Discover hummingbirds, cocoa, and festivals in Mindo

In Mindo, you can make nature watching, cocoa, and local festivals different focuses of your trip. Nature-related activities in Mindo range from orchid tours to hummingbird watching; at Maya Chocolate, an interactive tour focuses on cocoa.

Nature watching: orchids and hummingbirds

Two distinct themes are at the heart of nature watching. At Jardín de Orquídeas in Mindo, tours of the orchid collection are offered; the listed price is about US$1.50. Before your visit, ask about the current price and whether a tour is available on your chosen date. At Jardín Nathaly, you can watch and photograph dozens of hummingbirds. While one garden focuses on its orchid collection and tours, the other is about watching and photographing birds. Also check in advance whether a visit to Jardín Nathaly is possible.

Cocoa at Maya Chocolate

At Maya Chocolate, visitors can take part in an interactive tour lasting about an hour. The family-run chocolate factory is located at the entrance to Mindo. During the tour, you’ll learn about the history of cocoa, roast cocoa beans, peel and grind them by hand, and make your own chocolate paste using local ingredients. The visit therefore covers both the history of cocoa and several steps in its processing. This is a different focus from nature watching in the gardens: here, the focus is on cocoa and making it yourself. The approximate duration provides a useful guide for planning your time. Before your trip, check whether the tour is offered during your stay.

Festivals and dates throughout the year

Mindo celebrates the anniversary of its founding as a parish every May. The patron saint festivities include a novena in different neighborhoods, a festival procession, and a walk from the “Y” in Mindo to the church. They also include a mass in honor of the Virgen del Cisne, as well as cultural and artistic activities. The festival combines religious events such as the novena and mass with cultural and artistic activities.

Another annual event is the Conteo Navideño de Aves: visitors can take part in the bird count during the Christmas season. The May anniversary and the Christmas-season bird count take place at different times of year and offer two distinct seasonal options for planning a trip. If you’d like to plan your stay around a festival or the count, check the specific event dates and participation options in advance.

Mindo and its regional natural setting

Mindo is located within the Chocó Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve. Nearby is Bosque Protector Mindo Nambillo, in a cloud forest valley near Mindo; about 19,000 hectares of the area are protected. The biosphere reserve includes Mindo, while Bosque Protector is a nearby protected area. The figure of about 19,000 hectares refers to the protected area and indicates its approximate size.

These different themes can help guide your travel planning: gardens with orchids and hummingbirds, an interactive tour centered on cocoa, or an event on the annual calendar. This lets you pair your search for a hotel in Mindo with the focus that matters most for your stay.

Discover more destinations: Puembo, Parroquia Nono, San Miguel De Los Bancos, Nanegalito, Cayambe, Tumbaco, Hacienda Tambillo Alto, Sangolqui

For the broader travel overview: Pichincha.