By road, Ibarra and Alausi are about 247 miles (398 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 60 min of driving.
Full advisory: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “Heavy fog and rain make conditions more dangerous.”
| Total distance | 247 mi (398 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 60 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E282 → E28B → E28A |
| Provinces on the route | Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.9 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Ibarra to Alausi: the shape of the trip
E35 (167 mi) and E28B (30 mi) carry about 80% of the 247 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Ibarra to Alausi, road by road
| 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 | 62–89 | 27 | Pichincha |
| E28A | 89–95 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 95–186 | 91 | Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 186–190 | 4 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 190–194 | 4 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 194–246 | 52 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 246–247 | 1 | Chimborazo |
- Mile 25 of this route: Imbabura → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 107 of this route: Pichincha → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 146 of this route: Cotopaxi → Napo (province line)
- Mile 179 of this route: Napo → Chimborazo (province line)
What to see on the way from Ibarra to Alausi
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Wiwa Quito (mile 51), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 71), Laguna de Colta (mile 203)
- Nature and outdoors: Quito Botanical Garden (mile 71), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 112), Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria (mile 157), Laguna de Colta (mile 203)
- Museums and history: Pambamarca Fortress Complex (mile 34), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 71), Templo de la Patria Museum (mile 77)
- With kids: Wiwa Quito (mile 51)
Pambamarca Fortress Complex
Northern Ecuador's Pambamarca Fortress Complex holds ruins of many pukaras built by the Incas in the late 15th century to overcome resistance from the Cayambe chiefdom.
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.
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.
Sucre National Theater
Built between 1879 and 1886 on the orders of President Ignacio de Veintimilla, Quito's Sucre National Theater (Teatro Nacional Sucre) is an Italian-style theater inspired by European models.
Templo de la Patria Museum
Designed by Milton Barragán, the Templo de la Patria in Quito is a museum and monument recalling the 1822 Battle of Pichincha, when Sucre's independence troops drove Spanish forces from the city.
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.
Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria
On Avenida Circunvalación in Ambato, Tungurahua Province, the Atocha-La Liria Botanical Garden covers 35 acres and dates back to 1849.
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.
More drives to Alausi
- Latacunga to Alausi
- Puyo to Alausi
- Tena to Alausi
- Otavalo to Alausi
- Esmeraldas to Alausi
- Tulcán to Alausi
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 Alausi?
About 5 h 60 min of driving without stops, over 247 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ibarra to Alausi?
About 247 miles (398 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 Ibarra to Alausi drive?
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 Alausi?
In order: E35, E282, E28B and E28A. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Ibarra to Alausi?
Closest to the road: Wiwa Quito (zoo, mile 51, 0.5 mi from the route); La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 71, 0.6 mi from the route); Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 203, 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.