Plan on about 8 h 18 min of driving for the 368-mile (593 km) trip from Ibarra to Agua Blanca, before any stops.
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel in Ecuador: Sucumbios, Manabi, Santa Elena, and Santo Domingo provinces.
Read the full advisory before you go: 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 | 368 mi (593 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 18 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E282 → E28B → E28 → E25 → E38 → E382 → E39A → E30 → E482A → E482 → E483 → E15 |
| Provinces on the route | Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Driving Ibarra to Agua Blanca: the shape of the trip
E38 (86 mi) and E28 (52 mi) carry about 38% of the 368 miles. It runs through 4 provinces: Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Ibarra to Agua Blanca: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Imbabura |
| E35 | 1–25 | 24 | Imbabura |
| E282 | 25–32 | 7 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 32–62 | 30 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 62–70 | 8 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 70–122 | 52 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 122–124 | 2 | Pichincha |
| E25 | 124–161 | 37 | Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| connecting roads | 161–165 | 4 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| E38 | 165–181 | 16 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| local roads | 181–186 | 5 | Manabi |
| E382 | 186–220 | 34 | Manabi |
| E38 | 220–290 | 70 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 290–293 | 3 | Manabi |
| E39A | 293–304 | 11 | Manabi |
| E30 | 304–309 | 5 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 309–310 | 1 | Manabi |
| E482A | 310–314 | 4 | Manabi |
| E482 | 314–333 | 19 | Manabi |
| E483 | 333–349 | 16 | Manabi |
| E15 | 349–365 | 16 | Manabi |
| local roads | 365–368 | 3 | Manabi |
- Mile 25 of this route: Imbabura → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 136 of this route: Pichincha → Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (province line)
- Mile 180 of this route: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas → Manabi (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Agua Blanca
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 162)
- Museums and history: Cochasquí (mile 39), Catequilla (mile 71), Rumicucho (mile 71), Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 302), Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo (mile 303)
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.
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.
Rumicucho
Rumicucho, or Pucara de Rumicucho, is an Inca archaeological site in the parish of San Antonio de Pichincha, in Quito Canton, Ecuador.
Jardín botánico La Carolina
Now named Jardín Botánico Padre Julio Marrero, this roughly 17-hectare botanical garden, palm collection and orchid house in Santo Domingo de los Colorados belongs to the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador.
Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral
Officially the Catedral Metropolitana de Jesús el Buen Pastor, Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral stands on Calle Alajuela in the Ecuadorian city of Portoviejo.
Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo
Facing the Parque Central of Portoviejo, capital of Manabí Province, this museum and historical archive was created in 2007 to preserve the province's archaeological, artistic and documentary collections.
More drives to Agua Blanca
- Alausi to Agua Blanca
- Riobamba to Agua Blanca
- Guano to Agua Blanca
- Baños to Agua Blanca
- Puyo to Agua Blanca
- Quito to Agua Blanca
From Ibarra to other places in Ecuador
- Ibarra to Mindo
- Ibarra to Latacunga
- Ibarra to Isinliví
- Ibarra to Baños
- Ibarra to Guano
- Ibarra to Salinas de Guaranda
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Ibarra to Agua Blanca?
About 8 h 18 min of driving without stops, over 368 miles.
How far is Agua Blanca from Ibarra by car?
About 368 miles (593 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 Ibarra to Agua Blanca?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Ibarra to Agua Blanca?
In order: E35, E282, E28B, E28, E25, E38, E382, E39A, E30, E482A, E482, E483 and E15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ibarra to Agua Blanca?
Closest to the road: Catequilla (archaeological site, mile 71, 2 mi from the route); Rumicucho (archaeological site, mile 71, 2 mi from the route); Jardín botánico La Carolina (botanical garden, mile 162, 1 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.