Experience Ecuador's cloud forest wonders on a guided tour of Mindo! Hike through lush trails, enjoy birdwatching with hummingbirds, explore a butterfly farm, and savor a chocolate tour. Choose shared or private options for a personalized adventure.
Prepare for a day full of exploration and unforgettable experiences in Ecuador's stunning cloud forest. Here's what you can look forward to on your Mindo day tour:
We start our journey heading northwest, passing by the Middle of the World City (Mitad del Mundo) with a quick opportunity to glimpse the Equatorial Line. We then descend into the lush and vibrant Mindo cloud forest, known for its rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem.
Our first stop is the renowned San Tadeo Bird Sanctuary, where you'll encounter a variety of native hummingbirds and other colorful bird species up close. This magical location is a birdwatcher's paradise and offers excellent photo opportunities!
Next, we'll venture into the cloud forest on a scenic hike along the Sanctuary of Waterfalls Trail. To reach this trail, we'll enjoy an exciting ride on a tarabita (cable car) over the forest canopy, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes. Along the trail, you'll discover a series of beautiful waterfalls—perfect for photos and even a refreshing dip!
After an active morning, we'll take a break for lunch in one of Mindo's charming local eateries, where you can enjoy a variety of Ecuadorian flavors. (Lunch is not included in the tour price, giving you the freedom to choose what you'd like to try.)
Get a taste of Mindo's artisan chocolate with an immersive chocolate tour. You'll learn about the bean-to-bar process, see how cacao is transformed into chocolate, and enjoy some delicious samples along the way. It's a must for chocolate lovers!
Our final stop is Mindo's famous butterfly farm, where you can walk among hundreds of beautiful butterflies and witness various species in their natural habitat. You'll also have the chance to see the butterfly life cycle up close, from chrysalis to full-grown butterfly—a wonderful experience for nature enthusiasts.
As our day in Mindo concludes, we'll journey back to Quito with memories of Mindo's cloud forest and unique experiences to cherish. Estimated return time is early evening.
Departure Day: Fridays only
We have 2 pickup points:
Departure from Plaza Foch at 07:00 (La Mariscal area)
Departure from San Blas Plaza at 07:15 (Quito Historic Center)
Experience Mindo like this:
- Breakfast break in Calacalí (optional)
- Excursion through Mindo's cloud forest
- Hummingbird sanctuary
- Optional tarabita cable car or canopy ziplining
- Chocolate tour and tasting
One-day shared tour to Mindo: cost $55.00 per person. For reservations and information, write to us on WHATSAPP.
What does the shared Mindo tour include?
- Tourist transportation
- Assistance from a bilingual professional tour guide
- Entry permits for protected reserves
- Lunch (set menu)
What is NOT included?
- VAT
- Entry fees: $8.00 hummingbird sanctuary, $10.00 canopy, $10.00 chocolate tour, $5.00 tarabita
- Tips
We start with adventure: Canopy (ziplining). Tubing, which involves floating down the Mindo River on inner tubes.
Exploration: Visit waterfalls. Birdwatching in dedicated sanctuaries. Hikes through the cloud forest. Chocolate tour and tasting, and discovering butterfly species and their metamorphosis at butterfly farms.
The most popular tour lasts one day, starting at 8:00 a.m. and returning to Quito around 6:00 p.m.
On a personalized tour, you can also choose to stay overnight in Mindo. This tour is known as the "2-Day, 1-Night Mindo Excursion."
This destination offers numerous activities that can fill two days easily. However, the one-day tour also leaves you highly satisfied.
Mindo is an ideal place to enjoy with family, as the birds, butterflies, waterfalls, and forest create a liberating, sensory environment that's welcoming for all ages.
The magic of exploration truly shines in Mindo.
Considering the humid climate and terrain, you should bring: a cap, sunglasses, sunscreen, rain jacket (depending on the season), sports or trekking shoes, shorts for comfort, swimsuit, towel, insect repellent, and a water bottle. These are the essentials.
To be upfront: like many agencies offering this tour, our agency does NOT include entry fees or meals in the price.
Why? It's a simple marketing approach to keep the price attractive.
Adding entries and meals will increase the cost by about 20%.
It may sound simple, but that little trick is effective.
In other words, the tour includes transportation and professional guide assistance at all tourist sites.
Tour Operator in Quito Ecuador
