By road, Ambato and Tulcán are about 235 miles (379 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 39 min of driving.
Full advisory: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “Slow-moving buses and trucks frequently stop in the middle of the road unexpectedly.”
| Distance | 235 mi (379 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 5 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E28A → E28B → E282 |
| Provinces on the route | Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Ambato to Tulcán drive plays out
E35 (162 mi) and E28B (20 mi) carry about 77% of the 235 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Ambato to Tulcán
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Napo |
| E35 | 6–66 | 60 | Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E28A | 66–81 | 15 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 81–96 | 15 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 96–116 | 20 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 116–123 | 7 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 123–126 | 3 | Pichincha |
| E282 | 126–132 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 132–234 | 102 | Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| local roads | 234–235 | 1 | Carchi |
- Mile 12 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 51 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 133 of this route: Pichincha → Imbabura (province line)
- Mile 187 of this route: Imbabura → Carchi (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ambato and Tulcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Capilla del Hombre (mile 88), Wiwa Quito (mile 107)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotopaxi National Park (mile 46), Quito Botanical Garden (mile 88)
- Museums and history: National Museum of Ecuador (mile 81), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 88), Cochasquí (mile 119), Inca-Caranqui (mile 157)
- With kids: Wiwa Quito (mile 107)
Área nacional de recreación El Boliche
Created in 1979, El Boliche National Recreation Area is a 400-hectare protected area on the Pichincha–Cotopaxi border, at elevations from about 3,484 to 3,726 meters.
Cotopaxi National Park
Roughly 50 km south of Quito, Cotopaxi National Park spans parts of three provinces and surrounds Cotopaxi volcano, along with dormant Rumiñahui to the northwest and Sincholagua to the southeast.
El Carmen Alto church
On García Moreno street at Rocafuerte in Quito's historic center, El Carmen Alto is a Catholic complex of convent, church, and chapels, also known as the Monastery of Carmen Alto.
National Museum of Ecuador
Archaeology and art are the focus of the National Museum of Ecuador, which leads the country's network of museums under the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
La Capilla del Hombre
Painter Oswaldo Guayasamín's La Capilla del Hombre is a purpose-built art museum in Bellavista, overlooking Quito, dedicated to the peoples of Latin America.
Quito Botanical Garden
Covering 18,600 square meters in Quito, the Quito Botanical Garden combines a park, arboretum and greenhouses displaying plant species from across Ecuador.
Wiwa Quito
Known for almost three decades as the Quito Zoo, Wiwa Quito is a wildlife refuge park of about 12 hectares in the Guayllabamba parish of Quito, opened in 1997.
Cochasquí
On the slopes of Mojanda, an inactive volcano in Pichincha province, Cochasquí is an archaeological site in Ecuador's northern highlands, 52 km north of Quito.
Inca-Caranqui
On the southern edge of Ibarra, Inca-Caranqui preserves a semi-subterranean Inca structure of finely cut stone, possibly the pool described by Spanish chronicler Cieza de León, across from Caranqui's parish church.
More drives to Tulcán
- Latacunga to Tulcán
- Santo Domingo de los Colorados to Tulcán
- Riobamba to Tulcán
- Quevedo to Tulcán
- Babahoyo to Tulcán
- Guayaquil to Tulcán
From Ambato to other places in Ecuador
- Ambato to Mindo
- Ambato to Otavalo
- Ambato to Popayán, Colombia
- Ambato to Coconuco, Colombia
- Ambato to Máncora, Peru
- Ambato to Zorritos, Peru
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ambato to Tulcán?
About 5 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 235 miles.
How far is Tulcán from Ambato by car?
About 235 miles (379 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.
Is it safe to drive from Ambato to Tulcán?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Ambato to Tulcán use?
In order: E35, E28A, E28B and E282. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ambato and Tulcán?
Closest to the road: La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 88, 0.6 mi from the route); Quito Botanical Garden (botanical garden, mile 88, 2 mi from the route); Wiwa Quito (zoo, mile 107, 0.6 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 October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.