Plan on about 12 h 17 min of driving for the 516-mile (831 km) trip from Tulcán to Zaruma, before any stops.
- Level 3: Reconsider Travel in Ecuador: El Oro province, outside Huaquillas and Arenillas.
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.”
| Distance | 516 mi (831 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 12 h 17 min |
| Main roads, in order | E35 → E282 → E28B → E28A → E487 → E40 → E58 → E25 → E50 → E585 |
| Provinces on the route | Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar, Azuay, El Oro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.6 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Tulcán to Zaruma: the shape of the trip
E35 (198 mi) and E487 (85 mi) carry about 55% of the 516 miles. It runs through 11 provinces: Carchi, Imbabura, Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar, Azuay, El Oro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Which roads connect Tulcán and Zaruma
| 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 | 139–167 | 28 | Pichincha |
| E28A | 167–172 | 5 | Pichincha |
| E35 | 172–263 | 91 | Pichincha, Cotopaxi, Napo, Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 263–267 | 4 | Chimborazo |
| local roads | 267–272 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| E35 | 272–277 | 5 | Chimborazo |
| connecting roads | 277–280 | 3 | Chimborazo |
| E487 | 280–365 | 85 | Chimborazo, Bolivar, Guayas, Cañar |
| connecting roads | 365–368 | 3 | Cañar |
| E40 | 368–376 | 8 | Cañar |
| E58 | 376–391 | 15 | Cañar, Guayas |
| E25 | 391–473 | 82 | Guayas, Azuay, El Oro |
| E50 | 473–487 | 14 | El Oro |
| E585 | 487–505 | 18 | El Oro |
| connecting roads | 505–513 | 8 | El Oro |
| local roads | 513–516 | 3 | El Oro |
- Mile 49 of this route: Carchi → Imbabura (province line)
- Mile 103 of this route: Imbabura → Pichincha (province line)
- Mile 185 of this route: Pichincha → Cotopaxi (province line)
- Mile 223 of this route: Cotopaxi → Napo (province line)
- Mile 256 of this route: Napo → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 331 of this route: Chimborazo → Bolivar (province line)
- Mile 334 of this route: Bolivar → Chimborazo (province line)
- Mile 345 of this route: Chimborazo → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 353 of this route: Guayas → Cañar (province line)
- Mile 388 of this route: Cañar → Guayas (province line)
- Mile 431 of this route: Guayas → Azuay (province line)
- Mile 436 of this route: Azuay → El Oro (province line)
Where to stop on the way to Zaruma
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Wiwa Quito (mile 128), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 147)
- Nature and outdoors: Quito Botanical Garden (mile 147), Cotopaxi National Park (mile 189), Laguna de Colta (mile 280)
- Museums and history: Pambamarca Fortress Complex (mile 111), Cochasquí (mile 116), La Capilla del Hombre (mile 147), Museo Camilo Egas (mile 154)
- With kids: Wiwa Quito (mile 128)
Pambamarca Fortress Complex
Northern Ecuador's Pambamarca Fortress Complex holds ruins of many pukaras built by the Incas in the late 15th century to overcome resistance from the Cayambe chiefdom.
Cochasquí
On the slopes of Mojanda, an inactive volcano in Pichincha province, Cochasquí is an archaeological site in Ecuador's northern highlands, 52 km north of Quito.
Wiwa Quito
Known for almost three decades as the Quito Zoo, Wiwa Quito is a wildlife refuge park of about 12 hectares in the Guayllabamba parish of Quito, opened in 1997.
La Capilla del Hombre
Painter Oswaldo Guayasamín's La Capilla del Hombre is a purpose-built art museum in Bellavista, overlooking Quito, dedicated to the peoples of Latin America.
Quito Botanical Garden
Covering 18,600 square meters in Quito, the Quito Botanical Garden combines a park, arboretum and greenhouses displaying plant species from across Ecuador.
Museo Camilo Egas
Established in 1980 in Quito, Museo Camilo Egas is an art museum dedicated to the Ecuadorian modernist painter Camilo Egas.
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.
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.
More drives to Zaruma
- Salinas to Zaruma
- Portoviejo to Zaruma
- Bahía de Caráquez to Zaruma
- Otavalo to Zaruma
- Ibarra to Zaruma
- Ipiales to Zaruma, Ecuador
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 does it take to drive from Tulcán to Zaruma?
About 12 h 17 min of driving without stops, over 516 miles.
How far is Zaruma from Tulcán by car?
About 516 miles (831 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 Zaruma 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 Zaruma?
In order: E35, E282, E28B, E28A, E487, E40, E58, E25, E50 and E585. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Tulcán and Zaruma?
Closest to the road: Wiwa Quito (zoo, mile 128, 0.6 mi from the route); La Capilla del Hombre (museum, mile 147, 0.5 mi from the route); Laguna de Colta (lagoon, mile 280, 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.