Surrounded by forested mountains and just two hours away from Quito, Mindo offers a variety of activities for all interests and tastes. You will start the day with a hike in the Mindo Nambillo Reserve. This is a transitional sub-tropical rainforest where two of the most biologically diverse ecoregions in the world meet: the Chocó lowlands and the Western Tropical Andes. Three rivers (Mindo, Saloya and Cinto) and hundreds of streams irrigate the landscape. The Nambillo Waterfall Sanctuary is one of the main attractions and invite you to test the refreshing waters of the river. Time permitting, once you are done exploring the forest interior, you can choose from several additional activities: Canopy Zip Line Park, Tubbing, Butterfly Farm or the Artisanal Chocolate Factory. These options are available under request, you can pay for the cost of the activity of your choice directly the day of the tour. Talk to you guide about your interest and he will customize the tour accordingly.
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Prices are per person when two book together; a solo traveller pays $440.
Larger groups pay less per person.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 13.
Your guide will pick you up from your hotel at 8 am for a scenic 2 hour drive towards the western slopes. Mindo is surrounded by forested mountains and offers a wide variety of activities for all interests and tastes. You'll will start the day with a hike in the Mindo Nambillo Reserve. This is a transitional sub-tropical rainforest also known as cloud forest that ranges from 950 to 2800 m.a.s.l. where 2 of the most biologically diverse ecoregions in the world meet: the Chocó lowlands and the Western Tropical Andes. The reserve is home to an outstanding number of orchid, bird, mammal, insect and reptile species. The Nambillo Waterfall Sanctuary is one of the main attractions and invite you to test the refreshing waters of the river. On the way back, it is possible to ride a cable car above the canopy where you'll have an amazing perspective of the beauty of this unique ecosystem. If you are afraid of heights, it's possible to walk back instead.
The town of Mindo is full of options to suit all tastes and interests. Time permitting, once you are done exploring the forest interior, you can opt for one or more of the several additional activities available in the area (entrance fee not included). Talk to your guide about your interests and expectations and he will make sure to run the tour accordingly. You can admire an interactive butterfly farm where you'll witness at close range all the life stages of these wonderful beings; or you can visit a local chocolate factory that processes organically grown cacao, and allows you to participate in the chocolate making process- from plant to bar. If you are in a more adventurous mood, you can choose to go the a Canopy Zip-line Park instead, and enjoy the thrill of exploring the forest from a different perspective or venture down the river in a tubing adventure.
Enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant
After a delicious lunch you'll start your way back to Quito. A final stop before reaching the city will reveal another hidden treasure of the cloud forest: Alambi Reserve. This is one of the best places in Ecuador to watch hummingbirds at close range. Up to 18 species have been recorded in less than 30 minutes!! You'll be amazed with the beauty of this winged jewels. Drop-of at your hotel around 5 pm.
OPTIONAL ADD-ON: In the afternoon you can add a visit to a lek of one of the most iconic bird species in the cloud forest; The Andean Cock of the Rock. This species exhibits marked sexual dimorphism, the male has a large disk-like crest and a very unique vivid scarlet plumage. Gatherings of males compete for breeding females with each male displaying its colorful plumage, bobbing and hopping, and making strident calls. This visit would take place after your lunch in Mindo. The visit to Alambi reserve in this case will be in the morning, on your way to Mindo. If you take this trip extension you'll be dropped off in your hotel around 7:00 pm. Make sure to choose the right option that includes the entrance fee to this reserve
Pick up and drop off at your hotel or accommodation in Quito and the airport area are included.
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For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
MINDO CLOUD FOREST: Nature & Adventure - Flexible Private Day Tour lasts about 8–9 hours. The itinerary has 5 stops.
Prices start at $235 per person for this Quito experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. That is the per-person price when two book together; a solo traveller pays $440. There are 3 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, starting at 5:30 AM and 7:00 AM.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Yes, pickup is offered. Pick up and drop off at your hotel or accommodation in Quito and the airport area are included. Pickup points include Hotel Casa Ecuatreasures Centro Historico, Hotel David.
The experience is available in EN, ES.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 10 travellers can book together.
Children must be accompanied by an adult Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 27 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Neotropical Nature and Birding Trips.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
We had a great day with Dario who was a very professional and informative guide. He attended to what we were most interested in, and we would recommend this private and very flexible tour. The hummingbirds were amazing!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your day in the cloud forest with. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on another adventure soon!
Dario was punctual and very well organized. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. We really appreciated his willingness to show us the birds ! The driver was also very good.
David has been an excellent guide with a broad knowledge about the area and Paulina has been the perfect companion with her safe driving us and guided us safe to our destinations
Dear Christiane, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're very happy to hear that you had a great experience visiting the cloud forest with David and Paulina. David’s deep knowledge of the area and its wildlife, paired with Paulina’s reliable and friendly support, make them a fantastic team — and we're so glad they made your journey both enjoyable and safe. We truly appreciate you choosing to travel with us, and we hope to welcome you again for more nature-filled adventures in the future! Warm regards, Gabriela General Manager Neotropical Nature and Birding Trips
If you like bird watching, this excursion is for you. We saw some many types of hummingbirds and other birds. It was a must! It was our favorite! Santiago was so knowledgeable about the birds. He was incredible!
The entire experience being so close to so many birds was a dream come true. A adventure that I can share with others. Our guide (Neotropical Nature & Birding Trips) was an excellent guide and very personable. The day was the highlight of our 12 day trip to Ecuador. We have been expecting a list of the birds we saw that day. I took over 1200 photos that day and would love to be able to correctly identify the birds. I wanted to verify my e-mail address. Thank you again for such a great experience.
Our Mindo tour was wonderful. Santiago Salazar is an outstanding birdwatching guide, and his local knowledge really made the tour exceptional. I recommend this full day tour and the cock-of the rock add-on option for any birdwatchers coming through the Mindo or Quito area. Great day!
Thank you so much for your review! We're delighted to hear that you had a wonderful experience on our Mindo tour. We're glad that our guide knowledge added to the exceptional quality of your tour. We appreciate your recommendation of both the full-day tour and the cock-of-the-rock add-on option for fellow birdwatchers visiting the Mindo or Quito area. We're thrilled that you had a great day and hope to welcome you back again soon for more unforgettable experiences!
This was my second trip with Neotropical Nature and Birding trips. On short notice, I approached them for a day trip to the Chocó rainforest, and they orchestrated a splendid experience. They organized a wonderful day trip with an early pickup and and a drop off at the airport. Santiago expertly guided me through remarkable locations, highlighting the rich diversity of tropical bird species. I highly recommend booking a trip with them.
We took the Mashpi-Amagusa Nature and Birding Full Day Trip with the Andean Cock of the Rock Lek add on. The tour started with our guide, Lelis picking us up at our hotel at 4:30 in the morning. We drove to the Mashpi reserve where we spent the morning observing birds from the beautiful grounds. There were different observation points which were set up well in case it rained (and it did rain for some time). We saw countless species of beautiful birds. Our guide, Lelis was amazing, he was able to spot and very clearly explain where to look to find them. He was also patient in us learning the species, repeating the names several times. There were also many vantage points where the birds came pretty close and where you could just sit and watch. The land owner Sergio setup natural feeders placing bananas for the birds to enjoy. Highlighted species include the glistening-green tanager, flame-rumped tanager, rufus-throated tanager, golden-naped (blue) tanager, moss-backed tanager, toucan barbet, honey creeper, and so much more. There was also an area where several species of hummingbirds, coronets and sylphs were spotted, a highlight being where you could hold a bunch of flowers and have the hummingbirds eat off of them! After a very tasty lunch made by Sergio's wife, we headed off to our next adventure. We ended the day going to Reserva la Victoriana to see the interesting Cock of the Rock species. The walk to the observation platform was breathtaking and the observation platform was really well done. We did get to see the species, but a bit off in the distance. We brought 8x42 binoculars and a DSLR camera with a 80-400mm lens which worked out very well. The drive back to the hotel provided great views as well. Lelis was a fantastic guide and great company, we had an amazing experience with this private tour!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your detailed and positive experience on the Mashpi-Amagusa Nature and Birding Full Day Trip with the Andean Cock of the Rock Lek add-on! We're thrilled to hear that it was an amazing and memorable day for you. It's great to know that the Mashpi Amagusa reserve provided a beautiful setting for bird observation, and the well-prepared observation points were a thoughtful touch, especially considering the rain. We're delighted that Lelis, our guide, played a crucial role in making the experience exceptional. We're grateful for your kind words, and we're delighted to have provided you with a fantastic private tour. If you ever decide to explore more, we'd be honored to be a part of your future adventures. Safe travels, and thank you for choosing our tour!
Sebastian was great and customized our trip to perfection. After seeing the hummingbirds, we went to the butterfly farm and too see orchids. He let us pick lunch and stopped for ice cream. The best for last: we saw nine cock of the rocks!
If you like seeing exotic birds in the wild and cloud forest flora and fauna, this is the tour for you. It was fascinating to be surrounded by many species of hummingbirds, and the walk in the forest and the view of brilliant birds were very interesting. Our tour guide was quite knowledgeable, and his photography skills helped us to get the best photos. We really enjoyed lunch at a scenic location.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MINDO CLOUD FOREST: Nature & Adventure - Flexible Private Day Tour | 8–9 hours | 5.0 (27) | $235 | |
 Mindo Cloud Forest Private Tour: Chocolate, Coffee, Birds, Nature | 5–10 hours | 4.7 (240) | $90 | View |
 Mindo Cloud Forest Day Trip from Quito – Birdwatching & Adventure | 7–8 hours | 4.9 (43) | $295 | View |
 Mindo Cloud Forest Day Tours - PRIVATE - Richard Hernandez | 9–11 hours | 4.8 (113) | $185 | View |
 Mindo Cloud Forest Full Day Tour from Quito | 12 hours | 4.9 (125) | $59 | View |
 Mindo Cloud Forest Private Tour Nature wildlife Experience | 1 day | 5.0 (1) | $95 | View |
 Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike | 10 hours | 5.0 (133) | $189 | View |