Most visitors to Mindo book a room, then figure out tours once they arrive. It works, but it means haggling with operators, checking bus times, and hoping the good guides aren't already booked. Our all-inclusive programs take that apart: you arrive in Quito, we handle the rest, from the transfer to the last hummingbird.
We run three fixed packages, priced per person, with group discounts available. This page explains how they work and points you to the detail pages for each one.
The three programs
| Program | Length | Price (from, pp) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindo Cloud Forest at a Glance | 2 days / 1 night | $530 | Mitad del Mundo, hummingbirds, butterflies |
| Relaxed Exploration of Mindo's Cloudy Realm | 3 days / 2 nights | $820 | Cooking class, hummingbirds, chocolate |
| Adventure, Nature and Flavors in the Andean Chocó | 4 days / 3 nights | $1,130 | Hummingbirds, chocolate, waterfalls |
All three prices are per person, with a lower price for groups. Check current availability and group rates when you enquire, because dates and group size move the final number.
What "all-inclusive" means here
Each program bundles the things you'd otherwise arrange piece by piece:
- Accommodation at Las Terrazas de Dana
- Meals during the program
- Private transport between Quito and Mindo, so you skip the public bus and the taxi negotiation
- The tours and activities listed for that program, with guides
- Entrance fees for the included visits
What changes between the three is pacing and content. The 2-day version is built around a short stay with the essentials: the line at Mitad del Mundo, a hummingbird session, and the butterfly farm. The 3-day version slows down and adds hands-on days, a cooking class and a chocolate visit. The 4-day version goes deepest into the cloud forest itself, with the waterfall route added to the mix.
We describe each program in detail on its own page, with a day-by-day outline:
- Mindo 2 days, 1 night: Cloud Forest at a Glance
- Mindo 3 days, 2 nights: Relaxed Exploration
- Mindo 4 days, 3 nights: Adventure, Nature and Flavors
Fitness level: fair condition
All three programs ask for a fair level of fitness, not an athletic one. Mindo sits at around 1,300 m and the activities involve walking on forest trails, some of them muddy after rain. If you can walk a couple of hours on uneven ground at a relaxed pace, you're fine. If you have doubts about a specific activity, tell us when you enquire and we'll adjust.
Why book a package instead of doing it yourself
Honest answer: for some travellers, DIY is the right call. The public bus from Quito costs $4.50 and Mindo is full of independent operators. If you have a week, flexible dates, and enjoy logistics, build your own trip. Our planning guides cover that route.
A package makes sense when:
- Your time is short and you don't want to spend half a day sorting transport
- You're travelling with family and want one point of contact
- You want the lodge's own guides rather than whoever is available that morning
- You're combining Mindo with a Galápagos cruise and want the two halves to connect cleanly (see our complimentary packages for Galápagos guests)
What it costs in context
If you compared the package price to a hostel bed and public buses, the package loses. That's the wrong comparison. The realistic DIY equivalent is a mid-range room, a private transfer ($80-90 by taxi from Quito, or our own transfer service), entry fees, tours with a certified guide, and meals. Add it up over three or four days and the package prices sit where you'd expect. The difference is that one price covers it, and the itinerary is already tested.
Weather and when to come
Mindo runs around 21°C in the day and 14°C at night all year. Frequent rain arrives from late October through April, but short showers happen any month. The programs run year-round; birds and butterflies don't take a season off. More detail in our guide to the best time to visit Mindo.
How to book
Enquire through the program page you're interested in, with your dates and group size. We confirm availability, the group price, and what the itinerary looks like for your dates. No prepayment puzzles: you talk to us first, we build the trip, then you decide.
If none of the three fixed programs fits, we also build customized programs in Mindo around what you actually want to do.
Facts checked: September 2026