: Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (mile 95), Teatro Morelos de Maravatío (mile 176), Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro (mile 267)
Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán
In Oaxtepec, the Exconvento de Santo Domingo de Guzmán is among the first convents the Dominicans built in Mexico, and its walls preserve extensive fresco painting from the colonial era.
Templo y Exconvento de San Juan Bautista de Tlayacapan
Augustinian friars began this fortress-like church and monastery in the 16th century. Part of the UNESCO-listed group of monasteries on the slopes of Popocatépetl, its former cloister now holds a museum with 17th-century murals and religious art.
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.
Cumbres del Ajusco National Park
Pine and oak forests climb toward alpine meadows in Cumbres del Ajusco National Park, on Mexico City's southern edge. It draws hikers, climbers and cyclists, and it gets occasional snow, a rarity for the region.
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.
Ciénegas del Lerma
These marshes in the Toluca Valley are three lakes left from a wetland of about 27,000 hectares in the late 19th century. A Ramsar site since 2004, they hold dozens of endemic and threatened species and are a key stop for migratory species.
Fine Arts Museum of Toluca
Toluca's Museo de Bellas Artes has filled a former Carmelite convent since 1945. Its galleries hold colonial-era paintings and sculpture, including an 18th-century funeral catafalque.
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.
Basilica of Nuestra Señora de la Salud, Pátzcuaro
Pátzcuaro's basilica (Basílica de Nuestra Señora de la Salud) rises on pre-Hispanic platforms beside its own plaza. Bishop Vasco de Quiroga planned it as a five-nave cathedral, only one nave was finished, and his remains rest inside.
When you get to Pacanda
Lake Pátzcuaro
Boats leave the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro for its islands, including Janitzio, topped by a statue of José María Morelos. Purépecha fishers here are known for butterfly-shaped nets, and whitefish is the local specialty.
Ihuatzio
On the shore of Lake Pátzcuaro, Ihuatzio was one of three main Purépecha power centers. Visitors can see raised walkways and two semicircular pyramids called yácatas; excavations here also turned up Chac Mool and coyote sculptures carved from volcanic rock.
More drives to Pacanda
- Amatitán to Pacanda
- Tequila to Pacanda
- Pabellón de Arteaga to Pacanda
- Real de Asientos to Pacanda
- Guadalupe, Zacatecas to Pacanda
- Zacatecas to Pacanda
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 is the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Pacanda?
About 5 h 29 min of driving without stops, over 276 miles.
How far is Pacanda from Zacualpan de Amilpas by car?
About 276 miles (444 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 Pacanda?
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 Pacanda?
The U.S. State Department rates Morelos Level 3: Reconsider Travel; State of Mexico Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Michoacán Level 4: Do Not Travel (advisory issued May 29, 2026). Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Zacualpan de Amilpas to Pacanda use?
In order: MEX-160, MEX-160D, MEX-95D, MEX-106, MEX-200, EM 44, MEX-55, MEX-55D, MEX-15D and MEX-37D. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles and states for each one.
What are good stops between Zacualpan de Amilpas and Pacanda?
Closest to the road: Former convent of Saint Dominic de Guzmán (convent, mile 22, 0.9 mi from the route); Lagunas de Zempoala National Park (National Park of Mexico, mile 59, 0.3 mi from the route); Fine Arts Museum of Toluca (museum, mile 95, 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 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.