Down the western slopes of the Andes, where cold Quito air turns into warm, wet forest, lies Mindo. It is a small village at roughly 1,200 metres on the edge of the cloud forest of the Pichincha province, and it has built a reputation as one of the best birdwatching places in Ecuador. Hundreds of species live in the surrounding reserves, from toucans and tanagers to hummingbirds that whirr at feeders, and the famous Andean cock-of-the-rock gathers here to display at dawn.
Two roads lead there from Quito, a little over thirty kilometres in a straight line and much more on the ground. One drops through the old road via Nono, narrow, damp and full of tight curves through mossy forest, with potholes and landslide scars that demand attention. The other follows the main highway toward the coast before turning off to the village on a better surface. Both give you a tremendous change of climate in an hour, from the cool plateau to humid, green hillsides draped in mist, so be ready for rain and slippery patches at any time of day.
Beyond birds, the area is full of other things. There are butterfly farms, waterfalls reachable on forest trails, ziplines and tubing on the river, and small chocolate producers who will show you how cacao turns into a bar. Orchids grow on the tree trunks, and the air smells of wet leaves and earth. The best time for riding and walking is the morning, since the cloud usually closes in by afternoon, and the dry months from about June to September give better odds of clear skies.
Mindo has several small guesthouses and cafés, and most visitors come from Quito for the day or stay a night or two. Fuel is the thing to remember: the village is small and the better bet is to fill the tank in Quito before heading down, since there is no large town in between. Bring insect repellent and a rain jacket, and keep a close eye on the road on the way back up, when cloud and truck traffic make the climb slow.