Two days is the shortest visit to Mindo that we recommend. One day turns the cloud forest into a forced march; two gives you a night in the forest, an early morning with the hummingbirds, and a relaxed drive back. Our "Mindo Cloud Forest at a Glance" program is built for exactly that window.
Price: from $530 per person, with a lower price for groups. Check current availability when you enquire.
Who this program is for
This is the program for travellers with a gap in their itinerary: a day or two before flying to the Galápagos, a weekend spare, a stop between Quito and somewhere else. You get the three experiences that define Mindo for most first-time visitors, without trying to cram a week of activities into 48 hours.
It also works well as an extension to a Galápagos trip. If you're booking a cruise with Dana Tours, ask about our complimentary Mindo packages — depending on the cruise, days and party size, part or all of this stay may be complimentary.
The itinerary
Day 1 — Middle of the World, hummingbird gardens and chocolate. Your private transfer picks you up in Quito with a stop at the Middle of the World: the Intiñan Museum, the Pululahua viewpoint and the Los Armadillos hummingbird garden. Lunch at our restaurant. In the afternoon, a second hummingbird garden in Mindo town — different species from the morning ones — and Yumbos Chocolate, where you see the whole bean-to-bar process and taste the result. Night at the lodge. Meals: lunch, dinner.
Day 2 — Cable car, waterfalls sanctuary and butterfly farm. After breakfast, your private naturalist guide takes you across the Nambillo valley by cable car for the waterfalls sanctuary hike: five or six waterfalls in a morning, with the cloud forest explained as you walk. Then the butterfly farm — more than a thousand butterflies, and the bamboo-and-pambil towers that give you the canopy view. Back at the lodge you check out at noon and your private transfer takes you to Quito or the airport area. Meals: breakfast.
What's included
- 1 night accommodation at Las Terrazas de Dana
- Meals during the program
- Private transport Quito–Mindo–Quito
- Mitad del Mundo stop
- Hummingbird session with a guide
- Mariposario visit (entrance included)
- All entrance fees for the included visits
Fitness level
Fair condition. Nothing on this itinerary is physically demanding; the walking is on maintained trails and paved paths. Rain showers are short and happen any time of year, so a light rain layer covers it.
Practical notes
- The drive each way takes about 2 hours depending on Quito traffic.
- Mitad del Mundo sits slightly off the direct route; we build the stop in rather than treating it as a detour.
- If your flight leaves the next morning, we can time the return so you're back in Quito with a comfortable margin.
If two days feels short
It often does. The 3-day version adds a cooking class and a chocolate visit and leaves the afternoons unregimented: Mindo 3 days, 2 nights. For the deepest version of the cloud forest, with waterfalls, see the 4-day, 3-night program.
For questions about the lodge itself — rooms, food, how we work — start with why stay at Las Terrazas de Dana.
Facts checked: September 2026
Every program includes: luxury accommodation at Las Terrazas de Dana, exclusive private transportation, all meals in the itinerary, all admissions, spa treatments with a 20% discount, a private English-speaking naturalist guide, unlimited water refills, coffee and tea — and laundry service, which almost nobody includes. Our practical tip: hand your washing in the day before you leave and go home with a clean suitcase.