The Wayro route from Loja to Tulcán is 553 miles (890 km), about 13 h 55 min of driving without stops.
Full advisory: Ecuador. Advisory issued: Ecuador August 18, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Ecuador: “In rural areas, you may encounter livestock in the road.”
| Distance by road | 553 mi (890 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 13 h 55 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E47 → E28A → E28B → E282 |
| Provinces on the route | Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 22.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
How the Loja to Tulcán drive plays out
E35 (429 mi) and E28B (21 mi) carry about 81% of the 553 miles. It runs through 9 provinces: Loja, Azuay, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi. Of the 8 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Loja and Tulcán
| 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 | 289–383 | 94 | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E28A | 383–398 | 15 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 398–413 | 15 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 413–434 | 21 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 434–441 | 7 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 441–443 | 2 | Pichincha |
| E282 | 443–450 | 7 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 450–551 | 101 | Imbabura, Carchi |
| local roads | 551–553 | 2 | Carchi |
- 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)
- Mile 368 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 450 of this route: Pichincha → Imbabura (province line)
- Mile 505 of this route: Imbabura → Carchi (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Loja and Tulcán
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Pumapungo Museum (mile 124), Cathedral of Azogues (mile 142), Laguna de Colta (mile 272), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 405)
- Nature and outdoors: Laguna de Colta (mile 272), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 363)
- Museums and history: Old Cathedral of Cuenca (mile 122), Pumapungo Museum (mile 124), Cathedral of Azogues (mile 142), City Museum (mile 396), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 405), Pambamarca Fortress Complex (mile 442)
Old Cathedral of Cuenca
Begun in the mid-16th century, Cuenca's Old Cathedral (El Sagrario) was the main colonial place of worship and now serves as a Museum of Religious Art with many altars.
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.
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.
City Museum
Housed in Quito's colonial center on García Moreno Street, between Morales and Rocafuerte, the City Museum is a museum in the Ecuadorian capital.
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.
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.
More drives to Tulcán
- Latacunga to Tulcán
- Ambato to Tulcán
- Santo Domingo de los Colorados to Tulcán
- Riobamba to Tulcán
- Quevedo to Tulcán
- Babahoyo to Tulcán
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 does it take to drive from Loja to Tulcán?
About 13 h 55 min of driving without stops, over 553 miles.
How far is Tulcán from Loja by car?
About 553 miles (890 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 Loja to Tulcán?
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 Tulcán use?
In order: E35, E47, E28A, E28B and E282. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Loja and Tulcán?
Closest to the road: Cathedral of Azogues (cathedral, mile 142, 0.4 mi from the route); Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 272, 0.4 mi from the route); La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 405, 0.6 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.