These magical pieces of pristine cloud forest run along the ‘Paseo del Quinde’ and touch the banks of the Alambi, Tandayapa and Mindo rivers.

The highest block in the cluster, known as the Oreothraupis Reserve, named for the odd Tanager Finch, is also home to Spectacled Bear, Ocellated Tapaculo and much more. Come bird the well-maintained trail along the OCP Pipeline that will take you from 2300-2450 m.a.s.l with the best possible views over the Mindo Nambillo Ecological Reserve.

You can enjoy perhaps the world’s highest concentration of Plate-billed Mountain-Toucan and Toucan Barbets too, plus an entire suite of montane cloud forest mammals and exuberant flora. The lower elevation blocks of this cluster, in the Tandayapa valley, are forests without visitor services, beautiful land for the birds and biodiversity generally, beginning as low as 1680 m (5511 ft). The larger of these two forest blocks is neatly bisected by the zero degrees Equator line. Feel free to come check.

You can bird these spaces from the road, one of the premiere birding trails in the neotropics, variously known as the Old Non-Mindo Road, the Paseo del Quinde or the Ecoruta: They all lead to the same places!