Mindo, a charming town, is nestled in the northwestern region of Quito, at a distance of roughly 100 km (62 miles), while the international airport of Quito is just a short journey away, approximately 110 km (68 miles). A drive from either of these locations to Mindo typically takes around 2 hours.
Las terrazas de Dana is only 1,2 km /0,8 miles from Mindo´s centre (either 5 minutes by car/taxi or 15 minutes walking), in the direction of the Road to the Cable Car also known as the Tarabita, and Sanctuary of Waterfalls.
It’s incredible to be surrounded by captivating nature, amazing sounds and millions of birds, and at the same time have a 40 MB wifi service and connectivity with all mobile operators.
At Las Terrazas de Dana being connected or disconnected is your decision.
The official currency of Ecuador is the US dollar. However, you can also find local coins that have the same value as US coins. It is important to remember to exchange these local coins before leaving the country, as they may not be accepted elsewhere.
Before starting your trip to Las Terrazas de Dana, make sure you have enough cash with you,because there is no ATM in Mindo.
At Las Terrazas de Dana, all extra charges can be paid by credit card without any surcharge, this allows visitors to enjoy their stay without worrying about cash.
The voltage used in Ecuador is 110V, with outlets made to use with three prongs, two flat and one round the same ones used in the US. If you are visiting us from other part of the globe, you might need an adapter to be able to plug them in.
In Mindo, the electricity is quite stable, but during the rainy season there may be power outages.
At Las Terrazas de Dana, we have 2 generators that supply electricity to the entire hotel in these cases.
In our lodge we speak spanish and english.
We think that part of being sustainable is having local people on our team with whom we have small daily English classes, and little by little they lose their fear of speaking.
In town, english is also commonly spoken in the tourism-related businesses.
All our birding guides speak English and also some of our drivers.
Mindo offers a plenty of experiences suitable for everyone, regardless of age or preference. Venture up the valley via chairlift, traverse the tarabita, and find yourself in a sanctuary of waterfalls waiting to be explored.
The butterfly farm invites you to understand the life cycle of these delicate creatures while admiring their varied shapes and vibrant colors. Be awestruck by the sight of orchids no larger than your finger, and experience the thrill of feeding hummingbirds, feeling their powerful wings flutter close to you.
Indulge your senses in the art of chocolate making, savoring each unique flavor of our artisanal varieties. For those seeking a rush of adrenaline, canopying, tubing, and canyoning provide the perfect blend of excitement and adventure.
Mindo is not just a place; It’s a lifetime experience.
In the Mindo Valley, the weather can be unpredictable. Throughout the year, we have sunny mornings, so we recommend doing all outdoor activities in the morning. In the afternoons, it usually rains, so you can do activities in the town then.
The months with the most rain are March and April (with a lot of birds activity), and the hottest months are July and August.
The temperature ranges from 20 to 26 °C (68 to 79 °F) all year round.
Tipping is an optional gesture of appreciation for excellent service.
We invite you to fully immerse yourself in the experience we offer. Should you feel moved to express your appreciation through a tip at the conclusion of your stay, the amount is entirely at your discretion. Our team is dedicated to providing exceptional service without any expectation of gratuity.
We’ve seen guests choose to give anywhere from $20 to $500, but please know there is no obligation. The choice is yours and any gesture of gratitude, no matter the size, is deeply appreciated.
We have our restaurant where breakfast is served from 7:30am along with the singing of birds and a beautiful view of the mountain and Mindo´s valley.
The restaurant remains open for lunch and dinner until 8:30pm, where you can find a variety of Ecuadorian and international dishes, as well as very good steaks.
We offer room service for lunch and dinner, it’s a great experience to eat on your private terrace.
At Las Terrazas de Dana all food and drinks prepared in our restaurant are made with purified water.
Always make sure to drink bottled water and bring your reusable bottles to refill at our permanent purified water station, which also offers unlimited coffee and tea.
We will always leave a carafe with purified water in your room.
You can use the sink water to brush your teeth without any problems.
We offer bottled water for purchase on-site and we also have Las Terrazas de Dana reusable water bottles available.
In mainland Ecuador, the local time zone is GMT-5.
Given that the country is situated on the equator, we enjoy 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness every day of the year.
Here in the middle of the world daylight breaks at 6 a.m. and nightfall descends at 6 p.m.
Altitude: 1285 m or 4218 ft above the sea level.
In Ecuador, there is no need for vaccinations against malaria or dengue, we do not have these diseases in Mindo.
You might come across sandflies or mosquitoes, as a precaution during walks, it is
recommended to wear protective clothing with long sleeves and trousers, preferably wear colours like khaki or olive green, as bright colours attract insects.
Ensure you always have repellent accessible and use it frequently to avoid bites.
In your room, you will find insecticide in case you wish to spray your room in the afternoon, remember to close the windows and terrace doors when you do so.
At Las Terrazas de Dana, insects don’t pose a significant issue.
During your trip to Ecuador, sometimes having a $100.00 bill is like not having money at all, as smaller establishments like handicraft shops or restaurants do not accept them or never have enough change.
We recommend bringing bills of smaller denominations.
At Las Terrazas de Dana, you can pay for all your extra expenses with your credit card without any surcharge. However, you can use your $100 bills to leave them in our tip box :)
Mindo is a secure and serene small town, you can do all the activities in town as well as innature with total peacefulness.
You can walk its streets and restaurants, as a recommendation if it gets late and you return after dark it is better to take a to take a taxi because the road to our lodge is very dark.
At Las Terrazas de Dana all our rooms have a safe deposit box where you can store your valuables and documents and we also have CCTV.
This is our suggestion of things to pack for your adventure in the cloud forest:
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