
Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 135 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike worth booking?
Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike is a 10-hour experience in Quito, Ecuador, from $189 per person. It scores 84 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 5/5 rating across 135 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 84 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (135)
- Duration
- 10 hours
- From
- $189 per person
Enjoy with us a different experience on your day trip to Mindo Cloud Forest. Last remnants of the Choco Darien Region. Find different and unique Nature places. You can be part of different activities like Hiking in the Cloud Forest, Butterflies farm, Humingbird's Photography, Many species of birds, Waterfalls in the Nambillo River. a lot of fun and Adventure with some extra activities in the Mindo River. Tubbing, Zip line cables tour in the Forest. This is a tailor-made experience. Please just let us know your Preferences.
What you get
About this experience
Enjoy with us a different experience on your day trip to Mindo Cloud Forest. Last remnants of the Choco Darien Region. Find different and unique Nature places. You can be part of different activities like Hiking in the Cloud Forest, Butterflies farm, Humingbird's Photography, Many species of birds, Waterfalls in the Nambillo River. a lot of fun and Adventure with some extra activities in the Mindo River. Tubbing, Zip line cables tour in the Forest. This is a tailor-made experience. Please just let us know your Preferences.
What's included
Included
- admission fees
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- National tour Guides
Not included
- Lunch
- Gratuites are welcome
What you'll see and do
Pululahua Volcano & Geobotanical Reserve
Our Mindo Cloud Forest Day Tour begins at 8:00 AM in Quito as we journey northwest through the Pichincha Province, experiencing a variety of climatic zones along the way. Our first stop will be at the Pululahua Volcano, where we will enjoy a panoramic view of the majestic crater. Here, we can observe a diverse range of native plants, including bromeliads, orchids, and several medicinal species.
20 minutes here
San Tadeo Birding
Would you like to feed hummingbirds from your hands? This is the perfect place for that! You'll also encounter toucans and tanagers at the feeders. Agoutis, squirrels, orchids, and bromeliads are all part of this amazing experience. Be sure to bring binoculars and a camera with a good zoom.
60 minutes here · Admission included
Mariposas de Mindo
After birding in San Tadeo, we will arrive at Mindo town and immediately we will go to the butterfly farm where we will learn about the butterflies anatomy, reproduction, in their natural state. Hummingbird feeders are the best option in a small trail if you are interested in photography.
30 minutes here · Admission included
Nambilla Cascadas
We continue our journey to the cloud forest where we will be part of some trails to the waterfalls route. A short Drive from Mariposas de Mindo to Cascadas Nambillo. Once there, we will take a cable car to pass to other section of the Cloud forest and take a hike to the Nambillo waterfall or ruta de las Cascadas (Waterfall Route). It will take us around 1.30 hours. We are ready for lunch in a great, quite, and beautiful place.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Mindo
Finally and after Lunch, we have a relaxing activity. it is learning, Tasting, the best artesanal chocolate you never mind. Yumbos is the best spot in Mindo for It. We are ready to go back to Quito
60 minutes here
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers. Pickup begins about 5 minutes before departure.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en, es
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Ecuador a Color tour operator
Know before you go
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 135 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
5 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Physical effort
4 mentionsExpect real walking or climbing: reviewers mention the effort involved.
Food and drink
3 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
2 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Value for money
2 mentionsTravelers feel they got more than they paid for.
Traveler reviews
135 verified traveler reviews for Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
This was truly an amazing...
This was truly an amazing experience! Galindo was a great, experienced, and knowledgeable guide! He has a lot of knowledge of the area and of the rare and local bird species in the rainforest! I highly recommend this experience, it truly was magical
Response from the operator: Hello Daniella, Thank you so much for sharing your Excellent Experience with our Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike with Galindo. We hope to see you again. Safe travels, Galindo and Patricio
via Viator
Great one day tour outside Quito
Great full day tour. The butterflies, humming birds rainforest walk were all great; Galinda was an excellent guide. The only negative …..lots of driving…but worth it.
Response from the operator: Hello friends, Thank you so much for sharing your Amazing Experience with our Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike with Galindo. Weekends usually get more traffic than weekdays. We hope to see you again. Safe Travels, Galindo And Patricio
via Tripadvisor
Great tour of the cloud forest
The Mindo cloud forest tour was great! It also included a stop at a hummingbird sanctuary as well as a butterfly sanctuary. The hummingbird sanctuary was a great experience. There were multiple varieties of hummingbirds. They also provided hand held feeders so hummingbirds would come to you. The butterfly sanctuary was pretty cool but it’s to get pictures of them! The cloud forest itself was amazing. The hike isn’t particularly long but there is a pretty good change in elevation. It wasn’t too difficult but good footwear and being in half decent shape is important. All in all an enjoyable experience. The only downside was it’s a good two hours drive from Quito on very winding roads. Not good if you’re prone to motion sickness. But I highly recommend the tour.
Response from the operator: Hello friends, Thank you so much for sharing your Great Tour of The Cloud forest in Mindo Experience. We love hearing from you this awesome feedback with our Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike. Thanks again for let us to be part of your experience in tbe Cloud Forest. We hope to see you again. Safe travels, Patricio
via Tripadvisor
An amazing day of learning!
Pato was my guide for the day and he was extremely knowledgeable, fun, and gracious. Pato picked me up at around 9:00 am and returned me about 7:30. I experienced the volcano crater which now has farms. I visited the Hummingbird preserve, which was absolutely wondrous. So many varieties along with other types of birds that showed up. I went to a butterfly farm which was very educational. Did you know those large moth caterpillars are really soft!!! We took a gondola over a gorge and were going to hike to a waterfall, but I was incapable of the hike. Pato was very understanding of my dilemma. The last stop was CHOCOLATE....How it's crafted from the cocoa beans and the types of beans. I even had a chocolate facial! Amazing and delicious! This all took place in the Andes mountains and Mindo Rain Forest. I highly recommend this tour for someone who wants to learn about Ecuador.
Response from the operator: Hi Tammy, It was my pleasure has been part of your Amazing Day of Learning with our Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike as your Local Tour Guide. Thank you so much for sharing your Wonderful Feedback. I hope to see you again. Safe travels, Pato
via Tripadvisor
Mindo is AMAZING!
What an AMAZING day! Our first stop was at Puluhahua Volcano where we had a panoramic view of the volcano’s crater. On to the highlight of the day at San Tadeo Birding where there were hundreds of hummingbirds of different species, along with brightly colored tanagers and a funny looking creature called a tayra. I could have sat there all day letting them feed out of my hand! Next we went to Cascadas Nambilla, where we took a cable car over the canopy and then hiked to the waterfalls and back. So many diverse plants! After a lunch of local Ecuadorian food, we went to Mariposas de Mindo. Beautiful butterflies in all stages of life. We ended our day learning how coffee is made - from bean to cup. Our guide, Pato, was so knowledgeable about the birds and plants of the area. He happily answered our many questions about life in Equador, tweaked our day to align with our interests, and made sure that we got the best Ecuadorian snacks and lunch! Mindo is a beautiful place, with so much to do and see. We highly recommend Ecuador a Color to make the most of the time you have here!
Response from the operator: Hi Lynn, Thank you so much for sharing your Amazing Experience with our Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike. It was my pleasure has been part of your experience in Mindo. I hope to see you again. Safe travels, Pato
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 10 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $189 to $230
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 47
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Who runs this experience
Operated by Ecuador a Color tour operator, who run 4 experiences we rank across 1 city, with an average Outty Ranking of 77.9 and 1 in the 90+ Club.
See everything Ecuador a Color tour operator runsWhy this scores 84
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Quito.
How much does Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike cost?
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Prices start at $189 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Quito usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike take?
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Plan for about 10 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Quito is not rushed.
Is Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 84 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 135 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Quito, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 10-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike?
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Around 47 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Quito can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Quito and add a light layer if any part of the 10-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Quito within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Quito?
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On Outty we rank every Quito experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Cotopaxi Volcano full day tour with all the entrances, every day, Cotopaxi tour from Quito -horseback ride and hike-NO TOURISTY way, Baños Full Day Tour from Quito Including Entrances and Activities. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Quito?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Quito?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike?
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Included: admission fees; In-vehicle air conditioning; and National tour Guides. Not included: Lunch; and Gratuites are welcome. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 61 listed pickup locations in and around Quito. Be ready about 5 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike offered in?
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It is offered in English and Spanish. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; and Specialized infant seats are available. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Quito. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Full-Day Mindo Cloud Forest Tour Birdwatching Waterfalls and Hike?
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Across 135 reviews averaging 5.0 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, food and drink. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Expect real walking or climbing: reviewers mention the effort involved.
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