Mindo

Mindo is a small town in the Andean foothills of Ecuador. Set in beautiful cloud-forest, it attracts birdwatchers first and foremost, but also has attractions for other tourists.

Understand
Mindo is located to the north west of Quito. This town was founded in 1861 and the current population is around 3000 inhabitants. Mindo is surrounded by the Mindo-Nambillo Cloud Forest; the forest is home to hundreds of species of birds many of them are in danger of extinction.

By bus
There are bus services from Santo Domingo and Quito. The bus is $3.10 each way from Quito and it is not possible to buy a roundtrip ticket in Quito, just a one-way.

Flor de Valle/Cayambe buses depart from Terminal Terrestre Norte, La Ofelia (look for the Terminal Microregional sign). It no longer departs from Mariscal. It is about a 30- to 40-minute taxi ride from Mariscal to the bus station which is in the north of Quito, or you can take the "Metrobus" bus rapid transit.

Flor de Valle (leaving from La Ofelia) bus timetable (March 2016) for buses from Quito to Mindo:
 * M-F: 08:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 16:00
 * Sa: 07:40, 08:20, 09:20, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00
 * Su: 07:40, 08:20, 09:20, 14:00

You can purchase tickets from Quito to Mindo in advance through a local travel agency such as Andesconexion for a $10 fee and pay by credit card for about the cost of a $10 round-trip taxi ride from the Mariscal/new town in Quito to Ofelia. Seats on the right hand side of the bus to Mindo are more scenic. If you are going for a day trip, you should buy your return bus ticket immediately upon arrival in Mindo or you are at risk of not being able to return that day. If you are staying more than a day, buy your return trip at least one day in advance or first thing in the morning.

There are many more direct buses to and from Quito at weekends than during the week. As well as direct services, buses go fairly regularly from the Flor del Valle station to Los Bancos. Other bus lines are Kennedy, Aloag, and San Pedrito. These do not go into Mindo, but they pull over at the edge of the main road running along the top of the valley. From here it is usually easy to hop in a truck for $0.50-$3 depending on the number of passengers and go downhill into town. Similarly, you can return to Quito by getting a truck to take you up to the main road and catching a bus back. Just ask around in town.

If there are no seats left on the returning buses, it is possible to rent a car and a driver from the transportation company across the street and up the block for $40-50.

Another way for those travelers is to hire a private professional Tour Guide on a 4WD to and from Quito $100-120, 9 hours service. The tour has different stops on the way from Quito to Mindo: the first stop in Pululahua crater view, Pahuma orchid Reserve, hummingbirds balcony (chance for photos), butterfly farm in Mindo, tarabita (cable car) and optional zip line in Mindo, lunch and possible short stop at the Equator Line on the way back to Quito.

See
See the birds of Mindo. Mindo is home to over 450 species of birds, a great variety of butterflies, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, making Mindo a paradise for eco-tourism. There are ziplines to fly over the ravines, you can go tubing in the river, and hike in the rainforest with nature guides.

Do

 * El Escampadero Cultural space with restaurant based on vegetarian and local food. Don´t miss the local art, literature, handcrafts and music events.
 * Birdwatching Tours In Mindo, birding tours of the local surrounding and interior cloud forest are available.
 * Bird of Paradise Tours offers birding tours to see the Andean Cock of the Rock, the Long Wattle Umbrella Bird and others. You can also do the Lloa-Mindo trek, Rappelling, Canopy and more. tourmindo@gmail.com, +593 2 2 170 045
 * At Reserva Ecologica Pachijal, an Eco & Bird Lodge, they offer birding guided tours inside the reserve and excursions to Yanacocha Reserve, Tandayapa Pass & Bellavista Reserve, Birds Sanctuaries of Milpe and Rio Silanche.
 * Tours de Fotografia day and night photography tours for professionals or those who are interested in birds and nature.
 * Visit one of the orchid farms.
 * Visit the cascadas (waterfalls): it's a 7-km uphill walk to the entrance or a $1/person ride each way. You get in via a $5 aerial tram (terabita).  There are trails to several waterfalls, some closer and some farther, and it would take about 5 hours to see all of them. Be sure to take some drinking water with you, and check with a guide at the resort before using the water-slide or (for the adventurous, but only when the river is at the right height) going over the fall.
 * Try to entice tropical butterflies to eat banana from your hands at the Mindogarden butterfly farm. Don't try walking here from Mindo town as it is very far
 * Travel downriver in an inner tube. This is called a regata and can be arranged in almost any shop. You can do a short trip (20 min or so) down the river near Mindo or you can go to Rio Blanco, which is a much longer (2 hr) and altogether faster and more furious experience! Ask around for prices, you may be able to bargain as well.
 * Hire a local guide to take you birdwatching. On a budget? There are many roads leading out of town that offer splendid birding for free. Walk down the main road to the top of the hill as if to leave town. Follow the signs to Cunuco - you will have 5-6 km of surefire lifers before the roads ends at a hostel. You can also take the Rio Mindo (7 km) or San Lorenzo (2 km) roads - leading out towards the waterfalls.
 * Drink artisan beer made in Mindo. Also at El Quetzal you can taste hand-crafted beer for the first time in Mindo. El Quetzal malts their own barley for this unique Ecuadorian beer. Don't miss the chocolate stout made with Mindo Chocolate Makers Chocolate made from the bean at El Quetzal.
 * Drink artisan beer made in Mindo. Also at El Quetzal you can taste hand-crafted beer for the first time in Mindo. El Quetzal malts their own barley for this unique Ecuadorian beer. Don't miss the chocolate stout made with Mindo Chocolate Makers Chocolate made from the bean at El Quetzal.
 * Drink artisan beer made in Mindo. Also at El Quetzal you can taste hand-crafted beer for the first time in Mindo. El Quetzal malts their own barley for this unique Ecuadorian beer. Don't miss the chocolate stout made with Mindo Chocolate Makers Chocolate made from the bean at El Quetzal.

Buy
freshly roasted coffee can also be purchased at the Quetzal restaurant, they feature coffee from the region. El Quetzal has their own collection of fine Ecuadorian crafts some made in Mindo. There is a T-shirt shop called Hyla which sells tourist t-shirts and postcards.

Street sellers sell some interesting jewelry most days, but more on weekends.

A Mindo chocolate bar.

Eat

 * El Chef is rather unusual in being essentially a steakhouse. Slightly expensive by local standards, but worth it.
 * Fuera de Babylonia is a secluded restaurant/bar/hostel near the center of town with excellent rustic atmosphere, reggae and other good tunes, healthy and delicious food, including a decent vegetarian selection. A bit pricey but worth the relaxing atmosphere. The locale was designed by the owner and his son and reportedly uses over 100 different types of wood from the surrounding area and Amazon region.
 * El Chef is rather unusual in being essentially a steakhouse. Slightly expensive by local standards, but worth it.
 * Fuera de Babylonia is a secluded restaurant/bar/hostel near the center of town with excellent rustic atmosphere, reggae and other good tunes, healthy and delicious food, including a decent vegetarian selection. A bit pricey but worth the relaxing atmosphere. The locale was designed by the owner and his son and reportedly uses over 100 different types of wood from the surrounding area and Amazon region.

Drink
There are a few nice bars in Mindo, but these only really get busy at the weekends.
 * Out of Babylon/Fuera de Babylonia is a nice place to have a pint or two. If you would like to sip cocktails and have a little dance.
 * Drink Artisan Beer made in Mindo. Also at El Quetzal you can taste hand-crafted beer. El Quetzal malts their own barley for this unique Ecuadorian beer. Don't miss the chocolate stout made with Mindo Chocolate Makers Chocolate at El Quetzal.

Sleep
There is a wide choice of accommodation in Mindo, in fact there are probably more hotel/hostel beds than actual residents in the town. Many of these are close to the main strip. There is a stadium in the village, and most locals don't mind if you plant your tent in there. Of course, you have to leave early in the morning to avoid disturbing their daily activities.




 * El Quetzal de Mindo, Mindo chocolate factory, is located just up the hill from El Parque Central de Mindo across from Amigos de La Naturaleza. Quiet, yet only 1 block from the center of town. Beautiful large rooms, comfortable king and queen size beds, each with its own private bath. Beautiful views overlooking Mindo. Each room has its own unlimited supply of filtered water (reverse osmosis) from the tap.This is one of the few hotels that you will find in Ecuador that uses a hot water heater with a large tank for an uninterrupted supply of luscious hot water. Restaurant on site with organic foods harvested and served daily. $22 per person per night and includes a delicious breakfast and chocolate tour. Chocolate making tour from bean to chocolate bar includes chocolate samples. Contact info@elquetzaldemindo.com, Telephone +593 862-63805
 * CasKaffeSu, at Sixto Bailen a/n and Av. Quito, a half block from the bus terminal, is the newest guesthouse and has a nice restaurant and can make arrangements for a birdwatching guide, hiking, rafting, etc.. info@casfaffesu, caskaffesu@yahoo.com, www.caskaffesu.com, +593 2 3900 400.
 * Mindo Biohostal , 200 m from the central park, has a restaurant, cafe, bar, and 10 spacious rooms. Each room has a private bathroom and comfortable beds. There are plenty of social areas (and enough space on the first floor to hold a conference), hammocks, a small area upstairs for reading and relaxing, a public computer with internet access, and free wireless internet. Bedrooms are well-lit, well decorated, spacious, and very clean, and have new furniture including beds, tables and a desk. It's off the main road, away from the traffic of the village, but just a couple minutes' walk from the bus station and town park. Right next to a butterfly farm and they can arrange trips or advise on birdwatching, hikes, waterfall visits, etc. Price (usually $15, can be more or less depending on season) includes excellent hearty breakfast plus free coffee, tea and bottled water all day. English, Spanish and German spoken. Parking available. Email biohostalmindo@hotmail.com or call +593 9 936 0801 or +593 2 223 2783. From the bus station, walk toward the park, turn right at the first street (with central park on the left) and walk about 200 m.
 * Cabañas Armonia Stay with the lovely Toapanta family in a beautiful orchid garden surrounded by hummingbirds and tranquility. +593 2 390043, cabanasarmonia@hotmail.com
 * Cabañas Armonia Stay with the lovely Toapanta family in a beautiful orchid garden surrounded by hummingbirds and tranquility. +593 2 390043, cabanasarmonia@hotmail.com

Go next
Flor de Valle's bus station is right on the main road. Bus times are displayed and tickets can be bought. It is also possible to get buses to Los Bancos and Santo Domingo from the main square. Flor de Valle bus timetable (March 2016) for buses from Mindo to Quito:
 * M-F: 06:30, 11:00, 13:45, 15:00, 17:00
 * Sa: 06:30, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00
 * Su: 06:30, 11:00, 13:00, 14:00, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00

Mindo is one of the most frequently visited rainforest destinations in Ecuador. It's fantastic birdwatching and high biodiversity, coupled with its close location to Quito means that it's a very popular destination. Alternative rainforest destinations in Ecuador include the Amazon region, the Esmeraldas region and San Luis de Pambil

Hitchhiking to Quito is very easy from the main road, and may be quicker than taking the bus.