Plan on about 10 h 2 min of driving for the 446-mile (718 km) trip from Tulcán to Puerto López, before any 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: “Heavy fog and rain make conditions more dangerous.”
| Total distance | 446 mi (718 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 2 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E282 → E28B → E28 → E25 → E38 → E382 → E39A → E30 → E482A → E482 → E483 → E15 |
| Provinces on the route | Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 7 |
On the road from Tulcán to Puerto López
E35 (102 mi) and E38 (85 mi) carry about 42% of the 446 miles. It runs through 5 provinces: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi. None of the 7 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Tulcán to Puerto López: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | Province |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | Carchi |
| E35 | 1–103 | 102 | Carchi, Imbabura |
| E282 | 103–109 | 6 | Pichincha |
| E28B | 109–139 | 30 | Pichincha |
| local roads | 139–147 | 8 | Pichincha |
| E28 | 147–200 | 53 | Pichincha |
| connecting roads | 200–201 | 1 | Pichincha |
| E25 | 201–238 | 37 | Pichincha, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| connecting roads | 238–242 | 4 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas |
| E38 | 242–258 | 16 | Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Manabi |
| local roads | 258–263 | 5 | Manabi |
| E382 | 263–298 | 35 | Manabi |
| E38 | 298–367 | 69 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 367–370 | 3 | Manabi |
| E39A | 370–382 | 12 | Manabi |
| E30 | 382–386 | 4 | Manabi |
| connecting roads | 386–388 | 2 | Manabi |
| E482A | 388–391 | 3 | Manabi |
| E482 | 391–410 | 19 | Manabi |
| E483 | 410–426 | 16 | Manabi |
| E15 | 426–446 | 20 | Manabi |
- Mile 49 of this route: Carchi → Imbabura (province line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Imbabura → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 213 of this route: Pichincha → Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (province line)
- Mile 257 of this route: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas → Manabi (province line)
Places worth a stop between Tulcán and Puerto López
- Nature and outdoors: Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (mile 150), Jardín botánico La Carolina (mile 240)
- Museums and history: Inca-Caranqui (mile 78), Catequilla (mile 147), Portoviejo Metropolitan Cathedral (mile 380), Museo y Archivo Histórico de Portoviejo (mile 381)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Once you reach 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 Tulcán to other places in Ecuador
- Tulcán to Tababela
- Tulcán to Mindo
- Tulcán to Isinliví
- Tulcán to Zumbahua
- Tulcán to Baños
- Tulcán to Chugchilán
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Tulcán to Puerto López?
About 10 h 2 min of driving without stops, over 446 miles.
How far is Puerto López from Tulcán by car?
About 446 miles (718 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 Tulcán to Puerto López drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Ecuador Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Tulcán to Puerto López?
In order: E35, E282, E28B, 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 Tulcán to Puerto López?
Closest to the road: Catequilla (archaeological site, mile 147, 2 mi from the route); Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve (nature area, mile 150, 2 mi from the route); Jardín botánico La Carolina (botanical garden, mile 240, 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.