Mindo Cloud Forest Birdwatching: Hummingbirds & Waterfall

Feed hummingbirds in the cloud forest, then ride a cable car over the mountains to a waterfall.

This birdwatching and hiking tour from Quito explores the Mindo Cloud Forest in seven to eight hours with a bilingual guide, hotel pickup, and an air-conditioned vehicle. You visit the Ornithological Point to feed hummingbirds, ride the Mindo Cable Car over the mountains to reach Nambillo waterfall, walk through the Butterfly Farm, and tour a chocolate factory. Two purchase options let you add or skip entry tickets and lunch.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Mindo Cable Car2h
2. Mindo Butterfly Farm1h

Explore Mindo Cloud Forest and Quito

• Travel from Quito to Mindo
• Visit Ornithological Point and feed hummingbirds
• Take cable car to Nambillo waterfall
• Walk to Nambillo waterfall
• Visit Butterfly Farm
• Taste Ecuadorian chocolate at factory
• Return to Quito

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Quito hotel and a two-hour drive into the cloud forest. At the Ornithological Point, you feed hummingbirds in their natural habitat while the guide points out the valley and surrounding mountains. The cable car (Tarabita) takes you across the mountains to connect with the Nambillo waterfall trail. A cable-suspended crossing that is the only way to reach this side of the forest.

After the waterfall, you walk through the Butterfly Farm to see species of all sizes and colors in a controlled environment. The chocolate factory visit includes a tasting and a look at how Ecuador's chocolate is made. The tour wraps with the return drive to Quito. You choose at checkout whether to add entry tickets and lunch or handle those separately.

A bilingual guide (English and Spanish) leads the group throughout. The vehicle is air-conditioned, and the pace is built around the stops themselves rather than a rushed itinerary. Minimum age is 12. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health, though it suits all fitness levels otherwise.

What’s included

• Bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off in the Metropolitan Area of Quito.
• access to the Ornithological Point, Mindo Cable Car, Butterfly Farm, and chocolate factory.
• a seven- to eight-hour day with all transport and stops arranged.

Options for this experience

2 options

Tickets and lunch are not provided.Up to 15 per booking · Guide in English or Spanish · 07:30Entrance tickets are not included, so please bring cash to pay for them. The tour lasts 8 hours. Lunch is not included, so bring cash for it. Pickup is included.

All IncludedUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English or Spanish · 07:30Entrance tickets are included for San Tadeo Birding, Nambillo Waterfall, the cable car, the chocolate tour, and the butterfly farm. The tour lasts 8 hours and includes an Ecuadorian lunch. Pickup and drop-off are included within the Metropolitan Area of Quito, and pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 64 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Real Dreams Tour

Is this one for you?Choose All Included if you want meals and entry fees covered upfront. Pick No Ticket–No Lunch if you'd rather pay separately and control your own timing at each stop.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

What is the Ornithological Point in Mindo, and what will I actually do there?

The Ornithological Point is a hummingbird feeding spot in the cloud forest where you stand and watch hummingbirds come to you while the guide explains the valley and mountain landscape around Mindo.

How do I get to the Nambillo waterfall? Is it a long hike?

The Mindo Cable Car (Tarabita) carries you across the mountains to reach the waterfall trail. It is a cable-suspended crossing and the only access to that side of the forest, so the walk itself is short once you arrive.

Does this tour include lunch and entry tickets, or do I pay for those separately?

You choose at checkout: the All Included option covers entry tickets and lunch, or the No Ticket–No Lunch option lets you skip both and handle them yourself.

How long is the drive from Quito to Mindo, and when do I get picked up?

The drive is two hours each way. Hotel pickup is included in the Metropolitan Area of Quito. Your exact pickup time will be confirmed when you book.

What is the Butterfly Farm, and is it a real forest or an enclosed space?

The Butterfly Farm is a controlled environment in the Mindo cloud forest where you walk among a wide variety of butterfly species of all sizes and colors, separated from the wild forest but still in the same region.

Are there any age or health restrictions I should know about before booking?

Minimum age is 12. The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnancy, or poor cardiovascular health. All other fitness levels are welcome.