Ecuador: Ambato to Amazonia to Quito

Mar 2026 |

Here's info on 3 rides from Ambato to Puyo to Puerto Muishali to Quito.

Ambato > Puyo

This ride was mixed bag. After one night in Ambato, I set out for the Amazon region. The scenery is great the whole way through a canyon thru the Andes and then down to the western edge of the Amazon. The first half of the ride was a traffic jam, which I eventually managed to ride around. I rode through the town of Shell, named after Shell Oil, the first western company to explore this area (and later run out of the region). Ended up in Puyo, an interesting frontier town, where I stayed at a fantastic Airbnb, right on the edge of the forest with many exotic birds and monkeys right out the window. Not long after I arrived, the hardest rain I have ever seen came down - it was shocking to see, but I guess it's just normal here. One day I rode 50km further east, got a glimpse of some local indigenous villages. Puyo was a great 3-night stay and I recommend it.

Ride: 100 km / 3 hrs

Stay: Airbnb ****

Short video on Instagram

Puyo > Puerto Misahuali

This was a short ride from one road-accessible Amazon destination to another, along the eastern flank of the jungle-covered Andes. Puerto Misahuali is a small town and launch point for river tours deeper into the Amazon. I booked a room at the amazing Magia Verde Lodge on Airbnb, a truly classic place to stay, deep in the jungle, indigenous huts, ayahuasca experiences -- it's the whole Amazon package. The owner Scott is a Canadian guy. I was the only guest at that time, and took advantage of it thier great kitchen. Though I only stayed 3 nights, it's the type of place you could easily chill out and stay for an extended period. The road into the place is a bit of a challenge on a fully loaded ADV bike, but doable. I rode into town a couple of days, a cool river port town with monkeys walking down main street. It would of been interesting to do a boat trip for a few days, but I was so settled in and appreciating the surroundings that I never got myself organised to do it (next time, for sure).

Ride: 100 km / 2 hrs

Stay: Airbnb ****

Short video on Instagram

Puerto Mishuali > Quito

This wasn't the most logical route - it would have made sense to ride back to Ambato, then south. But I wanted to ride the Avenue of the Volcanoes from Quito south, so I ended up riding north from Puerto Misuali and back to Quito; no regrets at all, this was a scenic ride with expansive views east of the Amazon, then back into the mountains, with some stunning scenery that changes from jungle to dry alpine terrain. Close to Quito, I noticed a minibus stopped on the other side of the highway and I stopped. It was a bird-watching tour at an area known for Andean Bear that eat a type of plant. Sure enough, there was a mama bear with 2 cubs about 100m away on the side of the mountain. I had a chance to use some high-power binoculars. It was cool to add the Andean species to my list of life-list of bear sightings, having seen my first ever Grizzly in Yellowstone in Sept 2025). I stayed another couple of nights in Quito, in an exceptional Airbnb right beside the awesome X park. I can't say enough about the city, could easily stay there long-term.

Ride: 176 km / 5 hrs

Stay: Airbnb ****