By road, Nueva Loja and Agua Blanca are about 479 miles (771 km) apart, or roughly 10 h 38 min of driving.
- 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: “Slow-moving buses and trucks frequently stop in the middle of the road unexpectedly.”
| Distance by road | 479 mi (771 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 10 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | E45 → E20 → E28 → E25 → E38 → E382 → E39A → E30 → E482A → E482 → E483 → E15 |
| Provinces on the route | Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 19.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
On the road from Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca
E45 (104 mi) and E38 (85 mi) carry about 39% of the 479 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi. None of the 8 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| E45 | 0–104 | 104 | Sucumbios, Tungurahua |
| E20 | 104–152 | 48 | Tungurahua, Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 152–155 | 3 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 155–180 | 25 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 180–233 | 53 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 233–234 | 1 | Pichincha |
| E25 | 234–271 | 37 | Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| connecting roads | 271–275 | 4 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| E38 | 275–291 | 16 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| local roads | 291–296 | 5 | Manabi |
| E382 | 296–331 | 35 | Manabi |
| E38 | 331–400 | 69 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 400–404 | 4 | Manabi |
| E39A | 404–415 | 11 | Manabi |
| E30 | 415–419 | 4 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 419–421 | 2 | Manabi |
| E482A | 421–424 | 3 | Manabi |
| E482 | 424–444 | 20 | Manabi |
| E483 | 444–459 | 15 | Manabi |
| E15 | 459–475 | 16 | Manabi |
| local roads | 475–479 | 4 | Manabi |
- Mile 61 of this route: Sucumbios → Tungurahua (province line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Tungurahua → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 246 of this route: Pichincha → Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (province line)
- Mile 291 of this route: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas → Manabi (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Nueva Loja and Agua Blanca
- Nature and outdoors: Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 183), Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 273), Botanical garden of Portoviejo (mile 411)
- Museums and history: El Inga (mile 153), National Museum of Ecuador (mile 164), Obelisco de la Vicentina (mile 164), Rumicucho (mile 181), Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo (mile 414)
El Inga
On the slopes of Ilaló volcano in Tumbaco, El Inga is an archaeological site dated to 10,000–2,000 BC, used as a campsite by Paleoindian hunter-gatherers.
National Museum of Ecuador
Archaeology and art are the focus of the National Museum of Ecuador, which leads the country's network of museums under the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
Obelisco de la Vicentina
Built in 1951, the Obelisco de la Vicentina is a monument in Quito's La Vicentina neighborhood and one of its best-known landmarks.
Rumicucho
Rumicucho, or Pucara de Rumicucho, is an Inca archaeological site in the parish of San Antonio de Pichincha, in Quito Canton, Ecuador.
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.
Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo
Facing the Parque Central of Portoviejo, capital of Manabí Province, this museum and historical archive was created in 2007 to preserve the province's archaeological, artistic and documentary collections.
More drives to Agua Blanca
- Alausi to Agua Blanca
- Riobamba to Agua Blanca
- Guano to Agua Blanca
- Baños to Agua Blanca
- Puyo to Agua Blanca
- Quito to Agua Blanca
From Nueva Loja to other places in Ecuador
- Nueva Loja to Mindo
- Nueva Loja to Atacames
- Nueva Loja to Bahía de Caráquez
- Nueva Loja to Puerto Cayo
- Nueva Loja to Puerto López
- Nueva Loja to Salinas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca?
About 10 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 479 miles.
How far is Agua Blanca from Nueva Loja by car?
About 479 miles (771 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 Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca?
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 Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca use?
In order: E45, E20, E28, E25, E38, E382, E39A, E30, E482A, E482, E483 and E15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca?
Closest to the road: El Inga (archaeological site, mile 153, 1 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 183, 2 mi from the route); Jardín botánico La Carolina (botanical garden, mile 273, 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.