Border Crossings, ECUADOR - PERU

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There are 3 bordercrossings, between Ecuador and Peru.

  • Loja - Piura, via Macará is the simplest, safest and easiest crossing, even if you want to visit Mancora on the coast.

  • Zumba - San Ignacio is a more adventurous, but safe, though time consuming route served by bumpy unpaved roads.
    It's the best way if visiting the Chachapoyas region & Kuelap or travelling to Iquitos and the oriente via Yurimaguas.

  • Huaquillas (Machala) - Tumbes , while it may be more convenient if travelling to Peru from Guayaquil (or vice-versa), this crossing is a bit dodgy and you should be careful.

    • Loja - Piura  Border crossings from Ecuador to Peru, travel guide & information, loja

    This route is really easy and safe. Buses go directly from Loja to Piura and vice-versa (8hrs.), stopping at both Ecuadorian and Peruvian immigracion offices to complete formalities.

    • An ecuadorian bus company Co-operativa Loja has 3 buses per day each way.
      • Loja - Piura: 7a.m, 1p.m and 10.30p.m.
    • A Peruvian company, Ormnño has one bus a day.
      • Loja - Piura: 10p.m.

    From Piura you can go to Mancora on the coast, or continue south to Chiclayo, Trujillo or Lima.
    From Loja you can visit Vilcabamba and Zamora, then travel north to Cuenca. From there you can continue north through the Sierra, or West to the Ecuadorian coast.

    Zumba - San Ignacio  Border crossings from Ecuador to Peru, travel guide & information, Piura

    Travelling to Peru via Zumba is more adventurous and time consuming, but not too diffult.

    This route is prefered by people visiting the Kuelap ruins & Chachapoyas, an area rich in little explored but magnificent archaeological ruins. It is also an interesting route into the Peruvian Amazon, travelling to Iquitos via Taraota and Yurimaguas.

    The Ecuador to Peru route is described, so you'll have to reverse it if coming the other way:

    Chachapoyas (& kuelap)
    • Bus: Vilcabamba/Loja to Zumba (4-5hrs)
    • Chiva (open sided bus): to La Balsa - Ecuadorian border (2hrs)
    • Colectivo: Border to Namballe (15mins) or San Ignacio (2½hrs)
    • Colective/Bus: San Ignacio to Jaen (3½hrs)
    • Bus: Jaen to Pedro Ruiz (4-5hrs)
    • Colectivo: Pedro Ruiz to Chachapoyas (2hrs)
    To Iquitos
    • Bus: Vilcabamba/Loja to Zumba (4-5hrs)
    • Chiva (open sided bus): to La Balsa - Ecuadorian border (2hrs)
    • Colectivo: Border to Namballe (15mins) or San Ignacio (2½hrs)
    • Colective/Bus: San Ignacio to Jaen (3½hrs)
    • Bus: Jaen to Pedro Ruiz (4-5hrs)
    • Bus: Pedro Ruiz to Moyobamba (4hrs) or Tarapoto (6hrs)
    • Bus/Colectivo:Tarapota to Yurimaguas (6-10hrs)
    • Boat to Iquitos. (2 Days)

    Huaquillas - Tumbes  Border crossings from Ecuador to Peru, travel guide & information, Zumba

    The Ecuadorian immigration office is 4km's before the border
    The Peruvian immigration office is 3km's after the border.

  • You may have to show your documents crossing the international bridge.

  • There is transport between Huaquillas (Ecuador) / Tumbes (Peru) and the immigration offices and from there to the border, but Taxi's, porters, money changers and even border guards are all out to rip you off, so beware.

  • Cifa & Co-operativa Loja may run a bus directly from Machala to Tumbes, which stops to complete all border formalities. This would be the best option.

  • If you have to stay overnight near the border, Machala or Tumbes are the best options.

  • If you are travelling to or from Mancora or the Ecuadorian coast, it is as easy to go: Piura, Loja, Cuenca.
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