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Before you go
Your trip to Riobamba.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Riobamba – Chimborazo Destination Riobamba and Chimborazo Capital
How to get there
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Aeropuerto Internacional Mariscal Sucre (UIO) Quito · 230 km
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Terminal Terrestre de Riobamba 2 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
International flights arrive in Quito (UIO), about 230 km away. Buses connect Quitumbe terminal in Quito to Riobamba Bus Terminal in three to four hours, with departures throughout the day; there are also buses from Guayaquil and from Cuenca. By car, you reach it via the Pan-American (E35). The city has no commercial flights.
How many days
One day is enough for the historic center, the basilica and the Loma de Quito. With two or three days, you can do Chimborazo in a full day and Colta, with the lagoon and the Church of Balbanera, on the way to Alausí.
When to go
All year round. Between June and September rains decrease and the volcanoes around the city are visible more often. In April, Riobamba celebrates April 21 with parades and events; from December to January 6, the Niño Rey de Reyes festival fills the streets.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
Not for the center, which is walked on foot on nearly flat ground. For Chimborazo, tours and taxis handle the round trip in a single day; buses to Guaranda drop visitors at the entrance to the reserve. A car helps to combine the volcano, Laguna de Colta and Alausí. In Ecuador you drive on the right.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Riobamba
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Morning
Maldonado Park and cathedral
Start at Parque Maldonado, the central square, and note the stone facade of the cathedral, with reliefs brought from the city destroyed in 1797. Continue along the streets of the center to Parque La Libertad and the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
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Afternoon
Loma de Quito
Climb the stairs to the top of the hill, where the San Antonio chapel sits next to the park that commemorates the 1822 battle. With clear skies, you can spot Chimborazo.
2 days in Riobamba
Day 2
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All day
Chimborazo Volcano
Leave early on the road to Guaranda to the reserve gate, register at the entrance and ascend to the Hermanos Carrel refuge. Walk slowly to the Whymper refuge and return to Riobamba in the afternoon, when fog usually covers the summit.
3 days in Riobamba
Day 3
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Morning
Laguna de Colta and Balbanera
On the Pan-American heading south, stop at the Church of Balbanera and walk along the shore of Laguna de Colta, among the totora reed beds. From there the road continues to Alausí.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
What is the altitude of Riobamba?
About 2,750 meters. It is an altitude similar to Quito’s, and many visitors feel short of breath on climbs during the first days; it’s worth walking slowly.
How far is Chimborazo from Riobamba?
The entrance to the Chimborazo Faunal Production Reserve is about 45 km away, on the road to Guaranda, a little over an hour by car. From the checkpoint to the first refuge, the route continues on unpaved road.
What to see in downtown Riobamba?
Parque Maldonado and the cathedral, the Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in front of Parque La Libertad, and the Loma de Quito viewpoint next to the San Antonio chapel.
What time zone is Riobamba in?
Riobamba follows mainland Ecuador time, UTC-5, year round, with no daylight saving. the Galápagos Islands are one hour behind.
How to get from Quito to Riobamba?
By bus, from Quitumbe terminal in southern Quito, in three to four hours, or by car via the Pan-American, a trip of about 190 km from central Quito.