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Rural area in Pichincha, Ecuador
Photo: Arabsalam, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Mindo is a small town in the Andean foothills of Ecuador. Set in beautiful cloud-forest, it attracts birdwatchers first and foremost, but also has attractions for other tourists.
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Dive into a vibrant symphony of wings! Our birding & photography tours whisk you through the emerald embrace of Mindo Cloud Forest & the misty Andean Choco in Ecuador. Seek dazzling toucans, tanagers, & hummingbirds flitting through ancient trees. Capture their breathtaking beauty under expert guidance. After thrilling expeditions, unwind in the luxurious haven of Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa. Relax in your private bungalow, savor gourmet meals, & soak in breathtaking valley views. Your Ecuadorian avian adventure awaits!
Mindo Chocolate Makers, Bean to Bar Chocolate making seven days a week at 16:00 (possibly more often: e.g. at 14:00, 16:00, and 18:00.) $5 at El Quetzal de Mindo. Learn about the history of chocolate and how chocolate is made from the fruit of the cacao plant. See cacao plants growing, experience the fermentation process, drying beds, roasting, grinding cocoa nibs, conching, bar molding, pressing cocoa powder and cocoa butter, learn how white chocolate is made. Chocolate samples included in tour. Coffee roasting on site too. Organic gardens tours are free but by appointment only.
Treehouse cabins, some of them equipped with jacuzzi. Also has its own butterfly farm, and 1.5 miles of pathways. Horse back riding. Canopy tours, and 65 acres where you will discover a great profusion of birds, animals and plants. Canopy, tubing and birdwatching are also available.
Best Quinoa dishes & Sorbet variety, Vegetarian/Vegan Menu & Ecuador Coast Specialties Menu ~ also see https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g609138-d6418941-Reviews-Mishqui_Quinde_Sweet_Hummingbird-Mindo_Pichincha_Province.html.
Serves fresh foods harvested from their own organic gardens. Delicious Ecuadorian dishes and typical American food is also served. There are always freshly made vegetarian options available. Fresh fish, chicken, beef and pork dishes, shrimp, ceviche and arroz con camaron are all on the menu. Delicious desserts include the world's best brownies. Home made ice cream in freshly made waffle cones are delicious! Also, Ecuadorian coffee is roasted on site. Espresso, cappuccino, lattes, mochaccino and cafe pasado are all offered. Coffee roasted on site is available by the pound. Food is carefully prepared and washed in purified water, so you can eat salads, fruits and vegetables here.
With a fine dining feel, this place is a must, if nothing else, for its brownies made with two kinds of Ecuadorian chocolate.
Try the Mexican burger, a well cooked beef patty with bacon, guacamole, cheese, tomato and beans.
Las Terrazas de Dana Boutique Lodge & Spa is a family-owned business run by owner David Brito, with a dedicated local staff from Mindo.
The Mindo lodge is a pioneering eco-lodge with a modern design that blends the latest technology in metal frame construction with traditional construction techniques. It is a sustainable building that is environmentally conscious.
There are eight bungalows with a spectacular view of the valley of Mindo, which is known for its exceptional natural beauty and attracts many visitors who enjoy the wildlife, colorful birds, and unique nature.
Cabañas de Pino, Woodtown
There's a pool with hydro-massage jets, an American breakfast, individual bathrooms, TV in most rooms, and free Wi-Fi.
Each room has a private porch with hammock, spacious living quarters and an elegant bathroom with full-size bathtub. Each room can accommodate 1 to 4 guests. Meals in the family style dining room. Short self-guided hikes that offer great lookout points. Birdwatching possible in forest. Tanagers, quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds are at your window making it possible to birdwatch even from bed!
Clean and comfortable rooms with private bathrooms and hot water available 24 hours. Jacuzzi, bird watching tours. A place to relax and enjoy the surrounding aromas of flowers as well as the sounds of singing birds. In the gardens of the Birdwatcher’s House it is possible to see up to 50 different species of birds. The hostel also offers: restaurant service, cafeteria, laundry service and expert bird watching guides. Contact Vinicio Perez via email.
Clean and comfortable rooms, hammocks, kolibris in the garden, excellent breakfast.
Shared showers, hammock deck and communal kitchen overlooking the swimming area on the river. Delicious breakfast for $2.50 and free luggage storage if you are catching a bus after checkout time. None of the rooms are entirely closed off, so it gets quite loud if anybody is having a conversation.
Clean, basic finished wooden rooms and hearty breakfasts. Shared bathrooms are clean and there is also a hammock balcony and water dispenser. The attic room is beautiful and can host up to 7 people. Owner Marcelo is a known bird watching guide, and he will even come to meet you at the bus stop.
6 cabins in a nice garden, completed with an excellent restaurant.
Beautiful cabanas around a nice lake. Nice people and at night the concert of the frogs with a tour by local guides in the forest around the hotel
You need a 4x4 car.
Cloud forest-centered accommodation. Holding hands, etc.
A pretty chill and cheap place not too far from the action in Mindo (then again, Mindo is super small). Very tranquil, except for the neighbours' cocks that start to make noise early in the morning (though most people get up early when visiting Mindo). Includes towels, has Wi-Fi and a kitchen available, and has consistent hot water. They do have rooms with private bath available. Price was on a weekday in low-season, prices may vary during the weekend and in high season.
There are bus services from Santo Domingo and Quito. The bus is $3.10 each way from Quito and it is not possible to buy a roundtrip ticket in Quito, just a one-way.
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