By road, Cuenca and Ibarra are about 353 miles (568 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 52 min of driving.
Full advisory: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “When traveling between provinces, it is recommended to travel during daylight.”
| Distance | 353 mi (568 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 52 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E47 → E28A → E28B → E282 |
| Provinces on the route | Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Cuenca to Ibarra
E35 (247 mi) and E28B (21 mi) carry about 76% of the 353 miles. It runs through 7 provinces: Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Cuenca to Ibarra
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Azuay |
| E35 | 2–80 | 78 | Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo |
| local roads | 80–88 | 8 | Chimborazo |
| E47 | 88–106 | 18 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 106–107 | 1 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 107–158 | 51 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 158–163 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 163–167 | 4 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 167–260 | 93 | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E28A | 260–275 | 15 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 275–290 | 15 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 290–311 | 21 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 311–318 | 7 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 318–321 | 3 | Pichincha |
| E282 | 321–327 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 327–352 | 25 | Imbabura |
| local roads | 352–353 | 1 | Imbabura |
- Mile 12 of this route: Azuay → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 70 of this route: Cañar → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 175 of this route: Chimborazo → Napo (province line)
- Mile 207 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 245 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 327 of this route: Pichincha → Imbabura (province line)
Stops between Cuenca and Ibarra
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cathedral of Azogues (mile 19), Laguna de Colta (mile 149), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 282)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna de Colta (mile 149), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 240), Quito Botanical Garden (mile 282)
- Museums and history: Cathedral of Azogues (mile 19), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 195), Casa del Alabado Museum of Pre-Columbian Art (mile 275), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 282), Cochasquí (mile 314)
Cathedral of Azogues
In the center of Azogues, facing the city's Parque Central, the Cathedral of Azogues (Catedral de San Francisco de Azogues) is a Catholic cathedral with classical Roman-style architecture and serves as the mother church of Cañar Province.
Laguna de Colta
Laguna de Colta is a lake of about 275 hectares in Colta canton, Chimborazo province, in Ecuador's central highlands, home to native birds and many kinds of colorful fish.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato
Ambato Cathedral, the Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, faces Juan Montalvo Park between Bolívar and Montalvo streets in the capital of Tungurahua province. It has held the rank of minor basilica since April 1961.
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.
Casa del Alabado Museum of Pre-Columbian Art
Set in a colonial house built in the 17th century during Spanish rule, Casa del Alabado is a museum of pre-Columbian art in Quito.
Teatro Bolívar
Teatro Bolívar is a theater in Quito, Ecuador, that opened on April 15, 1933, with seating for 2,400 spectators.
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.
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.
Once you reach Ibarra
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 Ibarra
- Santo Domingo de los Colorados to Ibarra
- Guayaquil to Ibarra
- Portoviejo to Ibarra
- Machala to Ibarra
- Loja to Ibarra
- Cali to Ibarra, Ecuador
From Cuenca to other places in Ecuador
- Cuenca to Salinas
- Cuenca to Agua Blanca
- Cuenca to Puerto Cayo
- Cuenca to Latacunga
- Cuenca to Montecristi
- Cuenca to Portoviejo
Continue Your Adventure
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cuenca to Ibarra?
About 8 h 52 min of driving without stops, over 353 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cuenca to Ibarra?
About 353 miles (568 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.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Cuenca to Ibarra drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Cuenca to Ibarra?
In order: E35, E47, E28A, E28B and E282. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cuenca and Ibarra?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Azogues (cathedral, mile 19, 0.4 mi from the route); Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 149, 0.4 mi from the route); La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 282, 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.