Sample itinerary
2 days in Mindo for bird watchers
Day 1
Day 2
Estimated total$54
Sum of the “from” prices published today. A guide, not a fixed offer: the final price depends on the date and group size.
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500+
Bird species
98
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1,250 m
altitude
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Everything you need to experience Mindo
Tours
30 toursBirdwatching, ziplining, tubing, chocolate and more
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Birdwatching
7 packagesOver 500 species in the Chocó cloud forest
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Stays
34 staysEco-lodges, cabins and boutique hotels
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Restaurants
27 restaurantsLocal flavors and mountain cuisine
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Transport
3 optionsBuses, taxis and private transfers from Quito
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Services
4 servicesPharmacies, health and essential services in Mindo
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The destination
Why Mindo?
A one-of-a-kind destination
Biodiversity
500+ bird species, 400+ orchids and 500+ butterflies. South America’s first Important Bird Area and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Adventure
10 ziplines through cloud forest, tubing at 3 difficulty levels, and 7 waterfalls reached by cable car over the Río Nambillo.
Gastronomy
Award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate (made from cacao beans to finished bars) from El Quetzal and Yumbos, specialty Alambi coffee, and 20+ restaurants with global flavors.
History & nature
The valley of the Yumbos
Just 70 km from Quito, Mindo is far more than a tourist destination. It is a territory with a thousand-year history, declared South America’s first Important Bird Area and a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
The Yumbo-Nigua people
Before the Spanish conquest, the valley was one of the most important settlements of the Yumbo-Nigua, farmers and traders who served as the link between the Coast and the Andes. They were forced to migrate due to the eruptions of Ruco Pichincha volcano. The name “Mindo” may derive from “Mindalaes” (merchants) or from the Quichua word for “land of guavas”.
- 1861
First parish
Mindo is declared a parish on May 20th by President Gabriel García Moreno — one of the oldest in the northwest of Pichincha.
- 1988
Protected forest
The Mindo-Nambillo Protected Forest is declared, protecting 19,200 ha of primary cloud forest.
- 1997
South America’s first IBA
BirdLife International designates Mindo as the first Important Bird Area (IBA) on the entire continent.
- 2018
UNESCO reserve
UNESCO declares the Chocó Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve on July 26th.
- from Quito (1.5–2 h)
- 70 km
- meters above sea level
- 1,250 m
- year-round temperature
- 18–24°C
- recorded bird species
- 500+
Practical info
Before you come to Mindo
The basics for getting here, picking your dates and packing your bag.
Getting here from Quito
Mindo is about 2 hours from Quito by road. You can take the Cooperativa Flor del Valle bus or a private taxi.
See transport optionsBest time to visit
The cloud forest can be visited all year round. The driest season runs roughly from June to September.
What to bring
A rain jacket, insect repellent, swimwear for waterfalls and tubing, and shoes with good grip.
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