Wildlife extravaganza - Francisco was our driver and guide for a 12-hour private day trip to the Mindo Cloud Forest for 4 passengers. He was very personable and informative. We were comfortable talking to him early on and he was joking around with us by the middle of the trip. We got back to Quito later than we expected. This was due to increased traffic during the week of the New Year. Typically, the tour would not take as long. You will want cash, comfortable hiking shoes, sunscreen, bug spray, a rain jacket, plenty of water, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and a waterproof case/dry bag for electronics. Pack appropriately if you plan to go in the water after your hike. Our first stop, which was my favorite, was a hummingbird sanctuary. You can birdwatch while sipping tea or coffee outdoors. Then a short walk downstairs takes you to an outlook with safety railing. There are tons of hummingbirds flitting around and drinking sugar water. If you like, you can feed them from your hand. Their feet feel like tiny kitten paws. A violet silk longtail? sat on my hand for a few minutes. It was a really amazing experience. The next stop was the hike. You can hike out to the waterfalls and back or take a cable car one or both ways. The hike one direction is about an hour. The cable car goes quick. Even if you take the cable car, you will still need to walk a bit on steep and slippery surfaces. While it is not a super challenging hike, it may not be appropriate for travelers with mobility impairment. Afterward, we went to a butterfly sanctuary. There are both indoor and outdoor garden areas teeming with butterflies. We then had a very good typical lunch (vegetarian options available) and toured a chocolate factory. This tour also included a tasting of several different kinds of chocolate and coffee or hot chocolate to drink. The lemongrass chocolate was our favorite. On the way back to our hotel, Francisco let us hop out to take pictures of the equator monument.

Very cool day ! - Carlos was an awesome tour guide, very explicative and very caring! Always in a good mood ! We saw a lot of colobris, and colourful birds, squirrels, agoutis, butterflies... and tasted very good chocolate. We ended the tour en la mitad del mundo which was very cool ! Thank you for the day Carlos !

A tour beyond expectations! So much fun! - I happened to be with Luis, the guide, and Jimmy, the driver. I felt like I was hanging out with friends as they made me feel safe, comfortable and free to express myself. They were happy to welcome any requests I had, for they cared about me having a great experience and indeed the whole tour was incredible. The car was so comfortable and the driver, Jimmy, has been great and careful the whole time. The guide, Luis, was so friendly, such a great company, he assisted me with anything, we had great chats and he was always making sure I was alright and having fun, feeling like a family member. He shared some great recommendations of his travels and of his past experiences in general, both as a guide and as a traveller himself. I can totally see his strong passion for what he does. The tour was beyond expectations because I didn't expect to learn so much about the Ecuadorian people and the flora and fauna, as people loved to share their knowledge with lots of enthusiasm. I was very curious and asked many questions and they seemed happy to clear any doubts I had. Particularly I am passionate about plants, and even during the zip line, the workers were so kind to show me interesting things about what they knew about the cloud forests. I also got to taste and smell different fruits and herbs that usually grow in the forest or in local people's yards and therefore not available in the market. What a precious gift! I'm so grateful for this experience, for the people I met, and for everything I discovered. I highly recommend these guys but also the people from the agency as they all showed great and constant support. Gracias!