Plan on about 8 h 11 min of driving for the 368-mile (593 km) trip from Ibarra to Puerto López, 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: “When traveling between provinces, it is recommended to travel during daylight.”
| Distance | 368 mi (593 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 11 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 14.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
On the road from Ibarra to Puerto López
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. Of the 6 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Ibarra to Puerto López
| 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 | 349–368 | 19 | 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)
Stops between Ibarra and Puerto López
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (mile 71)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (mile 71), Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 73), Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 162), Botanical garden of Portoviejo (mile 300)
- Museums and history: Cochasquí (mile 39), Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 302)
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.
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo is a site owned by Pichincha province in San Antonio parish, 26 kilometers north of central Quito.
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.
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.
Botanical garden of Portoviejo
Owned by the Universidad Técnica de Manabí, the Portoviejo Botanical Garden covers about 50 hectares with a reserve, botanical garden, arboretum, orchid house, palm collection and a wildlife rescue area.
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.
Once you reach Puerto López
Machalilla National Park
Established in 1979, Machalilla National Park sits along the Pacific coast of Ecuador's Manabí Province, near Puerto López and the fishing village of Machalilla.
More drives to Puerto López
- Riobamba to Puerto López
- Baños to Puerto López
- Quito to Puerto López
- Puyo to Puerto López
- Otavalo to Puerto López
- Tena to Puerto López
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 Puerto López?
About 8 h 11 min of driving without stops, over 368 miles.
What is the driving distance from Ibarra to Puerto López?
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 Puerto López?
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 Puerto López?
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.
What are good stops between Ibarra and Puerto López?
Closest to the road: Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (park, mile 71, 0.2 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 73, 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.