Mindo Cloud Forest Day Tour from Quito: Hummingbirds & Cable Car

An hour from Quito, hummingbirds land on your hands in the cloud forest

You're picked up from your Quito hotel at 8am and driven to the Mindo Cloud Forest, where you'll stand at a hummingbirds' farm with birds landing on your hands, ride a cable car 530 meters over the canopy, hike to the Nambillo waterfall for a swim, and taste chocolate at a local plantation. Your certified English-speaking guide handles all logistics and timing, returning you by 5:30pm. No arranging transport or entry fees yourself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mindo Cloud Forest and Wildlife

• Pickup from Quito hotel at 8:00 a.m.
• Visit Nambillo ecological reserve and waterfalls
• Stop at hummingbirds' farm for photos
• Relax with coffee at local plantation
• Ride cable car over cloud forest
• Hike to Nambillo waterfall and swim
• Lunch break (optional)
• Chocolate tasting tour
• Visit orchid and butterfly farm
• Return to Quito hotel by 5:30 p.m.

The experience

Your guide arrives at your Quito hotel at 8 a.m. sharp. They're used to travelers still half-asleep with coffee in hand. The drive up to Mindo takes about two hours on a winding road that climbs through the Andes, and somewhere around 1,900 meters, the air changes. It gets thicker, greener, the light softer. This is the cloud forest, and it's nothing like the lowland jungle most people picture. The Mindo Cloud Forest sits in one of South America's most important bird zones (BirdLife International designated it back in 1997), and within the first stop at the hummingbirds' farm, you'll understand why. These birds are small enough to fit in your palm, and they do. They land on your fingers, your shoulder, your head if you're patient enough. Your guide will show you how to hold still, how to let them come to you.

After the farm, you stop at a local coffee plantation for a cup (the kind of break that feels earned), and then the road opens onto Mindo village. The real centerpiece of the day is the cable car, a 530-meter ride that swings you out over the canopy so you're suspended between the mountains. It's not long, maybe ten minutes, but it's the moment the landscape shifts from something you're walking through to something you're inside. Once you're on the other side, there's a hike (roughly an hour depending on your pace), down to the Nambillo waterfall, the one everyone talks about. The trail is steep in places, muddy if it's rained, and your guide will point out the orchids and air plants clinging to the trees, explain how everything here has adapted to live in this perpetual mist. The waterfall itself is cold and real, and people do swim.

Lunch happens in the village if you want it, and then comes the chocolate tasting: a quieter moment where you learn how cacao grows here, how it's processed, and why it tastes different depending on the altitude. If there's time and you're not tired, some tours add a stop at an orchid and butterfly farm, though that depends on how the day has unfolded. Your guide will be flexible about it. By 5:30 p.m., you're back in Quito, and the whole thing (the drive, the birds, the cable car, the waterfall, the chocolate) fits into one day because it's private. You're not waiting for a group to gather, not rushing through a stop because the bus is on a schedule. The pace is yours.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup at 8:00 a.m. from your Quito accommodation, private transportation to and from the Mindo Cloud Forest, entry to the hummingbirds' farm, a cable car ride spanning 530 meters over the canopy, a guided hike to the Nambillo waterfall, a coffee break at a local plantation, and a chocolate tasting tour.
• Your certified English-speaking guide is with you throughout.
• Lunch in Mindo village is optional and at your own cost.
• You return to your hotel by approximately 5:30 p.m.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 08:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (12 to 95 years) · Child (4 to 11 years) · Under 4: can't be included in the booking

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.

Paid on siteUS$ 10

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats availableNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Ecuador Best Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see hummingbirds, a cable car view, and a waterfall in one day without arranging your own transport or entry fees. The private format means the guide adjusts the pace to your energy level and interests, and you're not locked into a group schedule.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 11 years). Under 4: they can't be included in the booking.

How long is the drive from Quito to Mindo?

About two hours each way on a winding mountain road.

Can I swim at the waterfall?

Yes. The Nambillo waterfall is part of the hike, and people do swim in it. Bring a change of clothes or a swimsuit.

What time does pickup happen?

Your guide picks you up at 8:00 a.m. from your hotel in Quito.

Is the cable car ride included?

Yes, the cable car ride is included in the tour.

How long is the hike to the waterfall?

Around one hour, depending on your fitness level and pace. The trail is steep in places.

What's included in the tour?

Hotel pickup, private transportation, certified English-speaking guide, cable car ride, hummingbirds farm entry, and chocolate tasting. Lunch is optional and at your own cost.

Is this tour suitable for pregnant travelers?

No, it's not recommended for pregnant travelers due to the hike and elevation changes.

What time do I return to Quito?

Approximately 5:30 p.m., depending on how the day unfolds and which optional stops you choose.