Mindo Cloud Forest · All-inclusive · 2 days / 1 night
The best of Mindo Cloud Forest in two days: the Middle of the World on the way, hummingbird gardens, a chocolate tasting, the tarabita cable car over the Nambillo valley, the waterfalls and the butterfly farm, with a night at our own lodge, private transport and a private naturalist guide.
Your program at a glance
Our pre-defined programs combine the best experiences of Mindo Cloud Forest, deluxe accommodation and first-class service at our own boutique lodge and spa. Everything is private and organized for you, from the transfer in Quito to the last activity, so you can enjoy the cloud forest at your own rhythm.
| Travel style | Luxury |
|---|---|
| Highlights | Middle of the World, hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Fitness level | Fair condition |
| Group | Private: just you and your companions |
| Starts and ends | Your hotel in Quito or the airport area |
| Price | From US$530 per person |
Day by day
Day 1
Morning. Your private driver picks you up at your hotel in Quito or the airport area. On the way to Mindo you can stop at the Middle of the World, where a 30-metre monument marks the equator and honors the French–Spanish Geodesic Mission of the 18th century; at the Intiñan Museum, an open-air museum on the GPS-measured equator line, famous for its experiments; and at the viewpoint over Pululahua, one of the few inhabited volcanic craters in the world, with farms on the crater floor.
Last stop before the cloud forest: the Los Armadillos hummingbird garden, for your first hummingbirds of the trip.
Afternoon. Lunch at our restaurant. Then a second hummingbird garden in Mindo town, where you see different species from those at Los Armadillos, and the chocolate factory of the village: a guide explains each step of making chocolate, and you finish with a tasting of different chocolates.
Day 2
Morning. Breakfast at our restaurant and, when you feel ready (ideally by 9:30 am), set off with your private naturalist guide. With your private naturalist guide, ride the tarabita, a cable car about 530 m long that crosses the Nambillo River valley some 150 m above the river, and walk to the Waterfalls Sanctuary of Mindo Cloud Forest. It is easy to see 5 or 6 waterfalls in a morning, while your guide shows you the secrets of the cloud forest and its famous birds.
Mindo Cloud Forest is known worldwide for its biodiversity and birding, and for the low clouds that bring moisture and lush plant growth.
Butterflies. Next, the butterfly farm, with more than 1,000 colorful butterflies flying around you, and its bamboo and pambil towers to look over the forest from above.
Back to Quito. Return to the lodge to pack and check out at noon; your private driver takes you back to your hotel in Quito or the airport area.
The order of the activities may change with the weather; your guide always looks for the best option of the day.
How your days work
Where you go
Mindo lies about two hours northwest of Quito, in the Chocó Andino de Pichincha, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2018 (around 286,000 hectares). It is one of the best-known cloud forests in Ecuador: more than 500 bird species have been recorded around the town, and its rivers, waterfalls and gardens of hummingbirds, orchids and butterflies make it easy to enjoy nature without long hikes.
On the way from Quito, the program also shows you the equator at the Middle of the World and the Pululahua crater.
Where you stay
We built and run Las Terrazas de Dana, a boutique lodge and spa in Mindo Cloud Forest, two hours from Quito, rated among the best in Mindo on Tripadvisor and Booking.com.
Between activities, slow down at the lodge: a swim under the pergola, a massage at our spa or a coffee on your balcony, with hummingbirds and the forest around you.
Make it yours
Compare
| Program | What you do | Highlights | Price per person |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 days / 1 night · you are hereMindo Cloud Forest at a glance | Middle of the World · Pululahua · Hummingbird gardens · Chocolate · Tarabita and waterfalls · Butterflies | Middle of the World, hummingbirds, butterflies | From US$530 |
| 3 days / 2 nightsRelaxed exploration of Mindo’s cloudy realm | Middle of the World · Pululahua · Hummingbirds and orchids · Tarabita and waterfalls · Cooking class · Chocolate · Butterflies | Cooking class, hummingbirds, chocolate | From US$820 |
| 4 days / 3 nightsAdventure, nature and flavors in the Andean Chocó | Middle of the World · Pululahua · Hummingbirds and orchids · Tarabita and waterfalls · Chocolate · Butterflies · Cooking class · Coffee tour · Birding or Yellow House Trails | Hummingbirds, chocolate, waterfalls | From US$1,130 |
See all our Mindo all-inclusive programs, add our half-day birding tour (about 4 hours), or go further with our birdwatching tours from the lodge.
Price
| 2 days / 1 night | From US$530 per person |
|---|
The price per person depends on the size of your group and your dates: groups get a lower price per person. Private transfers from Quito or the airport area are included. We send you the exact quote within 24 hours.
Questions
About two hours by road. We pick you up at your hotel in Quito or the airport area and take you back at the end of the program.
Any time of year: the cloud forest is green all year, mornings are usually clear and rain tends to come in the afternoon.
Fair condition is enough: the activities are walks at an easy pace with your guide, and the waterfall morning is the longest one.
Comfortable shoes that can get muddy, a light rain jacket, a warm layer for the evenings, swimwear for the pool, insect repellent and your camera.
Yes: our half-day birding tour (about 4 hours) can be added to this program. In the 4-day program it is already included on the last morning.
Yes, it is our favorite combination: we can pick you up at Quito airport after your Galápagos cruise. Every Galápagos cruise booked with us includes complimentary nights at Las Terrazas de Dana (usually 2–3, more on request).
Yes: tell us your dates, interests and group, and we create a custom Mindo Cloud Forest program for you.
That’s why you choose Dana Tours
Tell us your dates and how many people are traveling. We confirm availability at Las Terrazas de Dana and send you the final price within 24 hours.
Or write to us at [email protected]
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