By road, Nueva Loja and Salinas are about 505 miles (813 km) apart, or roughly 11 h 19 min of driving.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Ecuador: Duran, in Guayas province.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3).
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel in Ecuador: Sucumbios, Manabi, Santa Elena, and Santo Domingo provinces.
This route passes through or near an area the State Department rates Do Not Travel. Read the full advisory before you plan this drive: 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 | 505 mi (813 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 11 h 19 min |
| Main roads, in order | E45 → E20 → E35 → E487 → E40 |
| Provinces on the route | Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar, Santa Elena |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Nueva Loja–Salinas drive in a few lines
E35 (125 mi) and E45 (104 mi) carry about 45% of the 505 miles. It runs through 10 provinces: Sucumbios, Tungurahua, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar, Santa Elena. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Nueva Loja to Salinas, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| E45 | 0–104 | 104 | Sucumbios, Tungurahua |
| E20 | 104–152 | 48 | Tungurahua, Pichincha |
| E35 | 152–272 | 120 | Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 272–275 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 275–280 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 280–285 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 285–287 | 2 | Chimborazo |
| E487 | 287–373 | 86 | Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar |
| local roads | 373–378 | 5 | Cañar |
| E40 | 378–414 | 36 | Guayas |
| local roads | 414–432 | 18 | Guayas |
| E40 | 432–492 | 60 | Guayas, Santa Elena |
| local roads | 492–505 | 13 | Santa Elena |
- Mile 61 of this route: Sucumbios → Tungurahua (province line)
- Mile 137 of this route: Tungurahua → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 193 of this route: Pichincha → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 231 of this route: Cotopaxi → Napo (province line)
- Mile 264 of this route: Napo → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 342 of this route: Chimborazo → Bolivar (province line)
- Mile 348 of this route: Bolivar → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 354 of this route: Chimborazo → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 362 of this route: Guayas → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 378 of this route: Cañar → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 445 of this route: Guayas → Santa Elena (province line)
- Mile 458 of this route: Santa Elena → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 461 of this route: Guayas → Santa Elena (province line)
Places worth a stop between Nueva Loja and Salinas
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Teatro Sánchez Aguilar (mile 414), Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 426)
- Nature and outdoors: Cotopaxi National Park (mile 197), Laguna de Colta (mile 288), Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 426)
- Museums and history: El Inga (mile 153), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 242), Museo Amantes de Sumpa (mile 498), Paleontological Museum Megatherium (mile 498)
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.
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.
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.
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.
Teatro Sánchez Aguilar
Opened in 2012 in the La Puntilla area of Samborondón canton, Teatro Sánchez Aguilar was created to boost cultural and artistic life across Greater Guayaquil.
Teatro Centro Cívico Eloy Alfaro
Teatro Centro Cívico Eloy Alfaro sits in Guayaquil's Parque Forestal; construction began in 1970, and it opened in 1990 while still unfinished.
Cerro Blanco Forest
Owned by Holcim Ecuador and managed by Fundación Pro-Bosque, Cerro Blanco Forest is a tropical dry forest reserve in Guayas Province, Ecuador.
Museo Amantes de Sumpa
In Santa Elena Province, the Museo Amantes de Sumpa has a clay oven used for ancestral cooking classes and a traditional coastal house with its wooden trough and woven mat.
Paleontological Museum Megatherium
Inside the Universidad Estatal Península de Santa Elena, the Paleontological Museum Megatherium is considered Ecuador's first paleontology museum.
More drives to Salinas
- Guayaquil to Salinas
- Babahoyo to Salinas
- Quevedo to Salinas
- Riobamba to Salinas
- Latacunga to Salinas
- Quito to Salinas
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 Agua Blanca
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Nueva Loja to Salinas?
About 11 h 19 min of driving without stops, over 505 miles.
What is the driving distance from Nueva Loja to Salinas?
About 505 miles (813 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 Salinas?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Parts of this route are in or near areas rated Level 4: Do Not Travel (Ecuador: Duran, in Guayas province; Ecuador: In Guayaquil: Nueva Prosperina and Pascuales districts, and all areas south of Portete de Tarqui Avenue (areas north of the avenue are Level 3)). Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Nueva Loja to Salinas?
In order: E45, E20, E35, E487 and E40. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Nueva Loja and Salinas?
Closest to the road: Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 288, 1 mi from the route); Teatro Sánchez Aguilar (theater, mile 414, 0.8 mi from the route); Cerro Blanco Forest (forest, mile 426, 0.3 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.