Mindo
Introduction
Mindo is a tiny town located in the Andean foothills surrounded by beautiful forested mountains. From nature lovers to adrenaline junkies all kinds of people flock here (especially during the weekends) to enjoy the amazing scenery and host of fun activities. Avid birdwatchers congregate as over 400 different species of bird have been spotted in and around Mindo. It is situated just north of Quito conveniently located along the route to the Esmeraladas. Mindo is often described as the less crowded more beautiful version of Baños.
When is the best time to go?
Mindo enjoys fabulous weather year round. There are 12 hours of sunlight every day of the year the only difference seen here is the quantity of rain. The dry season starts in June and lasts until December thus the rainy season is in the remaining months from January until May. Even during the wet season the weather is predictable, usually very sunny and warm in the morning with rain showers in the evenings. Across the year the temperatures range from around 15ºC – 24ºC (60ºF – 75ºF).
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Your best option is to arrive in Quito first and then either take a taxi or public bus straight to Mindo. It is possible to hire a car during your stay however this is prohibitively expensive and therefore not recommended.
Taxi
From Quito a taxi can be hired for $70 or from the international airport for $80.
Public bus
From Quito there is a bus terminal called La Ofelia in Terminal Terrestre Norte that has direct buses to Mindo. The company is called Flor de Valle, the journey costs $2.50 and takes approximately 2 hours.
Current timetable is as follows:
Monday to Friday
Quito to Mindo: 8am, 9am, 11am, 1pm and 4pm
Mindo to Quito: 6.30am, 11am, 1.45pm, 3pm and