By road, Quito and Baños are about 107 miles (173 km) apart, or roughly 2 h 43 min of driving.
Full advisory: 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.”
| Distance by road | 107 mi (173 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 2 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | E28A → E35 → E30 |
| Provinces on the route | Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 4.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 4 |
On the road from Quito to Baños
E35 (65 mi) and E30 (15 mi) carry about 75% of the 107 miles. It runs through 3 provinces: Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo. None of the 4 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: Quito to Baños
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–14 | 14 | Pichincha |
| E28A | 14–19 | 5 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 19–84 | 65 | Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo |
| connecting roads | 84–86 | 2 | Napo |
| E30 | 86–89 | 3 | Napo |
| local roads | 89–95 | 6 | Napo |
| E30 | 95–107 | 12 | Napo |
- Mile 32 of this route: Pichincha → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 70 of this route: Cotopaxi → Napo (province line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Quito and Baños
- Nature and outdoors: Cotopaxi National Park (mile 36), Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria (mile 81)
- Museums and history: Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 81)
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.
Área nacional de recreación El Boliche
Created in 1979, El Boliche National Recreation Area is a 400-hectare protected area on the Pichincha–Cotopaxi border, at elevations from about 3,484 to 3,726 meters.
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.
Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria
On Avenida Circunvalación in Ambato, Tungurahua Province, the Atocha-La Liria Botanical Garden covers 35 acres and dates back to 1849.
More drives to Baños
From Quito to other places in Ecuador
- Quito to Mindo
- Quito to Santo Domingo de los Colorados
- Quito to Esmeraldas
- Quito to Puyo
- Quito to Quevedo
- Quito to Salinas
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Quito to Baños?
About 2 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 107 miles.
What is the driving distance from Quito to Baños?
About 107 miles (173 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 Quito to Baños 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 Quito to Baños use?
In order: E28A, E35 and E30. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Quito and Baños?
Closest to the road: Área nacional de recreación El Boliche (nature area, mile 43, 5 mi from the route); Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria (botanical garden, mile 81, 1 mi from the route); Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (basilica, mile 81, 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.