Plan on about 9 h 16 min of driving for the 400-mile (643 km) trip from Salinas to Baeza, before any stops.
- 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: “Some roads are poorly maintained. They may lack crash barriers, guard rails, signs, and streetlights.”
| Distance by road | 400 mi (643 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 9 h 16 min |
| Main roads, in order | E40 → E487 → E35 → E20 |
| Provinces on the route | Santa Elena, Guayas, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Tungurahua |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
Driving Salinas to Baeza: the shape of the trip
E35 (124 mi) and E40 (117 mi) carry about 60% of the 400 miles. It runs through 8 provinces: Santa Elena, Guayas, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Tungurahua. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
Salinas to Baeza: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| E40 | 0–81 | 81 | Santa Elena, Guayas |
| local roads | 81–89 | 8 | Guayas |
| E40 | 89–125 | 36 | Guayas |
| local roads | 125–130 | 5 | Guayas, Cañar |
| E487 | 130–216 | 86 | Cañar, Guayas, Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 216–219 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 219–224 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 224–229 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 229–232 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 232–351 | 119 | Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha |
| E20 | 351–400 | 49 | Pichincha, Tungurahua |
- Mile 43 of this route: Santa Elena → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 46 of this route: Guayas → Santa Elena (province line)
- Mile 60 of this route: Santa Elena → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 127 of this route: Guayas → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 142 of this route: Cañar → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 151 of this route: Guayas → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 239 of this route: Chimborazo → Napo (province line)
- Mile 272 of this route: Napo → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 311 of this route: Cotopaxi → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 367 of this route: Pichincha → Tungurahua (province line)
What to see on the way from Salinas to Baeza
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Malecón Simón Bolívar (mile 86), Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo (mile 88), Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (mile 90)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (mile 90), Laguna de Colta (mile 216), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 306)
- Museums and history: Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo (mile 88), Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of the Elevation, Ambato (mile 260), El Inga (mile 350)
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.
Malecón Simón Bolívar
Running about 2.5 km along the west bank of the Guayas River, Malecón Simón Bolívar is Guayaquil's riverside boardwalk, rebuilt in an urban renewal project.
Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo
Known as MAAC, the Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo in Guayaquil, Ecuador, celebrates Ecuadorian, Latin American and pre-Columbian art and culture on the Malecón 2000 riverwalk.
Parque Histórico de Guayaquil
Parque Histórico de Guayaquil combines a wildlife area showing local plants and animals with old city houses that were taken down from their original sites and rebuilt here.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
More drives to Baeza
From Salinas to other places in Ecuador
- Salinas to San Luis de Pambil
- Salinas to Guaranda
- Salinas to Alausi
- Salinas to Guano
- Salinas to Chugchilán
- Salinas to Baños
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Salinas to Baeza?
About 9 h 16 min of driving without stops, over 400 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salinas to Baeza?
About 400 miles (643 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 Salinas to Baeza drive?
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 Salinas to Baeza?
In order: E40, E487, E35 and E20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Salinas to Baeza?
Closest to the road: Cerro Blanco Forest (forest, mile 77, 0.3 mi from the route); Museo Antropologico y de Arte Contemporaneo (art museum, mile 88, 0.7 mi from the route); Parque Histórico de Guayaquil (park, mile 90, 0.6 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.