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The Ultimate Mindo Cloud Forest Guide: the Best Things to do in Mindo 2026

Mindo is a quiet and local village tucked away in a cloud forest, famous for its waterfalls (there is a whole trail), wild hummingbirds and jungle tubing. In this guide I share the best things to do in Mindo, from riding the cable car over the canopy, a Mindo chocolate tour, the famous Mindo waterfall hike or feeding the beautiful Mindo hummingbirds. I skipped the expensive group day tours from Quito and explored this town on my own schedule to save money and find the best spots. Whether you are looking for outdoor adventure or a relaxing escape into nature these tips from my own experience will help you plan your trip with absolute confidence

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A portrait photo of me standing on a wet wooden viewing platform directly in front of a massive rushing tropical waterfall in Mindo. One of the best things to do in Mindo!

Mindo

The Ultimate Mindo Cloud Forest Guide: the Best Things to do in Mindo 2026

Mindo is super safe and has a completely different feel to the big cities in Ecuador. Because it is a small and peaceful village tucked into the forest the community is very close and locals really look after travellers. You can easily walk around the main town streets alone at night as a solo female traveller without feeling nervous or unsafe

The public bus terminal takes you straight there. You will want to head to Terminal Terrestre Carcelen in the north of Quito to catch the direct Quito to Mindo bus which costs only a few dollars. We took an Uber to this terminal as it was reasonable when split between a few of us. The journey takes around 2 hours and twists through some truly spectacular mountain scenery as you descend into the valley. If you experience travel sickness, then i recommend taking some tablets before your journey.

My best insider tip for this journey is to track your hostel / hotel on Google Maps as you approach the town. The bus route passes right by several popular accommodations on its way into the village. If you see your close to your hostel or hotel just shout at the bus driver to get off right there so you can drop your bags off immediately instead of walking back from the bus end point in the centre of town

I stayed at Cinnamon House Hostel during my trip and I absolutely loved it. It is within easy walking distance to all the main restaurants, shops and local spots in town. The absolute best part about this place is that the public bus from Quito drove right past it on the way into town. I was able to shout at the driver and get off directly outside the front door which saved me from carrying my bags through the streets. It was lovely and peaceful with a great social vibe for meeting other travellers.

If Cinnamon House is not your style or you want a high end eco lodge to feel truly relaxed in nature then there is a lot of these available just on the outskirts of the village. These lodges are perfect if you want to wake up surrounded by dense green forest, listen to the sounds of the river and watch wildlife right from your private balcony.

Mindo is super safe and has a completely different feel to the big cities in Ecuador. Because it is a small and peaceful village tucked into the forest the community is very close and locals really look after travellers. You can easily walk around the main town streets alone at night as a solo female traveller without feeling nervous or unsafe

The public bus terminal takes you straight there. You will want to head to Terminal Terrestre Carcelen in the north of Quito to catch the direct Quito to Mindo bus which costs only a few dollars. We took an Uber to this terminal as it was reasonable when split between a few of us. The journey takes around 2 hours and twists through some truly spectacular mountain scenery as you descend into the valley. If you experience travel sickness, then i recommend taking some tablets before your journey.

My best insider tip for this journey is to track your hostel / hotel on Google Maps as you approach the town. The bus route passes right by several popular accommodations on its way into the village. If you see your close to your hostel or hotel just shout at the bus driver to get off right there so you can drop your bags off immediately instead of walking back from the bus end point in the centre of town

I stayed at Cinnamon House Hostel during my trip and I absolutely loved it. It is within easy walking distance to all the main restaurants, shops and local spots in town. The absolute best part about this place is that the public bus from Quito drove right past it on the way into town. I was able to shout at the driver and get off directly outside the front door which saved me from carrying my bags through the streets. It was lovely and peaceful with a great social vibe for meeting other travellers.

If Cinnamon House is not your style or you want a high end eco lodge to feel truly relaxed in nature then there is a lot of these available just on the outskirts of the village. These lodges are perfect if you want to wake up surrounded by dense green forest, listen to the sounds of the river and watch wildlife right from your private balcony.

The Best Things to Do in Mindo: My Ultimate Cloud Forest Bucket List

A close up shot of a large exotic colourful butterfly resting gently on a vibrant green tropical leaf inside the Mindo butterfly farm.

1. Feed the Hummingbirds at Mindo Hermit Trails

If you want an unforgettable wildlife experience you have to visit Mindo Hermit Trails. I arrived here just to feed the hummingbirds (as seen on TikTok), completely unaware that there was a walking trail available.

The main feeding platform was very busy when I walked in so I decided to do the short walking trail first and it did not disappoint. While walking along the trail I ran into some actual serious bird watchers who had massive professional cameras and spotting gear. They were incredibly friendly and let me look through their lenses to see some of the birds hidden deep in the canopy (am I a bird watcher now? maybe lol).

Feeding the Mindo hummingbirds was the absolute highlight of the whole Mindo experience and definitely the top thing to do in Mindo. The staff give you little bottle lids that contain nectar and you can fill these up as much as you want throughout your time and you can stay as long as you want. You just hold your hand out flat and the birds come straight up to take a sip. Some of them even just sit calmly on your hand while feeding.

The experience did start off very dramatic (a few screams to ruin everyone’s peace) because of all the wasps but it turns out these are not harmful at all. You just have to keep fanning them away with your hands. It is a stunning spot where you can watch dozens of hummingbirds buzz right past your face to feed. Turns out hummingbirds are now one of my favourite animals thanks to this experience.

Pro Tip: Do not miss out on the walking trail, it is only short and really worth it.

Multiple small colourful hummingbirds hovering and drinking sweet sugar water nectar from a red plastic bird feeder hanging in the jungle.
A close up shot of a hand holding a tiny red cup of sugar water nectar while a wild iridescent hummingbird hovers right above to feed.

2. Ride the Cable Car

To access the best parts of the forest canopy you need to ride the famous Mindo tarabita cable car. This is an open air yellow metal cable car that suspends you high above a deep green valley. The ride across is a major adrenaline rush and offers 360 degree panoramic views over the treetops. It is the absolute quickest and most thrilling way to cross the canyon to reach the starting point of the forest walking trails

Pro Tip: Bring cash in small bills like 1 dollar or 5 dollar notes for your cable car ticket because they do not accept card and they rarely have change for big notes

Me and Luke smiling inside the famous open air yellow Tarabita cable car high above the green canopy of the Mindo cloud forest.

3. Mindo waterfall hike

Once you step off the cable car you will gain access to the famous Mindo waterfall hike starting point. There is a whole trail loop here that connects up to 7 different hidden waterfalls winding through the jungle paths. You can easily choose a shorter 30 minute route to the nearest pool if you are short on time but I recommend the full 7 waterfalls.

You would have seen this all over social media and it is defo worth the hype, it is easily in the top 3 things to do in Mindo. My favourite waterfall was the first one so I would spend as much time here as possible over the others.

A beautiful wilderness view of a rushing white water waterfall cascading over dark rocks into a pool surrounded by dense green jungle foliage.
A portrait photo of me standing on a wet wooden viewing platform directly in front of a massive rushing tropical waterfall in Mindo.

4. Go Jungle Tubing Down the River

For the ultimate budget friendly adventure sport you need to try Mindo tubing. Local guides tie 3 to 5 massive rubber inner tubes together to form a small raft. You sit inside with a helmet and a life jacket while the guides navigate you straight down the rapids of the Mindo river. It is a wildly chaotic, bumpy and wet ride that will leave you completely soaked but laughing the entire way down.

5. Join a Local Mindo Chocolate Tour

You cannot leave the village without experiencing a traditional Mindo chocolate tour or at least trying their famous hot chocolate (spoiler: it is soooo thick and creamy). I skipped the pricey packages and walked straight into a local organic workshop in town to see the entire process from bean to bar. You get to learn exactly how the cacao fruit is harvested, dried and processed by hand. The absolute best part of the experience is the tasting session at the end where you get to sample raw cacao nibs and try dozens of dark chocolate varieties mixed with local flavours like chilli, lemongrass and sea salt.

Pro Tip: Do not waste your money on a fancy tour, just Google their timings and turn up

2 ceramic mugs filled with rich thick artisan hot chocolate resting on a rustic wooden table at a chocolate shop in Mindo.

6. Mariposas de Mindo butterfly garden

I did not actually get to do this experience because I did not realise it was a taxi ride away and I had already passed it on my way back from the Mindo waterfall hike. If you want to visit this spot make sure to time your day better than I did and visit it on your way to or from the hike.

If you do go it is a massive enclosed greenhouse filled with tropical plants and over 1000 colourful native butterflies flying freely all around you. When you enter the staff give you a small plate of mashed bananas to rub onto your fingers. If you hold your hands completely still the massive blue morpho butterflies will land directly onto your skin to feed.

Pro Tip: It is on route to the waterfall hike so time your visit to save on multiple taxis.

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I am constantly discovering new hidden gems and sharing the magic of the world in real time. If you would like to follow my journey through 44 countries and beyond, join me on social media. Whether you are looking for daily travel inspiration or honest travel advice for your next big adventure, I would love to have you as part of the Where Katie Goes community. Let us explore the world together.

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