Plan on about 4 h 48 min of driving for the 194-mile (313 km) trip from Ibarra to Guano, before any stops.
Full advisory: 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 | 194 mi (313 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 4 h 48 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 7.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Ibarra to Guano: the shape of the trip
E35 (115 mi) and E28B (30 mi) carry about 75% of the 194 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Ibarra to Guano
| 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 | 186–188 | 2 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 188–194 | 6 | 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)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Ibarra and Guano
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): La Capilla del Hombre (mile 71)
- Nature and outdoors: Quito Botanical Garden (mile 71), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 112)
- Museums and history: Pambamarca Fortress Complex (mile 34), Cochasquí (mile 39), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 71), Numismatic Museum of Ecuador (mile 77), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 157)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Guano
- Otavalo to Guano
- Salinas to Guano
- Puerto López to Guano
- Pasto to Guano, Ecuador
- Popayán to Guano, Ecuador
- Ipiales to Guano, Ecuador
From Ibarra to other places in Ecuador
- Ibarra to Mindo
- Ibarra to Latacunga
- Ibarra to Isinliví
- Ibarra to Baños
- Ibarra to Salinas de Guaranda
- Ibarra to Quevedo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Ibarra to Guano?
About 4 h 48 min of driving without stops, over 194 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ibarra to Guano?
About 194 miles (313 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 Guano 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 Ibarra to Guano use?
In order: E35, E282, E28B and E28A. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Ibarra and Guano?
Closest to the road: Pambamarca Fortress Complex (archaeological site, mile 34, 1 mi from the route); La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 71, 0.6 mi from the route); Monasterio de Santa Catalina de Siena (monastery, mile 77, 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.