Plan on about 10 h 15 min of driving for the 385-mile (619 km) trip from Loja to Isinliví, 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 | 385 mi (619 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 15 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E47 |
| Provinces on the route | Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
The Loja–Isinliví drive in a few lines
E35 (302 mi) and E47 (19 mi) carry about 83% of the 385 miles. It runs through 6 provinces: Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi. Of the 7 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Loja to Isinliví: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Loja |
| E35 | 1–4 | 3 | Loja |
| local roads | 4–24 | 20 | Loja |
| E35 | 24–203 | 179 | Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo |
| local roads | 203–210 | 7 | Chimborazo |
| E47 | 210–229 | 19 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 229–281 | 52 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 281–286 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 286–289 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 289–357 | 68 | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi |
| local roads | 357–385 | 28 | Cotopaxi |
- Mile 58 of this route: Loja → Azuay (province line)
- Mile 135 of this route: Azuay → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 191 of this route: Cañar → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 298 of this route: Chimborazo → Napo (province line)
- Mile 329 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (province line)
Places worth a stop between Loja and Isinliví
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapungo Museum (mile 124), Cathedral of Azogues (mile 142), Laguna de Colta (mile 272)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna de Colta (mile 272), Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria (mile 318)
- Museums and history: New Cathedral of Cuenca (mile 122), Pumapungo Museum (mile 124), Cathedral of Azogues (mile 142), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 318)
New Cathedral of Cuenca
Facing Parque Calderón, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, known as the New Cathedral of Cuenca, is the cathedral church of Cuenca, Ecuador.
Pumapungo Museum
Cathedral of Azogues
In the center of Azogues, facing the city's Parque Central, the Cathedral of Azogues (Catedral de San Francisco de Azogues) is a Catholic cathedral with classical Roman-style architecture and serves as the mother church of Cañar Province.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Isinliví
- Baños to Isinliví
- Otavalo to Isinliví
- Alausi to Isinliví
- Ibarra to Isinliví
- Tulcán to Isinliví
- Cali to Isinliví, Ecuador
From Loja to other places in Ecuador
- Loja to Alausi
- Loja to Agua Blanca
- Loja to Latacunga
- Loja to Puerto Cayo
- Loja to Baños
- Loja to Montecristi
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Loja to Isinliví?
About 10 h 15 min of driving without stops, over 385 miles.
How far is Isinliví from Loja by car?
About 385 miles (619 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 Loja to Isinliví 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 Loja to Isinliví use?
In order: E35 and E47. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Loja and Isinliví?
Closest to the road: Pumapungo Museum (museum, mile 124, 0.9 mi from the route); Cathedral of Azogues (cathedral, mile 142, 0.4 mi from the route); Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 272, 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.