The tour:
Departure from Quito in northwest direction, arrival to Mindo and tour to the waterfalls, this will take a 2 hours walking, depending of course on the passenger's choice.
In the walking you will see the natural forest, rivers, and the multiple exotic species of birds, butterflies and orchids.
After Mindo, we will make a visit to Tulipe, a historic place well known by its pre-Columbian pools where the Yumbo Indians use to take ceremonial baths. It is a wonderful places plenty of history and nature.
A full day tour includes a specialist guide and private transportation.
The Mindo - Nambillo Protected Forest is located in the Mindo Valley near the small village of Mindo, 2 hours northwest of Quito on the old Nono-Mindo Road.
The Mindo - Nambillo Protected Forest and surrounding areas in the Mindo Valley are some of the best known birding sites in Ecuador. They represent part of the Chocó Endemic Bio-region, which extends from northern Ecuador into the Darien Province of western Panama. This entire region and the protected forests within it are critical to the survival of many endemic birds found nowhere else in the world. Every birder visiting Ecuador feels that the Mindo Valley is a place not to be missed.
In addition to the Mindo - Nambillo Protected Forest, a variety of other locals in the valley are great for birding. One is the hummingbird feeders at Mindo Gardens, an upscale lodge in the valley, another is the Restaurant Los Colibríes which also has feeders in the gardens. 40 km. further down the road toward Los Bancos is the Milpe Bird Sanctuary, which is famed especially for the Moss-backed Tanager. Current Exotic Birding tour itineraries do not include visits to this sanctuary because of time constraints in the schedule.