A Memorable Mindo Cloud Forest Frolick

Mindo Cloud Forest

My friend and I chose to do a private tour of the Mindo Cloud Forest from Quito. We opted for the private tour to have control  over the timing of how long we spent in each place and where we would go. For example, we got to roast and grind our own coffee, thanks to having a private guide. On another tour we would only have had the option of a chocolate museum and we aren’t big fans of chocolate. The private tour is extremely customizable. The tour guide also picked us up from our hotel, which is great when you’re not morning person like me. It’s much better to get the extra sleep and roll out of bed later. 

Our day trip almost didn’t happen, but I’m sure glad it did. My friend and I had just returned from a cruise in the Galapagos Islands and had an extra couple of days in Quito. We were just planning to go to the old town, walk around, and take it easy since we were exhausted from our early morning hikes and snorkeling all week. However, at the last minute, we decided to book a day tour and chose the Mindo Cloud Forest due to the combination of calmness of nature and adrenaline boosting activities. 

There were a few bird watchers that we met on our Galapagos cruise, and I just know they would have been fluttering with excitement at our first stop. Honestly, I was too! The venue was San Tadeo Birding, and we were surrounded by lush greenery and beautiful hummingbirds zipping by. We even got to feed the hummingbirds from our hands. That’s where I got a little jealous. My friend was a hummingbird magnet. He had three go right up to his hand and drink the nectar. When it was my turn…I waited…and waited…until finally JUST ONE came. It was very cute, and it was such a cool experience feeling it resting its little feet on me.

Even if hummingbirds try to avoid you like I try to avoid leg day at the gym, the view alone from San Tadeo is worth it. It’s a truly breathtaking vista with or without vivid colors of the hummingbirds. 

We got back in the car and headed to our next destination for some cuteness overload, Mariposario Mariposas de Mindo, the butterfly garden. The garden was huge and filled with magnificent butterflies. The guides there gave us some quick information about buttflies then we had all the time we wanted to explore. There was an indoor and and outdoor garden to watch them flutter by. They even had several treehouses to climb and watch the butterflies from above.

Joke break: Why did the butterfly get fired from the flower shop?

Because it was caught drinking on the job!

When I visited the Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans years ago (a visit is also highly recommended), I happened to be wearing red in their butterfly garden there and was swarmed by a mob of butterflies. There were so many that it took a while to get them all off before I could leave. That’s when I learned that butterflies are attracted to red, thinking it’s a flower. Wanting to recreate the experience, I brought a red jacket with me, and it didn’t disappoint. So, pro tip: wear red if you want a close-up butterfly experience.

So we had a couple of nature encounters on our morning in the cloud forest, but I had already seen a lot of nature in the Galapagos. The next stop was my favorite—it got my adrenaline pumping like it hadn’t in a really long time. I felt like Evel Knievel… okay, maybe not quite that intense, but by my standards, it was definitely adrenaline-pumping. We ended up at Mindo Canopy Adventures, where we went ziplining first. I’ve ziplined through the forests of Puerto Vallarta before, but this time, on the last line my friend opted to do the “Superman” where he ws layong down with his arms streched out. My turn! I chose “The Butterfly” apropos for what we had just experienced. I went down the last zipline upside down in the butterfly pose, arms and legs stretched outm and it was thrilling. Then, we had enough time left for the “Tarzan” swing. I tried to convince my friend to do it, (*bok bok bok* chicken *bok bok bok*) but it was just me. I have to say, though it was exhilarating, I was so scared I was about to s#!t myself. (Perhaps a little *bok bok bok* from me too) You’re basically catapulted off a platform into the forest on just a rope, and then you swing until you stop. It definitely got my blood pumping!

I was feeling super energetic and ready for the next adventure, one that would take a bit of energy—a hike. We first went on the Tarabita Cable Car ride over the cloud forest for amazing views. (It wasn’t cloudy when we went, but we saw it covered in clouds the next day when we got massages and relaxed in the hot springs at Termas de Papallacta Spa.)

Then we hiked down a hill, stopping to see a few birds along the way, and arrived at a waterfall and rapids. It was a serene photo op, though made somewhat less serene because my friend wanted way too many takes. After taking what seemed like a thousand pictures, we were off to hike back up.

Joke break: What happens when water trips over?

Waterfalls

Up next was a wonderful three-course lunch with an incredible view. It wasn’t included in the cost of the tour, but it wasn’t expensive. After lunch and hiking, I no longer had the same energy as before. I needed a pick-me-up. Coffee?

It turns out I wouldn’t even have to drink the coffee for a boost. Our next stop was a place where we made our own coffee, from peeling the bean to roasting to grinding. It was way more fun than we thought it would be! We were laughing so hard at roasting each other for our feeble attempts to make a good roast that we didn’t even need the caffeine to wake us up. However, we did get to taste the product at the end, along with some coffee liqueur, which, of course, made it much better. It was the perfect end to an amazing day.

How does an IT guy drink coffee?

He installs Java.

A lot of day tours can seem too long, but I think that the activities on the cloud forest tour are all so much fun and close together that they keep you motivated throughout the day. Yes, it is a two-hour drive from Quito, but I made use of the time to take a nap each way and was fresh for dinner when I got back, so it was ideal. The price is worth it because you get personalized service, allowing you to choose how long you want to linger somewhere and what activities you want to do. You can’t get that on other tours.

The Mindo Cloud Forest is a can’t-miss excursion for any Quito trip.

Book a Mindo Cloud Forest Tour now

We found several Ecuadorian restaurants in Quito we really loved, and one we really hated (no tea, no shade), but pur favorite restaurant we found wasn’t Ecaudorian. If that sounds CHEESY…read about it here. 

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