Mindo Birding Tour: La Paz Refuge & Hummingbirds

Trained antpittas eating from your hand, a lek performing since 2005, and 22 hummingbird species in one day.

A full-day private birding tour in Mindo's cloud forest near Quito, Ecuador, with a certified naturalist guide who takes you to La Paz Refuge and the Hummingbird Garden to see species found almost nowhere else in the wild. The refuge has trained Giant Antpittas, Mustached Antpittas and Yellow-breasted Antpittas to eat worms at close range, plus a lek of Cock-of-the-rock performing since 2005 and fruit feeders drawing toucans and tanagers. The garden hosts up to 22 hummingbird species at feeders. Pickup from your hotel, breakfast, both entrance fees and an English or Spanish guide are included. The tour runs eight hours and suits all fitness levels, with children welcome from age five.

Step-by-step itinerary

Birdwatching in Mindo Cloud Forest

• Depart early morning from city
• Visit private cloud forest near Mindo
• Birdwatch Giant Antpitta and others
• Observe Cock-of-the-rock lek
• See fruit feeders with toucans and tanagers
• Visit hummingbird garden
• Watch up to 22 hummingbird species

The experience

Eight hours in the cloud forest means you start before dawn and spend the morning in La Paz Refuge, a private stretch of primary and secondary forest between Nanegalito and the road to Mindo. Your guide (a certified naturalist fluent in English or Spanish) takes you along multiple side trails where the birds are trained to come close enough that you can watch them five feet away. The Giant Antpitta called Maria, the Mustached Antpitta and the Yellow-breasted Antpitta have been conditioned to eat worms, so you see behavior most birders only read about. There is also a lek, a traditional display ground, where Cock-of-the-rock have been performing since 2005.

Fruit feeders throughout the refuge draw the Sickle-winged Guan, the Crimson-rumped Toucanet, the Toucan Barbet, the elusive Olivaeous Piha, the Blue-winged Mountain-Tanager and the Black-chinned Mountain-Tanager. After the refuge, you move to the Hummingbird Garden, where feeders attract up to 22 species including the Velvet-purple Coronet, the Violet-tailed Sylph, the Purple-bibbed Whitetip, the Brown Inca and the Booted Racket-tail. The variety depends on the season and the day, but the feeders run all year.

Your hotel pickup is included, as is breakfast before you head out. Both entrance fees are covered. You'll need binoculars and a camera. Bring them or ask your guide about rentals when you book. The pace is set by the birds and your guide's knowledge, not a fixed itinerary, so if a species lingers or a feeding moment unfolds, you stay and watch.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your hotel.
• breakfast.
• entrance admission to La Paz Bird Refuge and the Hummingbird Garden.
• certified English or Spanish naturalist guide for the full eight hours.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDeparts at 04:30

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (12 to 80 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 9 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Latin Adventures Cía Ltda

Is this one for you?This is a private tour, so the pace and stops follow the birds and your interests rather than a group schedule. Choose it if you want close-range views of trained antpittas and a full day in the cloud forest with a guide who knows where each species feeds and when.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What birds can I actually expect to see in La Paz Refuge?

La Paz Refuge holds trained antpittas (the Giant, Mustached and Yellow-breasted species) that eat worms at feeders, plus a lek of Cock-of-the-rock that has performed since 2005. Fruit feeders also draw toucans, tanagers, guans and the elusive Olivaeous Piha. Your guide will know which species are active on the day you visit and where to find them.

How many hummingbird species are in the garden?

The Hummingbird Garden hosts up to 22 species at feeders, including the Velvet-purple Coronet, Violet-tailed Sylph, Purple-bibbed Whitetip, Brown Inca and Booted Racket-tail. The exact species you see depends on the season, but feeders run year-round.

What time does the tour start and when does it end?

The tour departs early in the morning (your guide will confirm the exact pickup time when you book), and runs for eight hours total. You'll head northwest toward the cloud forest between Nanegalito and Mindo, spend the morning in La Paz Refuge, visit the Hummingbird Garden in the afternoon, and return to your hotel by late afternoon.

What's included in the price?

Hotel pickup, breakfast, entrance fees to both La Paz Refuge and the Hummingbird Garden, and a certified naturalist guide in English or Spanish are all included. Bring binoculars and a camera. Lunch, tips and personal expenses are separate.