Various reserves and national parks lie little more than a couple of hours from Quito, such as Maquipucuna, where the rare Andean spectacled bear has been sighted, and the Mindo Cloud Forest Reserve, home to myriad species of flora and fauna.
The Cloud Forest
Why visit The Cloud Forest ?
- End a rainforest hike with a refreshing swim in a waterfall pool
- Pedal yourself across the forest canopy aboard a SkyBike
- Sit and watch hundreds of Hummingbirds flitting around the flowers
- Learn about the incredible metamorphosis of over 300 butterfly species
- Listen to the echoing roars of the troops of Howler monkeys
The Mindo Cloud Forest is one of the best areas in Ecuador for bird watching and has immense biodiversity including many species of mammal and amphibians as well as endemic plant species such as orchids, bromeliads, heliconias, ferns, vines, mosses and lichens.
The private Mashpi Reserve, within the Mindo area, also offers great birdwatching, numerous waterfalls to swim in, orchid gardens to explore and a two kilometre aerial tram allowing visitors to enjoy a unique view of the forest canopy, which is one of the Earth’s richest and least-explored biomes. The reserve is home to animals such as monkeys, peccaries and even puma, stunning butterflies such as the electric blue Morpho, a hummingbird garden and a host of insects and amphibians such as the glass frog. The area also boasts a staggering variety of lichens, mosses, giant fern and orchid species.
LOCATION
ECUADOR KEY INFO
Visa
No Visa is required for UK passport holders.
Health Requirements
No mandatory vaccinations are required.
Time Difference
GMT - 5 Hours
Flight Time
13.5 hours with one stop
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