By road, Guano and Mindo are about 186 miles (299 km) apart, or roughly 4 h 30 min of driving.
Full advisory: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “In rural areas, you may encounter livestock in the road.”
| Distance | 186 mi (299 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 4 h 30 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E28A → E28 |
| Provinces on the route | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 7.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Guano to Mindo is like
E35 (94 mi) and E28 (42 mi) carry about 73% of the 186 miles. It runs through 4 provinces: Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Guano to Mindo, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–6 | 6 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 6–9 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 9–103 | 94 | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E28A | 103–117 | 14 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 117–140 | 23 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 140–182 | 42 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 182–186 | 4 | Pichincha |
- Mile 17 of this route: Chimborazo → Napo (province line)
- Mile 49 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 88 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Guano and Mindo
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Capilla del Hombre (mile 124)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotopaxi National Park (mile 83), Quito Botanical Garden (mile 124), Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 143)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 37), Museum House of Sucre (mile 116), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 124), Catequilla (mile 140)
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.
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.
Museum House of Sucre
Sucre House is a museum in Quito's historic center, established in 1977 by Ecuador's Ministry of Defence.
Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena
Dating from the 16th century, the Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena in Quito is a Dominican convent and one of the city's five oldest cloistered women's monasteries.
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.
Catequilla
Catequilla is an archaeological site on a mountaintop in the Pomasqui Valley, in San Antonio parish near Quito, at 2,638 meters and about 300 meters above the valleys on either side.
Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve
Surrounding Pululahua Volcano, this geobotanical reserve lies 17 km north of Quito in the northwestern part of the Pomasqui Valley, Pichincha province.
More drives to Mindo
From Guano to other places in Ecuador
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Guano to Mindo?
About 4 h 30 min of driving without stops, over 186 miles.
How far is Mindo from Guano by car?
About 186 miles (299 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 Guano to Mindo drive?
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 Guano to Mindo use?
In order: E35, E28A and E28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Guano to Mindo?
Closest to the road: La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 124, 0.5 mi from the route); Quito Botanical Garden (botanical garden, mile 124, 2 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 143, 2 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.