El Quinche is a city located in the Pichincha Province of Ecuador. It is situated approximately 22 kilometers (14 miles) in a straight-line distance northeast of Quito. Administratively, the city functions as a rural parish within the canton of Quito.
The city is positioned in the valley of the headwaters of the Guayllabamba River and lies to the west of Pambamarca. It shares a border with the Cayambe Canton to its northeast.