Plan on about 8 h 49 min of driving for the 377-mile (606 km) trip from Salinas to Papallacta, 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 | 377 mi (606 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 49 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 15.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Salinas to Papallacta
E35 (124 mi) and E40 (117 mi) carry about 64% of the 377 miles. It runs through 8 provinces: Santa Elena, Guayas, Cañar, Chimborazo, Napo, Cotopaxi, Pichincha, Tungurahua. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Salinas to Papallacta, road by road
| 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 | 351–377 | 26 | 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)
Where to stop on the way to Papallacta
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 86), Teatro Sánchez Aguilar (mile 90)
- Nature and outdoors: Cerro Blanco Forest (mile 77), Laguna de Colta (mile 216), Botanical Garden Atocha-La Liria (mile 260), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 306)
- Museums and history: Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 86), 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.
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.
Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral
In the center of Guayaquil, the Metropolitan Cathedral succeeds the church that served as the city's main cathedral when Guayaquil was founded.
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.
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.
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.
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 Papallacta
- Esmeraldas to Papallacta
- Atacames to Papallacta
- Latacunga to Papallacta
- Otavalo to Papallacta
- Alausi to Papallacta
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 does it take to drive from Salinas to Papallacta?
About 8 h 49 min of driving without stops, over 377 miles.
What is the driving distance from Salinas to Papallacta?
About 377 miles (606 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 Papallacta 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.
What roads does the drive from Salinas to Papallacta use?
In order: E40, E487, E35 and E20. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Salinas and Papallacta?
Closest to the road: Cerro Blanco Forest (forest, mile 77, 0.3 mi from the route); Guayaquil Metropolitan Cathedral (cathedral, mile 86, 0.5 mi from the route); Teatro Sánchez Aguilar (theater, mile 90, 0.7 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.