10-Hour Mindo Cloud Forest Tour with Butterfly Farm and Waterfalls

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Stop at the Pululahua crater, one of only two inhabited craters in the world
• 02 Descend from the high Andes into the lush Mindo valley cloud forest
• 03 Visit a butterfly farm with orchids and hummingbirds
• 04 Cross La Tarabita and hike the waterfall route through the cloud forest
• 05 Enjoy a chocolate tour in Mindo, with optional ziplining on the way to town

Visit Mindo on a full-day excursion from Quito to explore the cloud forest, a butterfly farm, and a chocolate factory. See beautiful waterfalls in the mountainous watershed on the western slopes of the Andes, where two of the most biologically diverse ecoregions in the world meet - the Chocoan lowlands and the Tropical Andes. Along the way, stop at the Pululahua crater viewpoint and descend into the lush Mindo valley for a day of nature and light adventure.

Stop at the viewpoint of the Pululahua crater, one of the two inhabited craters in the world.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 10 Hours

Tour type Private

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

Cities Quito, Mindo, Pululahua Geobotanical Reserve

Languages English

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Cloud Forest, Waterfalls, and Butterfly Farm in Mindo

• Meet your Mindo tour guide at the agreed-upon location at 08:00 am and head northwest toward Mindo.

• Stop at the viewpoint of the Pululahua crater, one of the two inhabited craters in the world.

• Continue descending from 2500 meters high (8202.1 feet) to the Mindo valley at 1250 meters above sea level (4101.05 feet).

• Visit the butterfly farm, where you can also observe orchids and hummingbirds.

• Cross La Tarabita (cable car) and hike in the cloud forest along the waterfall route. If you dare, you can also go ziplining on the way to town.

• Take a break for lunch and enjoy a delicious chocolate tour.

• Return to Quito.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Private transportation

• English-speaking Mindo tour guide

What's Not Included

• Lunch

• Butterfly farm (USD 5 each)

• La Tarabita - cable car (USD 5 each)

• Chocolate tour (USD 8 each)

• Ziplining (from USD 10 each)

Know before you go

• Hiking shoes are recommended.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Quito, Ecuador

Tour start

Quito, Ecuador

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.