Mindo Cloud Forest Private Day Tour
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Quito, Ecuador
- 8 to 9 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
After private hotel pickup in Quito, head to the Cloud Forest in Mindo. Your private day tour stops at the best viewpoints and gives you plenty of time to take photos. Get the best views of the plants and wildlife on a cable car ride through the Cloud Forest. Let your private guide lead you to the best waterfalls in Ecuador before returning you to your hotel.
- Enjoy a private tour of natural wonders at your own pace
- See endemic wildlife from a very close distance
- Relax with private round-trip hotel transportation from Quito
- Take a cable car ride through the Mindo Cloud Forest
What's Included
- Private transportation
- Certified English speaking guide
- Lunch
- Hummingbirds' Farm$5.00 per person
- Cable Car Ride$8.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
You will be picked up from your hotel or address, within Quito's district or Airport area, at 8:00 a.m.
Operating hours.8:00 am
Itinerary
1
Quito
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
2
Alambi Reserve
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Mindo Nambillo Cloud Forest Reserve
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Mindo
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Quito
2 hours • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Our guides and drivers will follow vehicle cleaning and personal care protocols, with disinfectant products during the tour.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 483 reviews
Pam_P, Apr 2026
We had the best time with Wilson in the Mindo cloud forest. He had great planned stops and made perfect personalized recommendations along the way. Zip lining was a blast. Even the car ride to and from Quito was a lot fun, our carpool karaoke session will go down as one of my favorite family memories. Highly recommend taking a tour with Wilson.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for taking the best experience at Mindo Cloud Forest with our team!! It was a pleasure!
Sonya_R, Apr 2026
We had a great time, especially at the hummingbird preserve. It was so awesome. Diana was a great guide and catered the day to our wants and needs.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for choosing us to visit Mindo!!
Brenda_B, Apr 2026
It was a great experience with a variety of activities from seeing humming birds, hiking to a waterfall, admiring wild orchids and learning about chocolate making. The guide José was very professional and informative. I really enjoyed the day and I recommend this activity.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
It was a pleasure! Thank you!
Bonnie_T, Mar 2026
We had a terrific day full of activity. We went to the Chocolate Factory in Mindo, the Mindo Cloud Forest and the humming bird sanctuary. Ivan let us stop for lunch at a fantastic place called Serenity for lunch. We preordered for faster service for the 10 of us. 6 adults and 4 kids. Eddie’s driving was outstanding all day! Thank you! Ivan’s English was outstanding. The kids loved it ages 6,7,9,10.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much!! It was a pleasure!
Rachel_L, Mar 2026
We had an incredible experience on our Mindo Cloud Forest tour! The day began with a long drive from Quito to the Mindo region where we began by hiking to a beautiful waterfall and then took a cable car back to our van to travel to the next activity. Our guide Julie was extremely knowledgeable, pointing out flora and fauna during our hike and making sure everyone in our group was comfortable. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any birds but the hike was still lovely. We stopped for lunch at a delicious restaurant then headed to a chocolate factory. At the chocolate factory, we learned how cocoa beans are grown, harvested and processed plus we got to try ~20 different chocolates, hot cocoa, cocoa tea, and a brownie. The guide at the chocolate factory made us feel welcome and we enjoyed all the treats we tried. Finally, we traveled to a hummingbird sanctuary. This part was our absolute favorite! Immediately upon arrival, we were given hummingbird nectar and the tiny creatures landed on our hands. This was such a neat experience and something we will never forget. Very thankful for how well this tour turned out!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very very much!!
Eliza_E, Mar 2026
Mindo Cloud Forest be prepared for a full day of light hiking with spectacular experiencing hummingbirds waterfalls butterflies a delightful lunch and a chocolate factory experience. So much to experience treasure your experience.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you!! And welcome to Mindo!!
John_B, Mar 2026
A truly personalized tour that let's you shape your own adventure. Ximena Andrade was a fantastic guide and very helpful and knowledgeable. A perfect day.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you very very much!!
Michael_E, Feb 2026
Fun day exploring the Ecuadorian rainforest!
Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating to our wishes. We had a nice hike through a rainforest canyon along a mountain stream up to a beautiful waterfall.
We did a chocolate tour and tasting which was very interesting. Lastly, we visited a hummingbird area that had about 15 different species of hummingbirds and we were able to feed them nectar from our hands. How fun!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Welcome to Ecuador!! Thank you!
Anne_D, Feb 2026
Our driver, Fredy: 5/5
Mindo: 5/5
Seeing only a couple of birds 3/5, but you can’t predict that.
We had a nice day with Fredy. He is very knowledgeable about Mindo’s flora and fauna. As importantly, he is an amazing driver.
Because we were on a private tour, Freddy gave us several choices of what to do in Mindo: hummingbirds, butterflies, hiking to a waterfall, cable car, chocolate tour, or zip lining.
We chose hummingbirds, cable car and hiking down to the waterfalls. Then when we crossed Río Mindo by bridge on our way up to the cable car, Fredy said that the local trout are delicious. We added having a trout dinner at a local restaurant.
So, we started our day at Alambi Reserve (cost: $5.00 USD per person) where there are several species of hummingbirds. I chose to feed a few. I was given a mini hummingbird feeder that I held on the palm of my hand, and was soon experiencing hummingbirds up close.
While we were driving to the next stop, Fredy pulled his vehicle over, grabbed his binoculars, and had us get out. He spotted a Choco toucan, and we got to see it. Besides the hummingbirds, this was the only other bird species we saw.
The cable car across a river gorge was next (cost: $5.00 USD per person). We rode it one way, then walked the trail down to the waterfalls, crossed the bridge and hiked back up to the parking lot. Fredy is very knowledgeable about the flora. We heard a finch and another bird, but didn’t see them.
Then, Fredy dropped us off in the centre of Mindo, where we could stroll the shops on the street. We met him at Serenity Restaurant, where we enjoyed a delicious grilled trout meal accompanied by a salad and fried plantain.
We were happy with our choices, and enjoyed meeting Fredy.
The tour site provides a list of items to bring, which is helpful. If you get car sick (we don’t), they should add motion sickness pills as the road in and out is steep and windy. Also, the site is clear about add on expenses. Everything you choose is an add on cost.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We are glad to know that loved your trip. Thank you!!
Julie_D, Feb 2026
Diana was such a great guide for this experience and was happy to accommodate our wildlife viewing desires. The walk to the cascades was also a great. Would highly recommend Diana as your guide.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very very much!! It was a pleasure!
Jessica_H, Feb 2026
Wonderful day trip with Fredy as our guide. He was fantastic. He know so much about the area and the places to stop. He tailored the trip to our needs and helped us look for birds. He was wonderful to chat with and is a warm and welcoming person. We had a great day!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for choosing the best experince in Mindo!! It was a pleasure!!
Marty_S, Feb 2026
Wonderful day filled with hummingbirds, butterflies, cable car ride over cloud forest, and chocolate tour/tasting! Ivan was a fantastic guide! Each activity costs extra so be sure to bring extra cash. Big highlight of our visit to Quito.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for visiting Mindo with us!! It was a pleasure!!
Douglas_D, Feb 2026
Ivan was an amazing guide. Our destinations were great—a bird sanctuary where hummingbirds land on your hands, a hike to a waterfall and then an experience at a chocolate factory. The chocolate is fantastic. So glad I took this trio
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you!! We are very flexible on the excursion. Our travelers can decide what to do while they are in Mindo. It is important to know that we covered your expectations...
Tom_W, Feb 2026
Ivan Lopez was an incredible guide. His knowledge of the area and Ecuador, willingness to work with us on what we wanted to see and experience, driving skills, and professionalism were extraordinary.
The hummingbird sanctuary was a highlight for us - seeing the different hummingbirds up close and in your hand. We also enjoyed the coffee shop at the sanctuary, and bought coffee to take home as it was so good.
The Mindo cloud forest and waterfall were beautiful, along with the cable car ride. Ivan was very patient on the hike up the steep hillside, as I was struggling due to altitude and lack of sleep.
The Yumbos chocolate shop was delightful. We learned so much about how chocolate was made and were able to taste the chocolate they had, which was delicious. The chocolate facial, and cacao tea were also highlights.
On the way back to the hotel we were talking about how we wanted to try empanadas. Ivan took us to an amazing empanada place near Quito which has set the bar high for any other empanadas to come.
The Mindo Cloud Forest tour, and all that Ecuador offers are incredible. We were so impressed with Ivan Lopez, we booked a private tour with him at the end of our stay in Ecuador.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We are glad to know that you loved the company of our tour guide in Mindo!! Thank you!!
Murray_F, Feb 2026
You should take an extra day. There is so much to do and see that you need more than 1 day..........
Response from Host, Feb 2026
We definitely agree with you!! The more days you stay, the more experiences!! Thank you so much!!
Marissa_A, Feb 2026
We had a wonderful second day visiting Ecuador spending the day in and around Mindo. The biodiversity, including plants, hummingbirds, birds, and even two Agouti was spectacular. Hiking at La Tarabita and Waterfall Sanctuary and taking the cable car, even in the rain, did not disappoint. Lunch at Serenity in the town of Mindo was lovely, followed by the sweet treat of visiting Mindo Maya Artesanal Chocolate to learn and taste cacao tea and cacao. The itinerary flowed and was well paced and our guide was knowledgeable and fun. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Welcome to Mindo!! Thank you!!
Don_K, Feb 2026
Marvelous experience viewing wildlife. Ivan, our guide, was courteous, knowledgeable and a pleasure to travel with. Overall a great experience.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much!
Joe_H, Feb 2026
It is about a 2 hour ride to and from Mindo from Quito, but much was done and seen once we arrived. We recommend a hike in the cloud forest and a chocolate tour.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for choosing us!!
Stephen_W, Jan 2026
My wife and I had a great private tour to the Mindo Cloud Forest. Our guide/driver Wilson discussed the full list of places we could see and tailored it for a fulfilling day for us. We were running on little sleep, so chose to not do the waterfall hike. Instead, we were able to visit two Hummingbird reserves, a small entrepreneurial coffee farm tour with samples, and a butterfly farm. Wilson arranged a special snack of chicken and yucca for us at the coffee plantation, and we later enjoyed an authentic lunch of ceviche and local salad, with cacao juice! As a final surprise on the way back to Quito, Wilson stopped at a market and treated us to a selection of fresh Ecuadoran fruits. We really enjoyed the tour, including the culture and history insights that Wilson provided. We highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you very much for sharing with us your super nice experience at Mindo Cloud Forest!! It is always a big advantage to be in a private tour to make everything happens...
Hayley_H, Jan 2026
This was a great tour for anyone with an extra day in Quito. We packed a lot of things into one day but our guide never made us feel rushed or overwhelmed. Everyone we met along the tour was very kind and knowledgeable about the different activities.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
We love to now that our travelers feel comfortable with our tour guides. Thank you for choosing us!!
Deborah_C, Jan 2026
Carlos was a great guide. Very attentive and happy to adapt the day to suit us all. Felt we properly experienced the cloud forest.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you!! It was a pleasure!
Hoyt_W, Jan 2026
Fun day with a variety of activities in a beautiful setting. Our guide and driver were both great. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for choosing the best experiences in Mindo!! It was our pleasure!
Your Ecuadorian friends,
Carrie_F, Jan 2026
We had an amazing day in the Mindo area. Fredy R. was a friendly and incredibly knowledgeable guide. He picked us up on time at our hotel. We discussed the different options for the tour. We ended up visiting two different locations to see hummingbirds. It was a dream having them feed from our hands. Fredy also has quite the gift of spotting birds while driving. We loved getting to see Toucans and many other beautiful birds. We also took the cable car, had a delicious lunch in Mindo followed by a chocolate tour. We learned about chocolate production, tasted and drank chocolate and enjoyed chocolate face masks. Fredy also took us to see Agutis a cute creature unknown to us. Overall this was a wonderful tour which we highly recommend to others. If at all possible go with Fredy!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for your lovely and helpful review!!!
Eric_T, Jan 2026
We had a very good trip exploring the hummingbird sanctuary and the cloud forest of Mindo and the surrounding area. Then we finished our tour with an incredible meal in Mindo. Andrés, our guide, was kind, extremely knowledgeable, and a joy to spend the day with.
One word of warning. Avoid booking this tour on a weekend or National Holiday. Andrés told us that he normally doesn't do tours on holidays, but the day of our tour was reclassified as a National Holiday after our booking, so he kept the date. Unfortunately, the traffic between Quito and Mindo was horrible. The drive follows a single-lane highway that typically takes 2-2.5hrs. On our trip, it took 5hrs due to traffic from locals traveling during the holiday. We got back to our hotel very late, followed by an extremely early morning to catch our next flight - not ideal. We did not deduct any stars because this unfortunate experience had nothing to do with Andrés or the tour. We are sure that this trip would be absolutely incredible under normal circumstances.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Sometimes we have to face challenges, but it is good to know you noticed that our team is super commited with our travelers, and this is why you had an incredible day!! Thank you so much!!
Subroto_C, Dec 2025
Trip to Mindo cloud forest was a very nice day trip from Quito. The guide Jimena provided detail information on the flora and fauna of the region and how clouds culminate into waterfall. The trip to the humming bird reserve and knowing in detail how cocoa pods are transformed into chocolate was very interesting.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for choosing the best experience in Mindo!!
Alistair_S, Dec 2025
Miriam was a great guide round Mindo rain forest. Very knowledgeable on bird life, plants and wildlife.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you!!
Francis_H, Dec 2025
Our guide pointed out all the options for places to visit and we got to pick. We also decided how long to spend at each place
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you so much!! We are glad to know that you liked our flexibility!
Brittni_M, Dec 2025
this was a really lovely tour and it was nice that we could customize it to exactly what we wanted. however for the price per person, it's very expensive to not even include entry to any of the places. expect to drop another $20+ per person if you want to actually do anything. our tour guide Myriam was incredibly knowledgeable and so easy to talk to and be around. she made us feel very comfortable and we learned so much from her.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thank you very much for your valuable feedback! This is why we announce to our future travelers that since January 2nd this tour will include all entrance fees to the Hummingbirds's farm, Mindo-Nambillo Reserve, and the Chocolate Tasting Tour, plus a couple more surprises....
Thank you again, and we are glad to know that you loved your tour in Mindo!!
Emma_W, Nov 2025
Our guide, Ivan, was amazing! He was incredibly knowledgeable about all sorts of things, and he really helped cater the experience to exactly what we wanted to do. The pickup from the hotel was incredibly easy, and every stop was awesome. The hummingbirds were unlike anything I’ve ever seen. The cable car was fun and had a great view. The waterfall was beautiful. The butterfly conservation reserve was so peaceful and lovely. Highly recommend to anyone not 100% sure on what they want to do in Mindo! We did a bit of everything and I’m so glad we booked this tour.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
We are so glad to know that you loved your tour in Mindo! Thank you!
Hayley_F, Nov 2025
This was an incredible way to explore and learn about Mindo. My guide Ximena was so friendly and informative and gave me options of what we could do with our day, outlining time constraints. This was so helpful as I could then make informed choices and enjoy the day where I was lucky enough to do lots of the available activities! I learnt more about the culture in Ecuador and Mindo specifically and it was a day I won’t forget - the cable car and hummingbirds were my favourites!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you very much for your nice review!!
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Mindo Cloud Forest Private Day Tour
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