We publish three fixed all-inclusive programs — 2, 3 and 4 days — because most travellers fit into one of them and fixed itineraries are easy to compare. But a fixed program is a template, not a cage. Roughly speaking, if you read the three program pages and kept thinking "yes, but", this page is for you.
When a customized program makes sense
- You have a specific interest. Birders who want full days at altitude gradients, photographers who want to work leks and feeders at first light, families with small children who need shorter activity blocks — the fixed programs bend towards the average visitor. If your trip revolves around one thing, we build around that thing instead.
- Your dates don't align. Fixed programs assume you start in Quito with a clean day. If you're arriving off a red-eye, leaving for the Galápagos mid-week, or connecting from another destination, we adjust the structure.
- You're combining with a Galápagos cruise. Guests who book their cruise through Dana Tours get a customized offer that accounts for the cruise, the days and the party size — sometimes with complimentary nights, meals, transfers or more. That's always built case by case; see complimentary Mindo packages for Galápagos guests.
- Group dynamics. Mixed generations, restricted mobility, a honeymoon that shouldn't share a schedule with a school group. Tell us who's coming.
What we can build from
Everything in our fixed programs is available as a component:
- Guided birding — our own rate is $90 for half a day, $150 for a full day
- Hummingbird feeder sessions at the classic Mindo spots
- The waterfall route (tarabita $5 + sanctuary, transport included in programs)
- Chocolate tour at Mindo Chocolate Makers, around $10
- Butterfly farm (mariposario) in Mindo
- Cooking classes at the lodge
- Mitad del Mundo as a stop on the Quito transfer
- Zipline/canopy in Mindo ($25 for the full 10-cable tour for foreign visitors) and tubing ($6 per person, minimum 4)
- Refugio Paz de las Aves for antpittas and the cock-of-the-rock lek, about 30 minutes from Mindo
Transport to and from Quito is $105 each way with our own transfer, or we fold it into the package price.
What it costs
We don't publish a custom-program price list, because the honest answer is that it depends on length, group size and content. What we can tell you: our three fixed programs run from $530 per person (2 days) through $820 (3 days) to $1,130 (4 days), with lower prices for groups, and a customized program prices out against those as a reference. Enquire with your dates and group and we'll send a concrete number — no estimate games.
How the process works
- Enquire with dates, number of people, and what you care about. Vague is fine; "birds and food, 4 days, 2 adults and a 10-year-old" is enough to start.
- We draft an itinerary and a price. You push back on whatever's wrong.
- We adjust until it's the trip you wanted. Then you book.
There's no obligation until you say yes. The enquiry form goes to us at the lodge, not to a call centre.
What we'll tell you honestly
Sometimes the answer is that you don't need a customized program. If your trip is two adults with general interests and four days available, the fixed 4-day program is cheaper than the same trip built à la carte, because we can plan logistics tightly. We'll say so when it's true.
And if you'd rather not take a package at all, that's fine too — you can book the lodge on its own and use our activity guides to build your own days.
Facts checked: September 2026