Ziplining in Mindo Cloud Forest from Quito: Canopy & Equator

You stand in two hemispheres at once while the cloud forest canopy spreads below.

A full-day private tour from Quito that pairs canopy adventures in Mindo Cloud Forest with a stop at the Intiñan Museum on the equator. You bird-watch and hike through the forest, visit a butterfly farm and chocolate maker, then experience the geographic moment of straddling both hemispheres. A bilingual guide leads the day, which runs seven to eight hours and includes lunch and all entry fees.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Mindo and Middle of the World

• Enjoy hummingbirds and biodiversity
• Visit butterfly farm in cloud forest
• Discover Ecuadorian chocolate at Yumbos
• Explore Intiñan Museum on equator

The experience

The tour leaves Quito with private transportation and a bilingual guide who handles the route and timing. Mindo sits in the cloud forest about two hours away, and the day centers on what the forest holds: bird-watching for hummingbirds, tanagers and toucans; a butterfly farm where hundreds of free-flying butterflies move through a tropical garden; and a chocolate maker where you learn how Ecuadorian cacao becomes the finished product. The guide moves you through each stop, and lunch is included.

The second half crosses into the Middle of the World. The Intiñan Museum sits directly on the equator, and the museum's demonstrations show the astronomical and physical phenomena that happen at that exact line. You stand with one foot in each hemisphere, and the museum also covers the indigenous culture and the beliefs tied to the energy of the place. The scenic location makes it a natural endpoint after the forest.

Private transportation means the pace stays yours, and the bilingual guide speaks English and Spanish. Children from age six are welcome. The tour runs seven to eight hours total, and the operator picks you up and drops you back in Quito.

What’s included

• Private transportation from Quito with pickup and drop-off.
• bilingual guide in English and Spanish.
• entry to the Intiñan Museum at Middle of the World.
• visit to the butterfly farm in Mindo.
• chocolate tour at a local maker.
• bird-watching and hiking in the cloud forest.
• lunch (in the All Included option).

Options for this experience

2 options

No Tickets-No LunchGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00Transport, pickup and drop-off are included, along with a bilingual tour guide. Tickets and lunch are not included. Pickup is included.

All IncludedGuide in English or Spanish · 07:00Includes pickup

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 07:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 to 90 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Under 6: 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.It may be canceled 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 effort

Operated by Real Dreams Tour

Is this one for you?Choose the All Included option if you want lunch and all entry fees covered in one price. The No Tickets-No Lunch option works if you prefer to arrange your own meals and pay for attractions separately. Either way, the private guide and transportation let you move at your own pace between the forest and the equator without coordinating with other groups.

Traveler reviews

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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 (6 to 11 years). Children under 6 can't be included in the booking.

What birds and wildlife will I actually see in Mindo Cloud Forest?

Mindo is known for hummingbirds, tanagers and toucans, along with the broader biodiversity of the cloud forest. The guide leads you through the forest to spot them, and the butterfly farm adds hundreds of free-flying butterflies in every color.

How does the Intiñan Museum work if I'm standing on the equator?

The Intiñan Museum is built right on the equator line, so you can stand with one foot in each hemisphere at the same time. The museum runs demonstrations of astronomical and physical phenomena that occur at that exact location, and it covers indigenous culture and the beliefs about the energy of the place.

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

Lunch is included in the All Included option. The tour also includes a stop at a chocolate maker in Mindo where you learn about Ecuadorian chocolate production, and a butterfly farm visit.

How long is the drive from Quito to Mindo, and what's the fitness level needed?

Mindo is roughly two hours from Quito by private vehicle. The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels, and the guide adjusts the pace to the group.