By road, Nueva Loja and Mindo are about 226 miles (364 km) apart, or roughly 5 h 12 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: “Some roads are poorly maintained. They may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Total distance | 226 mi (364 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 5 h 12 min |
| Main roads, in order | E45 → E20 → E28 |
| Provinces on the route | Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 9.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 5 |
On the road from Nueva Loja to Mindo
E45 (104 mi) and E20 (48 mi) carry about 67% of the 226 miles. It runs through 3 provinces: Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha. None of the 5 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Nueva Loja to Mindo
| 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 | 180–222 | 42 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 222–226 | 4 | Pichincha |
- Mile 61 of this route: Sucumbios → Tungurahua (province line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Tungurahua → Pichincha (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Mindo
- Nature and outdoors: Gustavo Orcés V. Natural History Museum (mile 164)
- Museums and history: El Inga (mile 153), Basílica del Voto Nacional (mile 164), Gustavo Orcés V. Natural History Museum (mile 164), Catequilla (mile 181), Rumicucho (mile 181)
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.
Basílica del Voto Nacional
Rising to about 83 meters, the Basilica of the National Vow (Basílica del Voto Nacional) is a Roman Catholic church in Quito's historic center.
Gustavo Orcés V. Natural History Museum
A natural history museum in Quito, Ecuador, the Gustavo Orcés V. Natural History Museum was established in 2005.
Catequilla
Catequilla is an archaeological site on a mountaintop in the Pomasqui Valley, in San Antonio parish near Quito, at 2,638 meters and about 300 meters above the valleys on either side.
Rumicucho
Rumicucho, or Pucara de Rumicucho, is an Inca archaeological site in the parish of San Antonio de Pichincha, in Quito Canton, Ecuador.
More drives to Mindo
From Nueva Loja to other places in Ecuador
- Nueva Loja to Atacames
- Nueva Loja to Bahía de Caráquez
- Nueva Loja to Puerto Cayo
- Nueva Loja to Puerto López
- Nueva Loja to Agua Blanca
- Nueva Loja to Salinas
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Nueva Loja to Mindo?
About 5 h 12 min of driving without stops, over 226 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nueva Loja to Mindo?
About 226 miles (364 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 Nueva Loja to Mindo 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 Nueva Loja to Mindo use?
In order: E45, E20 and E28. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Nueva Loja and Mindo?
Closest to the road: El Inga (archaeological site, mile 153, 1 mi from the route); Catequilla (archaeological site, mile 181, 2 mi from the route); Rumicucho (archaeological site, mile 181, 2 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.