Mindo Cloud Forest tour: Butterfly Farm and mid-world line

Ride a cable car over the cloud forest, then walk to a waterfall

A private customizable tour of Mindo cloud forest in Ecuador combines wildlife watching, a cable car crossing the canopy, and visits to the Butterfly Farm and the mid-world line at Intiñan Solar Museum. Your naturalist guide leads you through San Tadeo for bird spotting, takes you on the Nambillo reserve cable car and waterfall walk, and arranges lunch at a local restaurant before a chocolate tasting that explains Ecuador's cocoa cultivation.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Intiñan Solar Museumpassing by
2. Mindo Cloud Forest2h
3. Mindo Butterfly Farm40m

Explore Mindo Cloud Forest and Surroundings

• Pick up participants
• Visit mid-world line and learn history
• Bird watching at San Tadeo
• Take cable car at Nambillo reserve
• Walk towards waterfall
• Visit butterfly sanctuary
• Lunch with local cuisine
• Chocolate tasting and learn cocoa process

The experience

The tour runs five to nine hours depending on what you choose to do. You're picked up from your location and driven to Intiñan Solar Museum, where the guide explains the history of the mid-world line and the French expedition that surveyed it. From there you head to San Tadeo, a bird-watching site in the cloudy forest where species live that you won't see elsewhere in Ecuador. The guide knows which birds are active at what time and where to position you for photographs.

The centerpiece is the Nambillo reserve cable car, which carries you over the cloud forest canopy. From the far side you walk down toward a waterfall, though the guide can adjust this part of the day if you'd prefer a different activity. Afterward you visit the Butterfly Farm, where you can interact with the species living there. Lunch happens at a restaurant the guide recommends, letting you taste local cuisine. As a final stop, you tour a chocolate facility to learn how Ecuador's cocoa is processed, from plant to finished product.

The tour is private, so the route and timing bend to what interests you. Your guide speaks English or Spanish and knows the forest well enough to spot animals and plants worth photographing. Transportation is included. Children from age seven are welcome.

What’s included

• Private transportation from your location.
• naturalist guide in English or Spanish.
• entry to Intiñan Solar Museum and the mid-world line.
• bird watching at San Tadeo.
• cable car ride over the Nambillo reserve canopy and waterfall walk.
• access to the Butterfly Farm and interaction with the species there.
• chocolate tasting and education about Ecuador's cocoa process.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:30

AgesAdult (18 to 58 years) · Senior (59 to 90 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (7 to 12 years) · Under 7: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 35 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.

Paid on siteUS$ 29

Prices and times updated 16 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Mirlo Tours

Is this one for you?Pickup from your hotel or meeting point means you don't need a car to reach Mindo's cloud forest, and the private format lets your guide adjust the day's activities (the cable car and waterfall walk, the pace at each stop, even the lunch spot) to match what you want to see and do.

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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: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (7 to 12 years). Children under 7 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 expect to see at San Tadeo in the cloud forest?

San Tadeo is a privileged bird-watching site in Mindo's cloudy forest where species live that are specific to this ecosystem. Your guide will know which birds are active during your visit and where to position yourself for sightings and photographs.

Does the cable car ride over the cloud forest have any age or fitness requirements?

The cable car crossing the Nambillo reserve canopy is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Children from age seven are welcome on the tour, though the cable car ride itself is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.

What happens at the Butterfly Farm?

At the Mindo Butterfly Farm you see species that live in the cloud forest and can interact with them directly. It's one of the stops your guide includes to show you the unique wildlife of the region.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will we eat?

Lunch is not included in the tour price, but your guide will recommend a local restaurant and help you order. You'll taste the local cuisine of the Mindo region.

What is the chocolate tasting about?

After lunch you visit a chocolate facility where you learn about Ecuador's cocoa plant and how the beans are processed into chocolate. It's a tasting that shows you the full chain from cultivation to finished product.