landmark
Baños de Agua Santa
An adventure town at the base of the active Tungurahua volcano, famous for the Swing at the End of the World and the Route of Waterfalls.
27 km · about 30 min drive
South AmericaEcuadorTungurahua Province
Ambato
Tungurahua Province, Ecuador · South America
About Ambato
Ambato is worth a stop: 5 minutes from Atahualpa, 33km from Chimborazo.
Ambato is in Tungurahua Province, Ecuador, with about 390,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Atahualpa, about 4 km away.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Ambato?
Within an hour or so of Ambato: Baños de Agua Santa (27 km), Ruta de las Cascadas (Baños) (32 km), Chimborazo (33 km), Quilotoa Crater Lake (Laguna Quilotoa) (54 km).
Where is Ambato?
Ambato is in Tungurahua Province, Ecuador, about 4 km from Atahualpa.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 387,309
- Continent
- South America
- Country
- Ecuador
- Region
- Tungurahua Province
- Timezone
- America/Guayaquil
- Coordinates
- -1.2491, -78.6167
Tags
Worth the detour from Ambato
4 notable places within an hour's drive.
waterfall
Ruta de las Cascadas (Baños)
A thrilling bike ride or bus route past dozens of waterfalls including the 80-meter Pailón del Diablo, descending through cloud forest to the Amazon basin.
32 km · about 35 min drive
natural wonder
Chimborazo
Ecuador's 6,263 m ice-capped giant: the farthest point from Earth's centre. A wild vicuña-lined road climbs its flanks to the Carrel refuge at 4,850 m.
33 km · about 40 min drive
natural wonder
Quilotoa Crater Lake (Laguna Quilotoa)
A 3 km-wide Ecuadorian caldera filled with a turquoise, mineral-stained lake, reached by a paved road that ends at a village car park metres from the rim edge at 3,900 m. Andean light shifts the water from jade to deep blue.
54 km · about 60 min drive
When to drive here
Year-round
Tropical latitude: plan around the wet season rather than temperature.
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