By road, Portoviejo and Tulcán are about 382 miles (614 km) apart, or roughly 8 h 42 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: “When traveling between provinces, it is recommended to travel during daylight.”
| Total distance | 382 mi (614 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 8 h 42 min |
| Main roads, in order | E39A → E38 → E25 → E28 → E28B → E282 → E35 |
| Provinces on the route | Manabi, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 15.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 6 |
Driving Portoviejo to Tulcán: the shape of the trip
E38 (120 mi) and E35 (102 mi) carry about 58% of the 382 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Manabi, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi. None of the 6 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
The route from Portoviejo to Tulcán, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–3 | 3 | Manabi |
| E39A | 3–10 | 7 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 10–13 | 3 | Manabi |
| E38 | 13–117 | 104 | Manabi |
| local roads | 117–122 | 5 | Manabi |
| E38 | 122–138 | 16 | Manabi, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| connecting roads | 138–142 | 4 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| E25 | 142–180 | 38 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 180–181 | 1 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 181–234 | 53 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 234–242 | 8 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 242–262 | 20 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 262–269 | 7 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 269–272 | 3 | Pichincha |
| E282 | 272–278 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 278–380 | 102 | Pichincha, Imbabura, Carchi |
| local roads | 380–382 | 2 | Carchi |
- Mile 124 of this route: Manabi → Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (province line)
- Mile 168 of this route: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 279 of this route: Pichincha → Imbabura (province line)
- Mile 333 of this route: Imbabura → Carchi (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Tulcán
- Nature and outdoors: Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 140), Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 231)
- Museums and history: Catequilla (mile 232), Cochasquí (mile 265), Inca-Caranqui (mile 303)
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.
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.
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.
Historic Center of Quito
The Historic Center of Quito covers about 375 hectares in south-central Quito and is considered among the best-preserved historic districts in Spanish America, with roughly 130 monumental buildings and some 5,000 listed heritage properties.
Cochasquí
On the slopes of Mojanda, an inactive volcano in Pichincha province, Cochasquí is an archaeological site in Ecuador's northern highlands, 52 km north of Quito.
Inca-Caranqui
On the southern edge of Ibarra, Inca-Caranqui preserves a semi-subterranean Inca structure of finely cut stone, possibly the pool described by Spanish chronicler Cieza de León, across from Caranqui's parish church.
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 Portoviejo to other places in Ecuador
- Portoviejo to Alausi
- Portoviejo to Ibarra
- Portoviejo to Machala
- Portoviejo to Zaruma
- Portoviejo to Loja
- Portoviejo to Zamora
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Portoviejo to Tulcán?
About 8 h 42 min of driving without stops, over 382 miles.
What is the driving distance from Portoviejo to Tulcán?
About 382 miles (614 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 Portoviejo to Tulcán?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Portoviejo to Tulcán?
In order: E39A, E38, E25, E28, E28B, E282 and E35. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Portoviejo to Tulcán?
Closest to the road: Jardín botánico La Carolina (botanical garden, mile 140, 1 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 231, 2 mi from the route); Catequilla (archaeological site, mile 232, 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.