Booking your first tour ever can be an overwhelming thought.

With so many spectacular places around the world, choosing one is anything but easy. You’re divided between where you really, really want to go and where you must go. Asking for suggestions from your friends and family can make things more complicated. Everyone has their own list of places! Some people recommend you one country while some will tell you to go to another. You don’t know whom to listen to and whom not to.

And of course, we too have our own list of recommendations! Don’t worry; we won’t confuse you like all the rest by giving you 10 different locations to travel to. At the top of our list sits Mindo!

Never heard of it? Let us tell you some important details about it first.

Introducing the Start of this Post, Mindo, Ecuador

Mindo is a small, beautiful village located super close to Ecuador’s capital – Quito. It is located at the bottom of the lush Mindo valley, making it an instant favorite among both locals and foreigners who love everything green. It is set in the Andean foothills of Ecuador amidst a stunning cloud-forest.

Its unique forest is what grabs the attention of all bird watchers around the globe, compelling them to visit this place right away. However, this forest is the hub of many other interesting activities (more on that later) that piques the interest of other tourists as well.

Why Mindo, Ecuador?

If you’re both a nature lover as well as an adventure seeker, Mindo, Ecuador is the best holiday destination for you. Locals and foreigners alike find this forest not only as a great chilling spot but also find it to be the center of a plethora of cultural activities which. That makes their trip all the way more fun and adventurous all the while. You can get a taste of almost everything when making a visit here. From seeing wonderful landscapes to spotting hundreds of diverse species like birds, mammals, and reptiles to engaging in challenging activities, this place offers everything a tour should.

This village is situated in isolated slightly off-the-beaten tracks. If you’re looking for an escape from all the hubbub of the city place, you will love the peace and quiet that Mindo, Ecuador offers. You will find this village buzzing with the delightful sound of birds humming in the trees, rather than the place filled with pollution and traffic.

Did you know that this town is also well-known for the production of chocolate in Ecuador “Mindo Chocolate?”

Aren’t you still convinced why you should visit this forest? Scroll down to know some more fascinating reasons why Mindo is the best destination for you.

Is Mindo Really Worth Your Visit?

We’ll say – absolutely yes!

You know why?

First off, it offers its visitors excellent bird watching Mindo tours!

Famous for sheltering more than 500 species, people from far and wide visit this area for Mindo bird tours. Mindo has won the Audubon Society’s Annual Christmas Bird Count six times (!!!), spotting the most species in a span of just 24 hours at the year’s end. Plus, the small forest holds about 16% of the world’s bird species. This is precisely why all bird-nerds across the world must plan to go on Mindo bird tours.

Bird watching Mindo tours will prove to be an extremely enlightening activity where you can encounter birds that you never knew existed before!

Yes, that’s right – you can find Cock-of-the-rock, Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan, Toucan Barbet, Giant Antpitta, Scaled Fruiteater, to name a few.

However, remember birding in Ecuador is something for the early-risers. So, if you are all about bird watching Ecuador, get up early in the morning, around 5 am to 10 am and go on for Mindo birding tours.

You will find unique birds perched up on the branches of dense trees of this tropical forest. The most famous bird you are likely to find there is the cock-of-the-rock. People all over the world opt for bird watching Mindo tours just to have a glance at this rare phenomenal bird. Every day, whether it is heavily raining or it’s a bright sunny day, cocks-of-the-rock, covered in bright blood-red orange feathers gather in the forest, generally, around 6 am. The sound of their loud squawks and the sight of them dancing on the branches, wrangling with each other, hoping to flatter their female counterparts, are some of the things that make the birding in Ecuador absolutely thrilling.

Where to Go for Birding in Ecuador?

From dozens of species of hummingbirds to the famous cock-of-the-rock, all of these birds (and several more) reside in this incredibly quaint small town – Mindo – in the rainforest that’s only 2 hours away from northeast of Quito.

Although Mindo also offers a remarkable line of activities, it’s mostly known for Mindo bird tours. Unfortunately, at times, it is harder to find some birds. For instance, there are birds you can only see at dawn, requiring you to wake up early and hike up to the forest to see the diverse beauty of nature. Then there are some birds that are quite easy to spot. You can easily see them resting in their habitat or pecking the worms.

One of the places where you can experience bird watching Mindo tours is the “Yellow House”. You can reach there in roughly ten minutes on foot. You might also find some great bird sightings along the way. Once you reach there, you can access the property’s walking trails for a $6 fee. A long hike to the place can give you the opportunity to see species like toucans, quetzals, parrots, barbets and many more birds. If you’re lucky enough, you might also spot spectacled bears and monkeys there.

Some other places where you can have Mindo bird tours are Ruta San Lorenzo and San Tadeo banana feeder. There is also a famous butterfly farm in Mindo that you must visit with your friends and family. Wouldn’t it be great learning about the different stages of a butterfly’s life? Or how about surrounding yourself by more than 1200 fluttering butterflies?

The bonus of your visit to Mindo is that you are just not restricted to bird watching. If you’re not into bird watching that much, there are still quite a few fun activities to do here like trekking at the Tarabita (CableCar( and Sanctuary of Waterfalls, tubing, canyoning, swimming at the river, coffee tour, teleférico, chocolate tour, butterfly farm, visit to the orquid garden, night walk and zip-lining.

Honestly, one day is simply not enough to see everything around if you’re planning a tour to Mindo. There are several full day tours that leave from Quito (Ecuador’s capital!) which you are of course, free to check out but you need to dedicate more days to your tour to truly enjoy the perks of this awesome place. We don’t want you to miss out on some of the best experiences while visiting this gorgeous place. Worried about your accommodation while exploring Mindo? Las Terrazas de Dana has the answer to all your accommodation related woes! Get in touch today!

Less than two hours from Quito, Tandayapa Valley is a beautiful slice of the Ecuadorian amazon rainforest. It is most well-known for the exceptional birding opportunities. In fact, after a short time you´ll appreciate why, this reserve has held the highest 24-hour bird count in the Audubon Christmas bird, three years in a row.

In the Andes the cloud forests appear at altitudes between 900 and 2,500 meters. The perfect climate here allows flowers to bloom throughout the year. Epiphytic orchids are found everywhere with 80 species found so far. There are also a host of bromeliads and tree ferns with countless air plants seen nearby. Air plants are fascinating, with their ability to grow on top of other plants, however they are not parasitic. The roots of the air plants act as anchors and the leaves absorb water and nutrients.

There is a huge network of trails throughout the reserve and so far explorers have discovered 330 species of bird. Scores of toucans, wrens and warblers are seen each day. Also be sure to keep an eye out for the famous Andean Cock-of-the Rock. Hummingbird feeders have been used to entice 31 different species to the area. Sometimes there can be as many as twenty species seen in a single day. There is certainly enough here to keep and nature lover enticed for days.

Considering the adventure trails and hidden waterfalls you have the recipe for a fantastic experience. Let us not forget the many butterflies, squirrels, insects, frogs and even bespectacled bears also found in the region. You will see that Ecuador´s reputation for its natural treasures is well deserved and why this destination in particular is favored by nature lovers.

Maquipucuna Reserve.

Visiting the Maquipucuna Reserve is surprisingly convenient as it is just 1 hour away from Quito. The park is only 50 miles north-west making it the closest rainforest to the city. The reserve is the entrance into the Chocó Andean Corridor in the top 5 most biodiverse regions in the country.

The reserve has over 14,000 acres of cloud forest with altitudes ranging from 3,000 to 8,800 feet.

The range in altitude results in a greater biodiversity. To put things into perspective, Maquipucuna supports more than 376 species of birds (and has been labelled an important bird area), 250 species of butterflies, 45 species of mammals and over 1,800 species of plants.

Due to the presence of a tiny avocado type plant that grow in this region it’s the only place close to Quito where spectacled bear are often spotted for months in the year. With over 32km of trails available to explore, make sure you plan on staying for at least a few days. It would take more than one lifetime to see everything this protected region has to offer.

Alongside the fauna and flora there is historic significance to this reserve. Archeological sites have discovered ruins that point to an impressive pre-Incan people known as Yumbos. There are still many archaeological points of interest in the region including burial sites, pottery and ancient pathways.

As should be the case (but oftentimes is not) the main focus of the foundation here is sustainable ecotourism. One of the main attractions in visiting this particular reserve is the sincere efforts and huge steps forward the team has made in creating a tourist environment that preserves the unique reserve. Not only within this reserve but the team has reached out to help initiate ecotourism projects for the nearby communities Yunguilla and Santa Lucía.

Mashpi Reserve.

A 4 hour drive from Quito is the Mashpi reserve, an astounding 2,891 acres of privately owned forest. The reserve forms part of the Chocó-Darién biogeographic region, one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. The reserve is perfectly situated between two differing habitats the lowland floodplain forests and the foothill forests. This results in the opportunity to view a wider array of species. Alongside this are an abundance of plant species, from bromeliads to a number of orchid species, some of which have only just been discovered.

There are many rare and exotic birds in the reserve so far over 400 different species have been recorded with more being discovered each year. Hummingbirds are many peoples favorite bird to see up close. Within the reserve there are 32 different species and while there you´ll be able to get close enough to hear the incredibly fast beat of their wings. To give you a taste of some of the other species of birds available there is the Indigo Flowerpiercer (Diglossopis glauca), Banded Ground-Cuckoo (Neomorphus radiolosus) and Black-tipped Cotinga (Carpodectes hopkei).

The full immersion of hiking through the forest is a thrilling experience, animals in every place you can imagine and among it all the great cacophony of sound they create. Where to begin with the animals to see here?. I needn´t write an exhaustive list, some of my favorites include; black pumas, tarantulas with color changing legs and cuckoos that can throw their voice. Suffice to say there is a multitude of animals here seen nowhere else in the world.

There are several activities available within the reserve. Trails with varying difficulties, nature walks and an observation tower. There is also a novelty experience SkyBike (cycling on a cable through the canopy). And of course a hummingbird sanctuary. The life center is accessible and was created for further scientific understanding and learning.

Mindo is located in the middle to visit all of this places. Why not to spend a day doing a tour in these reserves and then rest in the afternoon in your private hot tub and terrace?. Book your accommodation and tours in Las Terrazas de Dana Lodge.

is the most beautiful and relaxing place I´ve found. Before arriving here I spent a couple of weeks in Quito. It felt so good to step back from the bustling city and get a breath of fresh air. Being a little outside of the town, all I can hear is the comforting sounds of the surrounding cloud forest, so no more blaring car horns!

The town offers so many different activities. One day I can go to the Yellow House and spend the day trekking. The next day, I can relax and watch butterflies. By the way the butterfly farm here is spectacular!. However I have seen loads of butterflies simply in Las Terrazas de Dana Lodge. We have a bird table with some bananas and I love
seeing the different exotic birds fly to the table throughout the day. They never stop coming and eating bananas!.

If you do decide to visit Mindo Ecuador, I highly recommend a stop at the hummingbird garden. My jaw dropped when I saw the sheer amount of birds flying around. I have never seen so many hummingbirds before in my life. There were dozens flitting around at the same time. The frenetic activity of the birds is fascinating yet relaxing at the same time. I must have spent over two hours observing not only the hummingbirds but the other birds. Also butterflies and cute squirrels attracted by the bananas on offer.

Another day activity in Mindo Ecuador I thoroughly enjoyed was a dip in the waterfalls. There is a superb cable car to reach the waterfalls that goes across the entire valley!. It is worth a trip by itself. My favorite waterfall was the Cascada Namillo. This is the largest in the park and you can jump from a platform at the top over 12m down into the frothing water. I´m not going to lie… it was terrifying!. It felt good to get some exercise and see the different waterfalls (6 in total). When I got a little hot I would just take a small break, dive into the water and then continue to walk to the next waterfall. My friend managed with only flip flops but I´d recommend taking proper shoes.

There´s still lots do to in Mindo Ecuador before I leave. I want to check out one of the night hikes where you can see lightning bugs with glowing eyes!. Maybe I´ll go zip lining and one day I will convince myself to get up early to go birding too.