By road, Guaranda and Coconuco, Colombia are about 524 miles (844 km) apart, or roughly 14 h 28 min of driving. You cross from Ecuador into Colombia at about mile 298.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Colombia: Cauca (excluding Popayán).
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: Ecuador, Colombia. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; Colombia March 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “Some roads are poorly maintained. They may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
- Colombia: “Highways may not have lights or signs showing destinations.”
| Distance by road | 524 mi (844 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 14 h 28 min |
| Main roads, in order | E491 → E35 → E28A → E28B → E282 → 25 NR C |
| Border crossing | about mile 298, Ecuador → Colombia |
| Regions on the route | Bolivar, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi, Nariño, Cauca |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 21.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Crossing from Ecuador into Colombia
The route crosses at about mile 298, from Carchi into Nariño. Plan on two checks on each side: immigration for your passport and customs for the car.
| Entering Colombia (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed for 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay (6 months recommended), with a blank page for the entry stamp. |
|---|---|
| Entering Ecuador (U.S. citizens) | No visa needed unless you stay more than 90 days in any 12-month period. Passport: must be valid for 6 months beyond your arrival date. |
| Driving in Ecuador | A valid U.S. license is recognized for up to 90 days. |
| Rental car | Cross only if the rental company authorizes it in writing and gives you the papers for the border; ask before you book. |
Sources: U.S. State Department, Colombia (updated August 11, 2025); U.S. State Department, Ecuador (updated February 18, 2026). Checked October 10, 2026; rules change, so confirm before you go.
On the road from Guaranda to Coconuco
E35 (167 mi) and E491 (54 mi) carry about 42% of the 524 miles. The first 298 miles are in Ecuador; the last 226 are in Colombia. It runs through 8 regions: Bolivar, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi, Nariño, Cauca. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Guaranda to Coconuco: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Bolivar |
| E491 | 1–55 | 54 | Bolivar, Napo |
| local roads | 55–65 | 10 | Napo |
| E35 | 65–125 | 60 | Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E28A | 125–139 | 14 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 139–155 | 16 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 155–175 | 20 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 175–182 | 7 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 182–185 | 3 | Pichincha |
| E282 | 185–191 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 191–298 | 107 | Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| 25 NR C | 298–303 | 5 | Nariño |
| local roads | 303–506 | 203 | Nariño, Cauca |
| connecting roads | 506–512 | 6 | Cauca |
| local roads | 512–524 | 12 | Cauca |
- Mile 21 of this route: Bolivar → Napo (region line)
- Mile 71 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (region line)
- Mile 110 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (region line)
- Mile 192 of this route: Pichincha → Imbabura (region line)
- Mile 246 of this route: Imbabura → Carchi (region line)
- Mile 298 of this route: Carchi → Nariño (international border)
- Mile 414 of this route: Nariño → Cauca (region line)
Stops between Guaranda and Coconuco
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Capilla del Hombre (mile 146), St. Ezequiel Moreno Cathedral, Pasto (mile 350), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Popayán (mile 509), Popayán Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art (mile 509)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotopaxi National Park (mile 105)
- Museums and history: Numismatic Museum of Ecuador (mile 139), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 146), Cochasquí (mile 178), Sanctuary of Las Lajas (mile 303), St. Ezequiel Moreno Cathedral, Pasto (mile 350), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Popayán (mile 509), Popayán Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art (mile 509)
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.
Numismatic Museum of Ecuador
Founded by the Central Bank of Ecuador, the Numismatic Museum of Ecuador in Quito keeps commemorative coins and medals, along with informative catalogs about the contents of its galleries.
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.
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.
Sanctuary of Las Lajas
Built between 1916 and 1949 inside the Guáitara River canyon near Ipiales, the neo-Gothic Sanctuary of Las Lajas is reached by a bridge about 50 meters long. The Marian shrine also has a museum and a crypt.
St. Ezequiel Moreno Cathedral, Pasto
Pasto Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of Pasto and takes its name from St. Ezequiel Moreno, the friar who was appointed the city's bishop in 1895.
Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Assumption, Popayán
Also known as Popayán Cathedral, this Catholic basilica is dedicated to the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Assumption.
Popayán Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art
In Popayán, capital of Colombia's Cauca department, the Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art is mainly devoted to displaying sacred art.
More drives to Coconuco
- Cali to Coconuco
- Tuluá to Coconuco
- San Cipriano to Coconuco
- Armenia to Coconuco
- Pereira to Coconuco
- Manizales to Coconuco
More drives from Guaranda
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Guaranda to Coconuco, Colombia?
About 14 h 28 min of driving without stops, over 524 miles.
How far is Coconuco, Colombia from Guaranda by car?
About 524 miles (844 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.
Where does the Guaranda to Coconuco drive cross the border?
At about mile 298, from Ecuador into Colombia.
What do U.S. citizens need to drive from Guaranda into Colombia?
No visa needed for 90 days or less. Passport: must be valid for your whole stay (6 months recommended), with a blank page for the entry stamp. (U.S. State Department, updated August 11, 2025.)
Is it safe to drive from Guaranda to Coconuco, Colombia?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution; Colombia Level 3: Reconsider Travel. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Colombia: Cauca (excluding Popayán)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Guaranda to Coconuco?
In order: E491, E35, E28A, E28B, E282 and 25 NR C. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Guaranda and Coconuco?
Closest to the road: La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 146, 0.6 mi from the route); St. Ezequiel Moreno Cathedral, Pasto (cathedral, mile 350, 0.6 mi from the route); Popayán Archdiocesan Museum of Religious Art (museum, mile 509, 0.4 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.