↑ ↓ to move ↵ to open esc to close
    Ixtlán de Juárez among pine-covered mountains, Oaxaca

    Photo by Stephen Lea, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Old stone church of Ixtlán with its carved doorway, Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Green entrance arch and fountain of Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Municipal palace of Ixtlán with palms before the mountains, Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca

    Photo by AlejandroLinaresGarcia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Ixtlán de Juárez

    Town Ixtlán de Juárez, Oaxaca Sierra Norte of Oaxaca

    The Sierra Juárez's main town: the Baroque church where Benito Juárez was baptized, a model community forest and an adventure park.

    From Oaxaca: 1 h 5 min by car (64 km by road) How to get there ↓

    Near here

    See everything nearby ↓

    Plan your visit to Ixtlán de Juárez

    Where to stay near Ixtlán de Juárez

    Los Sabinos Hotel · 5.1 km from the center Prices Posada Don Juanito Hotel · 5.2 km from the center Prices
    Hotels in Capulálpam de Méndez Houses on Vrbo

    Tours to Ixtlán de Juárez

    Day trips around Capulálpam de Méndez sometimes stop in Ixtlán de Juárez; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.

    Tour of the Sierra Juárez, Ixtlán, Guelatao and Capulálpam ★ 3.9 (7) · From US$128
    Find tours on Viator GetYourGuide Tours from Capulálpam de Méndez

    How to get to Ixtlán de Juárez

    • From Oaxaca: about 1 h 5 min by road (~64 km)
    • 5 km northwest of Capulálpam de Méndez
    • Nearest airport: Oaxaca (OAX), 1 h 27 min by car to Capulálpam de Méndez
    Rent a car at OAX Flights to OAX

    Route, map and directions ↓

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    Popular tours to Ixtlán de Juárez

    Tour of the Sierra Juárez, Ixtlán, Guelatao and Capulálpam ★ 3.9 (7) 8 h From US$128

    Tours, prices and ratings from Viator, checked weekly. We may earn a commission if you book.

    About Ixtlán de Juárez

    Ixtlán de Juárez is the main town of this part of the Sierra Norte, on Highway 175 just past Guelatao, and the one where you find the bank, the market and the bus connections. It is a Zapotec town, and about half of its people speak an indigenous language. Its name in Nahuatl is usually translated as "place of fibers."

    On a rise above the central plaza stands the Baroque church of Santo Tomás Apóstol, with a carved stone facade and gilded altarpieces inside. Benito Juárez, born in neighboring Guelatao, was baptized here on March 22, 1806, the day after his birth, and the town is proud of the connection. The plaza itself is decorated with big concrete sculptures of clay jars, a nod to a pottery tradition that once kept dozens of local women busy and is now carried on by very few.

    Ixtlán is best known today for its forest. The community owns and manages a large stretch of pine, oak and cloud forest, logging it under a sustainable plan that has held international Forest Stewardship Council certification for about two decades, and it is often cited as a model of community forestry in Mexico. The community also runs Ecoturixtlán, a tourism center with cabins, hiking trails, rappelling and zip lines in the forest.

    How to get to Ixtlán de Juárez

    Drive from Oaxaca: 1 h 5 min, 64 km

    Ixtlán is about 15 minutes from Capulálpam by car or taxi: drive down to Highway 175 and head north past Guelatao. Buses and vans from Oaxaca City to the Sierra Norte stop in Ixtlán, roughly an hour and a half from the capital, and taxis connect it with Capulálpam.

    5 km northwest of Capulálpam de Méndez

    Directions from Capulálpam de Méndez on Google Maps

    Distances are in a straight line; the road is usually longer.

    Best with a guide Tours to Ixtlán de Juárez on Viator With transport and a guide, leaving from nearby towns and cities. See prices →

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you.

    From the nearest cities to Ixtlán de Juárez

    • Oaxaca · 64 km by road, 1 h 5 min
    • Tuxtepec · 156 km by road, 2 h 25 min
    • Tehuacán · about 205 km by road, ~3 h

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic or stops. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Before you go to Ixtlán de Juárez: hours, prices and tips

    Best season
    Winter (December to February) is pitched as the time to come: cold, misty cloud forest, and cabins with fireplaces. Tus Buenas Noticias · checked Oct 2026
    Guide or tour
    Local ecotourism guides offer walks, bike rides, horseback rides and vehicle tours through the community forest. Tours: Viator GetYourGuide UnoTV · checked Oct 2026

    Hours and prices change, especially around holidays. Each fact links to where we checked it.

    Visiting Ixtlán de Juárez: what to see and do

    Visit the church of Santo Tomás Apóstol, where Benito Juárez was baptized.
    Walk around the central plaza with its giant clay-jar sculptures.
    Spend a day at Ecoturixtlán for forest trails, rappelling and zip lines.
    Stock up at the market before heading into the smaller mountain villages.

    Plan your trip

    Places to stay in Ixtlán de Juárez

    Los Sabinos Hotel · 5.1 km from the center Find on Expedia Posada Don Juanito Hotel · 5.2 km from the center Find on Expedia Hotel Chorromonte Hotel · 5.3 km from the center Find on Expedia Cabañas Amatlán Hotel · 6.0 km from the center Find on Expedia Cabañas Hotel · 7.1 km from the center Find on Expedia Hostal Yaa-Letzi Hostel · 220 m from the center Find on Expedia
    See them all on Expedia Booking.com
    Vacation rentals on Vrbo Airbnb

    Tours & activities

    Day trips around Capulálpam de Méndez sometimes stop in Ixtlán de Juárez; a tour is the easy way to see it without a car.

    Viator GetYourGuide

    Rental cars

    Pick up a car at OAX (Oaxaca): about 1 h 27 min by road to Capulálpam de Méndez, then 5 km more to Ixtlán de Juárez, on your own schedule.

    EconomyBookings Discover Cars

    Flights

    The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Oaxaca (OAX), about 1 h 27 min by road from Capulálpam de Méndez, the base for Ixtlán de Juárez.

    Kiwi.com

    Travel insurance

    Medical and trip cover for Mexico, by the week or month.

    SafetyWing

    Mobile data

    Signal can drop away from Capulálpam de Méndez: download a map of the way to Ixtlán de Juárez before you set out, or carry an eSIM with data.

    Airalo

    Links open a partner site. We may earn a commission if you book, at no cost to you. Hotel names from OpenStreetMap.

    Photos

    + Add a photo Been here? Share yours

    Add photos of Ixtlán de Juárez

    Add details (optional)
    Shown under your photos as “Photo by …”, linked to your Instagram or site. Leave both blank to stay anonymous.
    Optional. Only so we can reply; never shown or shared.

    By sending, you confirm you took these photos and Puebloteca may show them on the Ixtlán de Juárez page.

    When to go to Ixtlán de Juárez cool

    Ixtlán de Juárez shares the climate of Capulálpam de Méndez, 5 km away. The best months to visit are January, February, March, and December.

    See the month-by-month climate of Capulálpam de Méndez

    Make Capulálpam de Méndez your base

    Stone church of San Mateo with its two red-domed towers, Capulálpam de Méndez, Oaxaca cool
    Oaxaca Capulálpam de Méndez

    Ixtlán de Juárez is an easy trip from Capulálpam de Méndez, a Pueblo Mágico with places to stay, food, and more to see.

    Also close to

    Closest to Ixtlán de Juárez

    All 4 towns and sights around Capulálpam de Méndez →

    Near Ixtlán de Juárez

    Drive times by road from OpenStreetMap, without traffic. Times marked ~ are estimated from the straight-line distance.

    Something wrong or missing on this page? Suggest a fix or addition

    Location from OpenStreetMap. Written by Puebloteca.