Sorry for the wordy post...all the pictures are at the bottom!!! (Once again too many not to put in a slide show).
One week ago, Chelsea and I decided we needed to get out of Quito, so we planned a day trip to Mindo. Mindo is a few hours north of Quito located in a cloud forest. We decided it would be better (less crowded) to go in the middle of the week.
Mindo is 2-3 hours by bus from Quito. Rather than the way Josh and I got to Canoa, you must leave from the bus station in the north called Ofelia. Chelsea and I left the house at 6:45am to make sure we could catch the 8am bus (there are only a few buses back and forth from Mindo each day, and since we wanted to get the most out of the day we opted for earliest bus). In typical Ecuadorian fashion this was no way as easy as it should have been. We arrived at the bus station around 7:15 and saw there were a few buses from the bus company. We went to the ticketing window, and it was closed (all the other windows around it were open...). We waited around for 15 minutes and then went to ask the bus drivers if they were going to Mindo. They said yes, but told us we had to wait for the ticketing window to open...at 8! Long story short the window never opened, we watched 3 buses come and go, bought a newspaper, which told us there had been a landslide along the main road for the north making all the buses on the route we were about to travel super delayed and inconsistent, and were even approached by several taxi drivers who figured they could capitalize on the deal by offering a ride to Mindo "$10 a person if there are 4 people"...keep in mind the bus is only $2.50. FINALLY, when Chelsea and I were just about to give up (it was almost 9, and we were worried we had lost too much of the day), one of the bus drives just had every one to Mindo board and took off. We paid on the bus (as to why we couldn't do this with the first 3 drivers I don't know...it's Ecuador!)
The bus ride was shorter than we had expected, and the road seemed to be fairly cleared from the landslide, though we did slow down considerably when driving through the area. Mindo is down off the main road about 15 minutes. It is a very small town mostly based in tourism. We were dropped off right in the middle of the small town where we immediately headed towards the small tourist information office. We asked about hiking and about canopying (zip lining), and also about the daily chocolate tour. Chelsea really wanted to go zip lining, so we headed there first (with my fear of heights, and speed, and drops, and everything really I wasn't sure if I would try it). It was a ways out of town, so we ended up hopping into a taxi, which turned out to be good, because we ended up needing to hire him for the day to get around.
We arrived at the zip line place, and were outfitted for our gear. I was getting very nervous because I wanted to try it but I was terrified. I had the option of doing 2 lines, 3 lines, or the full course of 10 lines. I finally figured if I was going to do it I might as well go big or go home!
I was so scared that I decided I wanted to go attached to a guide for the first line (and maybe all of them) because then I could control my speed more . That meant that I had to FIRST. It took about 5 minutes to get me off that first platform: I was hooked up to the two cable lines (even safer than 1!) and to my guide (that took about 2 minutes of convincing) , and then was told to get in position, crossing my legs and in a sitting position to jump off, this took another 3 or so minutes of convincing, but finally I WAS OFF! Boy did I scream! at first, then became a bit calmer, and made it to the other side, and guess what? IT WAS FUN!!! We did the remaining 9 lines (I went alone for the rest). There was the option to do a few different flying positions (you had to be hooked to a guide for these) but they were a bit too scary for me, but Chelsea did both (as can be seen in the photos). Our two guides were very nice and the whole course took about an hour. The views were spectacular, but looking down was still terrifying!
Post zip lining we met back up with our taxi driver, who took us to where we could hike. There are trails through the cloud forest that lead to 9 waterfalls. The trail in total takes about 3-4 hours, and not only were the dark clouds rolling in, but we wanted to make sure to make it to the chocolate tour! Now to get to these trails, you take a small not very stable looking cable car across a huge valley. It is like zip lining in a car, but definitely scarier. We got to the other side and hiked down to see 2 of the small falls, and then back up and across. Just as we were getting back it began to drizzle, so good timing on our part!
One week ago, Chelsea and I decided we needed to get out of Quito, so we planned a day trip to Mindo. Mindo is a few hours north of Quito located in a cloud forest. We decided it would be better (less crowded) to go in the middle of the week.
Mindo is 2-3 hours by bus from Quito. Rather than the way Josh and I got to Canoa, you must leave from the bus station in the north called Ofelia. Chelsea and I left the house at 6:45am to make sure we could catch the 8am bus (there are only a few buses back and forth from Mindo each day, and since we wanted to get the most out of the day we opted for earliest bus). In typical Ecuadorian fashion this was no way as easy as it should have been. We arrived at the bus station around 7:15 and saw there were a few buses from the bus company. We went to the ticketing window, and it was closed (all the other windows around it were open...). We waited around for 15 minutes and then went to ask the bus drivers if they were going to Mindo. They said yes, but told us we had to wait for the ticketing window to open...at 8! Long story short the window never opened, we watched 3 buses come and go, bought a newspaper, which told us there had been a landslide along the main road for the north making all the buses on the route we were about to travel super delayed and inconsistent, and were even approached by several taxi drivers who figured they could capitalize on the deal by offering a ride to Mindo "$10 a person if there are 4 people"...keep in mind the bus is only $2.50. FINALLY, when Chelsea and I were just about to give up (it was almost 9, and we were worried we had lost too much of the day), one of the bus drives just had every one to Mindo board and took off. We paid on the bus (as to why we couldn't do this with the first 3 drivers I don't know...it's Ecuador!)
The bus ride was shorter than we had expected, and the road seemed to be fairly cleared from the landslide, though we did slow down considerably when driving through the area. Mindo is down off the main road about 15 minutes. It is a very small town mostly based in tourism. We were dropped off right in the middle of the small town where we immediately headed towards the small tourist information office. We asked about hiking and about canopying (zip lining), and also about the daily chocolate tour. Chelsea really wanted to go zip lining, so we headed there first (with my fear of heights, and speed, and drops, and everything really I wasn't sure if I would try it). It was a ways out of town, so we ended up hopping into a taxi, which turned out to be good, because we ended up needing to hire him for the day to get around.
We arrived at the zip line place, and were outfitted for our gear. I was getting very nervous because I wanted to try it but I was terrified. I had the option of doing 2 lines, 3 lines, or the full course of 10 lines. I finally figured if I was going to do it I might as well go big or go home!
I was so scared that I decided I wanted to go attached to a guide for the first line (and maybe all of them) because then I could control my speed more . That meant that I had to FIRST. It took about 5 minutes to get me off that first platform: I was hooked up to the two cable lines (even safer than 1!) and to my guide (that took about 2 minutes of convincing) , and then was told to get in position, crossing my legs and in a sitting position to jump off, this took another 3 or so minutes of convincing, but finally I WAS OFF! Boy did I scream! at first, then became a bit calmer, and made it to the other side, and guess what? IT WAS FUN!!! We did the remaining 9 lines (I went alone for the rest). There was the option to do a few different flying positions (you had to be hooked to a guide for these) but they were a bit too scary for me, but Chelsea did both (as can be seen in the photos). Our two guides were very nice and the whole course took about an hour. The views were spectacular, but looking down was still terrifying!
Post zip lining we met back up with our taxi driver, who took us to where we could hike. There are trails through the cloud forest that lead to 9 waterfalls. The trail in total takes about 3-4 hours, and not only were the dark clouds rolling in, but we wanted to make sure to make it to the chocolate tour! Now to get to these trails, you take a small not very stable looking cable car across a huge valley. It is like zip lining in a car, but definitely scarier. We got to the other side and hiked down to see 2 of the small falls, and then back up and across. Just as we were getting back it began to drizzle, so good timing on our part!
We rode back into town, and went up to the El Quetzal Hotel where the chocolate tour is. We had a bit of time, so I decided I needed to relax with a latte. My first real latte here in Ecuador, and boy was it good! (A latte in a chocolate making facility, as you will see from the pictures it was the perfect day for me to be sporting my Tastebudd's Cafe shirt!)
The chocolate tour was great (lots of free samples!) We got to see the whole process and the facilities that the chocolate is made in. It is very pure chocolate (all dark) and only includes the refined cacao and sugar, and any other ingredient that is in the bar (coffee, aji, nibs, etc), which are all grown on the grounds. The Hotel also has a huge garden which contributes to their restaurant. It looked good. At the end of the tour we got to try the world's best and fudgiest brownie (they are famous for them)!
I of course bought some chocolate, and then we rushed to find a bus. As I mentioned, there are very few buses from Quito to Mindo and vice versa each day. The last bus leaves Mindo at 3pm, but that would have been way too short a day. Since we didn't want to spend the night we had the option to have our cab drive us up to the main road where many buses pass (all headed towards Quito). They come by every 30 minutes or so. We wanted to make sure to get on a bus before dark, and were able to do so by 5:30. It was quite a day! Though it is possible to do as a day trip, it would have been better to spread over 2 days. Good for future reference.
Enjoy the slide show! Some of the photos are Chelsea's too.
The chocolate tour was great (lots of free samples!) We got to see the whole process and the facilities that the chocolate is made in. It is very pure chocolate (all dark) and only includes the refined cacao and sugar, and any other ingredient that is in the bar (coffee, aji, nibs, etc), which are all grown on the grounds. The Hotel also has a huge garden which contributes to their restaurant. It looked good. At the end of the tour we got to try the world's best and fudgiest brownie (they are famous for them)!
I of course bought some chocolate, and then we rushed to find a bus. As I mentioned, there are very few buses from Quito to Mindo and vice versa each day. The last bus leaves Mindo at 3pm, but that would have been way too short a day. Since we didn't want to spend the night we had the option to have our cab drive us up to the main road where many buses pass (all headed towards Quito). They come by every 30 minutes or so. We wanted to make sure to get on a bus before dark, and were able to do so by 5:30. It was quite a day! Though it is possible to do as a day trip, it would have been better to spread over 2 days. Good for future reference.
Enjoy the slide show! Some of the photos are Chelsea's too.
