The Wayro route from Tena to Puerto López is 430 miles (692 km), about 9 h 26 min of driving without stops.
- 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: “Slow-moving buses and trucks frequently stop in the middle of the road unexpectedly.”
| Distance | 430 mi (692 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 26 min |
| Main roads, in order | E45 → E20 → E28 → E25 → E38 → E382 → E39A → E30 → E482A → E482 → E483 → E15 |
| Provinces on the route | Tungurahua, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.2 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Tena–Puerto López drive in a few lines
E38 (86 mi) and E28 (53 mi) carry about 32% of the 430 miles. It runs through 4 provinces: Tungurahua, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi. Of the 8 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Roads you'll take from Tena to Puerto López
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Tungurahua |
| E45 | 1–53 | 52 | Tungurahua |
| E20 | 53–102 | 49 | Tungurahua, Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 102–106 | 4 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 106–130 | 24 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 130–183 | 53 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 183–185 | 2 | Pichincha |
| E25 | 185–222 | 37 | Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| connecting roads | 222–226 | 4 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| E38 | 226–242 | 16 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| local roads | 242–247 | 5 | Manabi |
| E382 | 247–281 | 34 | Manabi |
| E38 | 281–351 | 70 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 351–354 | 3 | Manabi |
| E39A | 354–365 | 11 | Manabi |
| E30 | 365–370 | 5 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 370–371 | 1 | Manabi |
| E482A | 371–375 | 4 | Manabi |
| E482 | 375–394 | 19 | Manabi |
| E483 | 394–410 | 16 | Manabi |
| E15 | 410–430 | 20 | Manabi |
- Mile 88 of this route: Tungurahua → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 196 of this route: Pichincha → Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (province line)
- Mile 241 of this route: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas → Manabi (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Puerto López
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (mile 132)
- Nature and outdoors: Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (mile 132), Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 134), Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 224), Botanical garden of Portoviejo (mile 361)
- Museums and history: National Museum of Ecuador (mile 114), Obelisco de la Vicentina (mile 114), Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 363), Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo (mile 365)
National Museum of Ecuador
Archaeology and art are the focus of the National Museum of Ecuador, which leads the country's network of museums under the Ministry of Culture and Heritage.
Obelisco de la Vicentina
Built in 1951, the Obelisco de la Vicentina is a monument in Quito's La Vicentina neighborhood and one of its best-known landmarks.
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo
Ciudad Mitad del Mundo is a site owned by Pichincha province in San Antonio parish, 26 kilometers north of central Quito.
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.
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.
Botanical garden of Portoviejo
Owned by the Universidad Técnica de Manabí, the Portoviejo Botanical Garden covers about 50 hectares with a reserve, botanical garden, arboretum, orchid house, palm collection and a wildlife rescue area.
Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral
Officially the Catedral Metropolitana de Jesús el Buen Pastor, Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral stands on Calle Alajuela in the Ecuadorian city of Portoviejo.
Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo
Facing the Parque Central of Portoviejo, capital of Manabí Province, this museum and historical archive was created in 2007 to preserve the province's archaeological, artistic and documentary collections.
Arriving in Puerto López
Machalilla National Park
Established in 1979, Machalilla National Park sits along the Pacific coast of Ecuador's Manabí Province, near Puerto López and the fishing village of Machalilla.
More drives to Puerto López
- Riobamba to Puerto López
- Baños to Puerto López
- Quito to Puerto López
- Puyo to Puerto López
- Otavalo to Puerto López
- Ibarra to Puerto López
From Tena to other places in Ecuador
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Tena to Puerto López?
About 9 h 26 min of driving without stops, over 430 miles.
How far is Puerto López from Tena by car?
About 430 miles (692 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 Tena to Puerto López 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 Tena to Puerto López use?
In order: E45, E20, E28, E25, E38, E382, E39A, E30, E482A, E482, E483 and E15. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Tena to Puerto López?
Closest to the road: Ciudad Mitad del Mundo (park, mile 132, 0.2 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 134, 2 mi from the route); Jardín botánico La Carolina (botanical garden, mile 224, 1 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.